It was only last week when we heard that Jake Gyllenhaal was entering talks to replace Dominic Cooper as the lead in Albert Hughes’ return behind the camera for Motor City.
Cooper himself had come on board to replace Chris Evans, but after scheduling conflicts ruled him out, Gyllenhaal entered the scene. Now, however, it looks like Gyllenhaal’s own commitments will prevent him from taking the part, and word now comes that Jeremy Renner is talking with Warner Bros. and Dark Castle for the lead.
“Story follows a felon who, after being released from prison, begins tracking down the men who framed him.”
Chad St. John wrote the Black List-approved script, with which he’s making his debut, and which is interestingly described as having only one line of dialogue for the male lead, and a few more beyond that – not something you hear every day, especially in relation to an action-thriller.
I would have loved to have seen Gyllenhaal take the lead for this, but if his schedule prevents him from doing so, Renner is of course a fantastic choice to turn to now. He’s been deservedly rising in recent years, and now has two Oscar nominations to his name, and will next be seen as Hawkeye in Joss Whedon’s upcoming The Avengers, not to mention the fact that he’s taking the lead in The Bourne Legacy this summer. Clearly, he has the acting and the action talents for this.
Both Amber Heard and Gary Oldman are on board to star as the love interest and the kingpin-figure, respectively, and with the studios wanting to get this before cameras in April, we should be hearing something concrete soon. Whatever happens, this is a project to keep an eye on; it has a lot of potential.
Source: Twitch via Collider.
