As Guillermo del Toro’s “At The Mountains Of Madness” gears up to shoot next year, names of lead actors to front the expensive, James Cameron-produced 3D film are beginning to surface and they couldn’t be more different.
Collider reports that Universal and del Toro are of different minds as to who should play the lead role of Dyer. Universal is apparently eying James McAvoy for the part while del Toro wants Tom Cruise. Del Toro’s choice isn’t as strange as it sounds. Earlier this year it was revealed that del Toro walked away from a gestating, Tom Cruise-produced “Van Helsing” movie to make “At The Mountains Of Madness” and it seems like the director isn’t yet ready to leave the actor behind.
Obviously, the actors represent two hugely different visions on where the film and character should go. Do you lead the film with a lesser known, but very much up-and-coming actor for a younger take on the role of Dyer or do you go with an A-list star who can guarantee international box office (even if domestically his name is a bit more of question mark) and make the hero a little older? It will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out.
With the film eying a May 2011 start, both actors would tentatively be free and clear do the film both having come off big franchise films; McAvoy with “X-Men: First Class” and Cruise with “Mission: Impossible 4.”
We’re sure del Toro fanboys won’t be happy to hear the director wants Cruise for the role, especially after an early review of the script reveals an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s book that is heavy on creatures and actions, but light on atmosphere. Cruise vs McAvoy: who would you pick?
Cruise. Ten times out of ten.
I would prefer McAvoy, but if Del Toro sees something in Cruise that he thinks will work for the film then great! What bothers me the most about this post and the early reviews is the accusation that the film isn't atmospheric.
Rarely do screenplays show the atmosphere the film will have, especially not a Del Toro one. I think he has proven over and over again that he can produce hugely atmospheric and creepy films. I think we won't be able to judge the film until it actually comes out, because I for one, am preparing myself for a very creepy film.
Agreed, Cruise. He needs to quit with the softballs and get some something sharp in some way.
Would totally love to see Cruise in this, as it could be a project to reboost his street cred. He did this awhile ago with Collateral but as since deteriorated all of that.
Wow, Del Toro is making all the bad choices. This film is going to be shit. I can see it, because I'm a fortune teller. The Playlist will give it B-, which I think is too generous, but hey, fanboys will be fanboys.
I'd pick Cruise, too. McAvoy, generally seems comfortable playing the role of the ingenue and that's not what I want to see on the screen. IMO if Cruise lets this opportunity to work with Del Toro, pass him by, it demonstrates his instinct's for role selection has faded.
I'm really surprised at the pro-Cruise contingent. I can't imagine a weirder dichotomy than Cruise/Del Toro. Cruise films, except in very rare cases, become TOM CRUISE MOVIES. Which works in some cases but would be a completely weird fit in a Del Toro created world.
Cruise all the way. McAvoy is a charisma free zone.
Well, folks, look at it this way: The movie is called "At the Mountains of Madness" and one of these two stars is batshit insane… hmm. Yeah, I'd go with Cruise.