Alongside director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (Me and Earl and The Dying Girl), both Jake Gyllenhaal (Southpaw) and Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game) are in talks to star in The Weinstein Co.‘s historical drama The Current War, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Based on the 2011 Black List-ed script by playwright Michael Mitnick (The Giver), The Current War centers on the opposing electricity patents supported by Thomas Edison (Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Gyllenhaal) during the late nineteenth century. Edison championed alternating current (AC) while Westinghouse backed direct current (DC) and the two sides fought for the supply of electricity.
Weinstein Co. plans to put the film through to production starting sometime after the fall season. This will make concessions for Gomez-Rejon who will soon be shooting the Will Smith-led Collateral Beauty and for Gyllenhaal who will be filming Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals. Cumberbatch is also currently working on Andy Serkis‘ Jungle Book: Origins. The studio already has past working relationships with both actors after producing Gyllenhaal’s Southpaw earlier this year as well as Cumberbatch’s Oscar-nominated performance in The Imitation Game. The deal likely has a good chance of closing once schedules are finalized.
After Gomez-Rejon’s Me and Earl and The Dying Girl took home the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance this year, the director has since made quite a name for himself within the film community. Therefore, all eyes will be on him for his follow-up projects.
We will have more on The Current War as the film develops.
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