Casting News: Tommy Lee Jones in Emperor; Jamie Bell and Tilda Swinton in The Snow Piercer; Matthew Lillard to Scout With Clint Eastwood
Posted 01.18.12 by Ryan
Earlier this month, Matthew Fox (Lost) was cast in the upcoming political thriller Emperor. Set at the end of World War II, Fox will play Gen. Bonner Fellers, one of General Douglas MacArthur's leading Japanese experts during a time when MacArthur was temporarily in charge as the de facto ruler of Japan as supreme commander of the occupying forces. Fellers struggles with the decision whether Emperor Hirohito should be tried and hanged as a war criminal, while also searching for his lost love, a Japanese exchange student he had met years before in the U.S.
With Fox set for the lead role, it was only a matter of time before an actor was cast to play Gen. MacArthur, and, according to ComingSoon, director Peter Webber (Hannibal Rising, Girl With a Pearl Earring) has decided on Tommy Lee Jones for the role. "Tommy will bring strength, intelligence, and gravitas to the portrayal of General Douglas MacArthur, a legendary American hero," said producer Gary Foster (Ghost Rider).
Emperor was written by David Klass (Walking Tall) and Vera Blasi (Tortilla Soup), and starts shooting later this month in New Zealand and Japan.
***
Jones isn't the only Captain America: The First Avenger cast member with a new role. Earlier this week, Jones' co-star Chris Evans was announced as the lead in the upcoming indie drama The Snow Piercer, setting the actor up in another non-Marvel role.
Set on an ice and snow-covered world, Snow Piercer follows a train full of travelers who struggle to co-exist. Evans was the train's sole passenger, until Variety reported that Jamie Bell (Tintin) and Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin) will also be boarding the Snow Piercer train. Like Evans' role before them, no details were given about the characters Bell and Swinton will be playing.
Little is known about the plot of Snow Piercer, written by the movie's director, Bong Joon-ho (2006 Korean monster movie The Host), and Park Chan-wook (director of the 2004's Oldboy). Snow Piercer will be the English-language directorial debut for Bong. Production is set to start in March.
***
Following his role in the Golden Globe–winning
The Descendants opposite
George Clooney, actor
Matthew Lillard's next role will put him opposite
Clint Eastwood.
EW reports that Lillard is in final negotiations to join Trouble With the Curve, which will be Eastwood's return to acting. Robert Lorenz, Eastwood's longtime producing partner, will direct the movie, which follows Eastwood as an aging baseball scout who takes a road trip with his daughter to Atlanta to check out a hot prospect. Variety reported last year that Amy Adams was offered the role of Eastwood's daughter, but it's not confirmed whether Adams will play the part. Lillard will play a fellow baseball scout.
Production on Trouble With the Curve will begin in early March.