Sam Rockwell Joins Cowboys and Aliens
Posted 05.05.10 by Ryan
Director Jon Favreau clearly likes Sam Rockwell, having almost cast the actor in Iron Man as Tony Stark, the role that completely revitalized the career of Robert Downey Jr. Favreau has called Rockwell "very charismatic" which is likely why Favreau cast Rockwell in the role of Stark rival Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2. Favreau was hoping to work with Downey Jr. again in his upcoming adaptation of the western/sci-fi hybrid Cowboys and Aliens, until Downey Jr. left the project to open his schedule for Sherlock Holmes 2.
But Favreau will get another opportunity to work with Rockwell.
According to THR, Rockwell has been cast as Doc, a bar owner who joins a fight against an alien invasion in 1800s Arizona. The role was expanded after Rockwell expressed interest. Rockwell joins Daniel Craig, who replaced Downey Jr. as lead gunslinger Zeke Jackson, along with Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde.
Cowboys and Aliens is based on the graphic novel by Scott Mitchell Rosenburg, though the script, written by Star Trek screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman and Lost writer/producer Damon Lindelof, will be different from the comic book. The movie starts production in June and is scheduled to open on July 29, 2011.