For an artist who works at a seemingly non-stop rate — how many months can we go before hearing of / seeing a new project? — it’s undeniably strange that Werner Herzog must wait so long to roll cameras on Queen of the Desert. This years-in-the-waiting narrative feature (his first since 2009’s My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?) has been playing one stage or another of the casting game for some time, seemingly to little advancement — as if, amazingly, six hours of death row documentation doesn’t just get you a new movie into some hot states of development.
The stop-and-start progress in mind, it’s hard to figure if what follows is, in fact, a sign of things more significantly falling into place. No matter what, it’s a bit unfortunate: according to Deadline, Naomi Watts — seemingly attached to the picture since its announcement in early 2011 — is no longer expected to lead Queen, the central role likely falling to Nicole Kidman, whom the since-departed actress appeared with in (I had to look this up) the 1991 Australian drama Flirting. (It would seem Herzog‘s a big fan.) Nothing’s been made official quite yet (“they’re in talks,” etc.), though the helmer’s name is no deterrent for talent — as casting, here, would illustrate, even if said talent sometimes must leave when the process moves too slowly.
The writer-director’s Gertrude Bell biopic is also expected to star James Franco and Robert Pattinson — the latter playing none other than T.E. Lawrence — though Deadline’s story is, curiously, missing any notice of a production start. With Benaroya Pictures set to finance and Palmyra Films on the producing side of things, we’re hoping Kidman‘s addition is the one last boost needed for Queen of the Desert to finally launch.
How do you feel about Kidman taking over Watts’ spot?