David Cronenberg’s Maps To the Stars ‘ imaginative casting call now adds Evan Bird, Mia Wasikowska and Olivia Williams.
The trio join Robert Pattinson, Sarah Gadon, Julianne Moore and John Cusack, the latter three cast as recently as last month.
The growing line-up is yet another healthy indicator of Maps To The Stars now on-target course to the big screen. A six year labor of love for Cronenberg and screenwriter-novelist Bruce Wagner, early exits from the film by Rachel Weisz and Viggo Mortensen appeared to augur the end or at least a serious setback for the project.
But tenaciousness will out, and Cronenberg seemingly has ‘will’ in spades.
Nutshelled, the plot arcs two film industry ex-child stars who become “ruined by Hollywood’s depravity,” while last month Deadline added a new tangent to the plot describing it as a “ghost story.” Further details here .
In Maps , Bird will play a disturbed, drug-addicted child star. Williams will take on the role of his manipulative mom, while Wasikowska gets to revel in the part of his fame-hungry, disfigured, schizophrenic sister. Not exactly the Waltons, then.
As yet there are no firm deets on Pattinson, Moore and Cusack’s characters, but suffice it to say Cronenberg’s pitch black take on Tinsel Town will make fine use of their considerable talents.
Produced by Martin Katz via his Prospero Pictures banner and SBS Productions for Said Ben Said, Katz wears two hats and is financing with Entertainment One.
The Hollywood Reporter notes Sentient Entertainment’s Renee Tab, who is also Cronenberg’s manager will executive produce, as will eOne’s Benedict Carver. Integral Films’ Alfred Hurmer will co-produce.
The shoot is slated to begin in July in Toronto and Los Angeles, the latter a first time film location for Cronenberg.
And speaking of first’s — albeit this next is relative — Maps to the Stars marks the first time since 2007’s “Eastern Promises” that the auteur will work from an original screenplay rather than an adaptation.
Full steam, then.
[ Images via cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com & Featureflash / Shutterstock.com ]
