Originally slated to shoot in March 2011, with a promising cast including Paz Vega, Willem Dafoe and Michelle Rodriguez, Paul Schrader's long brewing "The Jesuit" never got off the ground. Instead, he moved to the micro-indie world and shot "The Canyons" with porn star James Deen and Lindsay Lohan, which is currently in post, and while we had hoped he might get back to "The Jesuit," it looks like he has passed the job on to someone else.
Deadline reports that the project will now be helmed by Alfonso Pineda Ulloa, the filmmaker who is probably best known at this point for writing and being attached to direct "Black Angels Has My Wings," which has Eljiah Wood, Tom Hiddelston and Anna Paquin linked to star. 'Wings' was supposed to start lensing last month, but that didn't happen. So instead, Ulloa will roll on with this, rounding up Jose Maria Yazpik ("Abel," "Brief Lovers") and Shannyn Sossamon ("The Rules Of Attraction," "The End Of Love") in the story that centers on a wrongly imprisoned man who seeks vengeance when he learns his wife's been murdered and his son's been kidnapped. Yazpik is in the lead role, with Sossamon playing a woman who poses as his wife in his quest for vengeance.
We have to say we're a little disappointed this is pressing on with downgraded talent, but it's still potentially intriguing, and with Schrader's name linked we'll give it a watch no matter what. We'll keep our eyes peeled for it next year.
He should direct it, it sounds to cool to let it pass.