Down at SXSW to unveil his latest film “War On Everyone” (our review), director John Michael McDonagh was clearly taking that title to heart. During a Q&A about the film starring Alexander Skarsgard and Michael Pena he was asked about the casting process, and dropped this little nugget (via FilmDrunk): “We had another guy, but he was kind of a prick. Garrett Hedlund.” Okey doke. Indeed, the actor was initially cast in Skarsgard’s role, but clearly the pair didn’t get on. No matter, as Hedlund is moving onwards.
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The Wrap reports that the actor is in negotiations to join Cary Fukunaga‘s “The Alienist.” Based on Caleb Carr‘s bestseller, with a script by “Drive” writer Hossein Amini. It’s a serial killer story with that takes place right on the cusp of the 20th century, which provides a great backdrop. Here’s the book synopsis:
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The newly appointed police commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt, in a highly unorthodox move, enlists the two men in the murder investigation, counting on the reserved Kreizler’s intellect and Moore’s knowledge of New York’s vast criminal underworld. They are joined by Sara Howard, a brave and determined woman who works as a secretary in the police department. Laboring in secret (for alienists, and the emerging discipline of psychology, are viewed by the public with skepticism at best), the unlikely team embarks on what is a revolutionary effort in criminology — amassing a psychological profile of the man they’re looking for based on the details of his crimes. Their dangerous quest takes them into the tortured past and twisted mind of a murderer who has killed before, and will kill again before the hunt is over.
The project is not quite official just yet, but it looks like everything is moving toward TNT giving it the go ahead. Fukunaga will executive produce, and direct the pilot episode, which is some exciting stuff. Thoughts? Have you read the book? Is Hedlund a good fit? Let us know below.
Wow, I\’ve gotta admit there is a likeness between the two. However, IMO Roosevelt was a supporting character, not a lead. Moore, Kreizler, and even Sara had a greater presence. If he was younger, Michael Stuhlbarg would have been a great Kreizler.
According to an article elsewhere, he\’s up for the part of Theodore Roosevelt. If you look at photos of the young Roosevelt, it makes sense; there\’s a striking resemblance between them. I hope this report is true, because he\’d be an absolutely awful choice for Dr. Kreizler.
Hedlund is a pretty boy who has never broken out. He\’s blown every opportunity he\’s ever had to really make it as a leading man. He keeps getting cast based on his looks alone, because he\’s never backed it up with the necessary charisma to be a star who carries a film. He\’s really a character actor, which will become clear in about 15 years when he finally starts taking the kinds of roles he\’s capable to pulling off. Only tall, good looking white men are given so many chances. Thanks, Hollywood. This movie will flop, too, but oddly, he probably won\’t be blamed.
Have to agree with THEOC. I\’m very interested in this story and very happy that Fukunaga is in, but Hedlund\’s overacting has always knocked me right out of anything he\’s in, Inside Llewyn Davis included. Which is a feat.
I\’m a huge fan of the book but it\’s funny how I found out about it. The book was assigned to a screenwriter to adopt it in the late nineties, and I happened to read the script. I thought it was awesome, so I bought the book and read it too. The script was considered one of the greatest unproduced scripts, but I don\’t remember who did the adaptation. It wasn\’t Amini for sure. Did Amini rework that script, or did he start for scratch?
Love the source material, Moore is a bit of a prick, but Hedlund alienates me. An American Jim Sturgess! hope he drops out of this.
Actually Hedlund and McDonagh got on well, until Hedlund dropped out of the movie only three weeks before shooting for a bit part in an Ang Lee movie. Doing that to an entire cast and crew is incredibly prickish.
Yeah I was thinking/hoping he\’d be Moore too. Kreiszler oughtta be someone way weirder-looking.
I\’m a huge fan of the book and think Hedlund would be great as John Moore, but do we know who which role he\’s up for yet? Regardless, if the series is anything like the novel then it\’s going to be something special. One of the most intricate, detailed, and creepy stories I\’ve ever read.