Denzel Washington to star in new Cronenberg Project

Passenger

"Acclaimed filmmaker David Cronenberg (A History of Violence, The Fly) is in negotiations to direct The Matarese Circle for MGM. The political thriller, based on a novel by the late Bourne Identity author Robert Ludlum, is viewed as a potential franchise starter

Denzel Washington is attached to star. Wanted scribes Michael Brandt and Derek Haas (3:10 to Yuma) penned the screenplay adaptation.

As The Hollywood Reporter reminds us, The Matarese Circle follows "two rival intelligence agents, one American, one Soviet, find themselves working together to ferret out and vanquish members of a mysterious group of criminals called the Matarese that has infiltrated the highest levels of American government. Ludlum published a sequel to Circle, The Matarese Countdown, in 1997, but the studio did not acquire the rights to it."

- http://movies.ign.com/objects/142/14245394.html


Nothing is confirmed yet but it would perpetuate the continuing trajectory into the commercial realm for Cronenberg.

Passenger

Wow no Cronenberg fans here then.

niallon

Your final comment said too much, Cronenberg is going all out commercial!

I enjoyed A History Of Violence but missed the off the hinge Cronenberg feel and Eastern Promises the same. Just wish he'd go back to the barmy side of life and shake things up a bit.

Though Washington and Cronenberg does sound like a great combination!

Running Bing

This has the potential to be amazing.

Sounds like my dream film on paper. As for Cronenberg going commercial I dont think thats a particularly bad thing. A History of Violence and Eastern promises were both pretty palatable to mainstream audiences and they were both fantastic.

I think Cronenberg will always go back to his mad routes now and again and I think from now on we'll see him do a few projects like this before making something less mainstream.

Its also worth keeping in mind that a lot of the time as directors get older they loss that spark or freshness they once had and if they try to hard to make mad offbeat stuff it can come off as ****e. Id rather see him continuing to make films like Eastern Promises than making a bunch of substandard videodrome knock offs.

Otis Driftwood

Cronenberg is awesome and I was pleasently surprised by EP and AHOV.This could have potential.

JP Liz

Tom Cruise will star with Denzel Washington in the Robert Ludlum adaptation, The Matarese Circle, which will be helmed by David Cronenberg. The film centre's on two spies who have been sworn enemies for years, but who must team up to go against the shady organisation of the title. MGM are funding the film, having bought the rights to the book and its sequel, The Matarese Countdown, for $3 million, and are obviously hoping to start a Bourne-like franchise. The script was penned by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas (Wanted) and has been updated from its Cold War setting to contemporary times.

Passenger

Obviously Cronenberg doesn't have a say in the casting process so.

speedboatchase

Cruise/Denzel sounds pretty badass

lostexpectation

obviosuly croneberg wants a crack at films that will be seen by more people

Passenger

His previous two efforts recieved mass mainstream theatre release. I don't think it's a case of him desiring more exposure. I get the impression it's a studio's movie and they decide to hire the latest hip Director with critical approval to helm it.

How much leverage and free-reign he is given will remain to be seen.