After breakout roles in Steve McQueen’s “Hunger,” Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” and Andrea Arnold’s “Fish Tank” it’s an understatement to say that Michael Fassbender’s career is going from strength to strength.
The actor is now, according to Showbiz 411, reportedly, being lined up to star in two of Marvel’s biggest upcoming franchises as both the younger version of Magneto in Matthew Vaughn’s “X-Men: First Class,” as we’ve graciously campaigned him for throughout, as well as an unknown villain in Marc Webb’s forthcoming “Spiderman” reboot.
Webb’s ‘Spiderman’ is probably still a way off from starting production, with its July 3rd 2012 release date likely to be far enough for a start date to fit in Fassbender’s calendar. That said, no lead has even been cast in the project yet so it would a bit odd for them to chase Fassbender before finding their Peter Parker. Last we heard, Brit thespian Jamie Bell was rumored to be the frontrunner to don the famous mask though it’ll remain to be seen who will end up in the role.
Whatever role he ends up taking (and that depends on if Roger Friedman’s report plays out to be true; his track record is mixed at best), it’ll be much deserved for the actor who’ll star in no less than two films this year with Neil Marshall’s “Centurion,” Jimmy Hayward’s “Jonah Hex” and possibly Steven Soderbergh’s “Knockout” with two already lined up for 2011 in Cary Fukunaga’s “Jane Eyre” and Cronenberg’s “A Dangerous Method.” Suffice to say, if there is any justice in the world, Fassbender should be a recognized star by next year.
I am totally not feeling the Fassbender love, I hated inglourious and have not seen Hunger. As an Irishman I remember him from his Guinness and Mastercard commercials and his terrible vampire TV show HEXX. I suppose in the McAvoy world of X-Men he may be an interesting Magneto but I think young magneto may need some charm and I'm not feeling this from him. Anyway if you need a something germanic I'm voting for Daniel Bruhl with a badger stripe of grey hair. Oh I'd also love Thomas Thurgoose as a young juggernaut just for the hell of it.
Inglourious is very overrated as is Fassbender in the movie (he doesn't have that much to do really), but he's fantastic in Hunger. Go track that down.
He is also great in "Fish Tank," another film worth seeking out (and don't watch the trailer, it really doesn't do the film any justice).
yeah, forgot about Fishtank. he is strong in that too. Skip Centurion though, it's an action flick and he has nothing to do in it but run.
I have to agree with Theo. Fassbender has been very good and I'm glad he's doing well in Hollywood, but I initially got to known him as a actor being very dull in cheesy TV shows like Hexx. Where as I have always had a good opinion of McAvoy since State of Play and Shameless.
I always find it strange witnessing the initial reaction of American audiences to actors previously only known to British audiences.
Gosh, Hex was so bad, I think even Fassbender knew it at times but he was a jobbing actor at the time. But still I was rather shocked when I saw him being very good in other TV roles.
I remember him being very good in episodes from programs such as Murphy's Law, where he played a very funny gay gangster and as the shoe obsessed villain in the Rupert Everett's remake of Sherlock Holmes.
It McAvoy that I remember being the dull one in Shameless (so glad when he left) and all I remember of the mighty adaptation of State of Play was the amazing John Simms!
In regards to film, when McAvoy popped up in Wanted, I have to admit it was difficult for me for the first hour to even believe him as an American. However saying that he was excellent in Atonement and the last King of Scotland but I just don't think he has been really amazing in anything.
On the other hand, Fassbender in Hunger was amazing and it was a virtuoso performance and I think he is more versatile, as an actor (IMHO).
If he has to choose though I would rather he did X-Men as I do think McAvoy and Fassbender would be an awesome pair up but I still would prefer him to do the remake of 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy' at the expense of both projects.
I guess at the end of the day, it is all about your indiviual perception of the actor!
As for McAvoy love check out the first series of Early Doors, lovely British sitcom absolute comfort viewing for me.