Joel Edgerton locks Bin Laden pic
Warrior thesp is officially in Bigelow/Boal project
Joel Edgerton's name has long been linked to the untitled Osama Bin Laden pic from Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal, and now the Warrior thesp has officially signed on to star.
Reports had Edgerton in the project as early as May, but insiders said at the time that he was merely the unofficial top choice, as the script was unfinished. By the time a script was done and casting began in October, it looked like Edgerton's schedule would clash with shooting; he'd been mulling an offer to star in the 300 prequel. But Edgerton passed on the Warner Bros. project, freeing him up to join the Bin Laden pic cast that already includes Jason Clarke.
Sony is distributing with Bigelow attached to direct from Boal's script. Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures will finance.
Story revolves around the Navy Seal team that tracked and eventually killed Osama Bin Laden. Boal and Bigelow, whose Hurt Locker collaboration was an Oscar best pic winner, will produce along with Ellison, Greg Shapiro and Ted Schipper.
The pic is expected to go into production next month and will bow on Dec. 19, 2012.
A number of open roles are still open, including a female reporter embedded with the Seal 6 team.
Rooney Mara had been eyed, though her The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo promotion schedule prevented it.
Edgerton's name has become a very popular among Hollywood execs for several high profile pics in the last year. Prior to Lionsgate's Warrior, he was being looked at for starring roles in Universal's The Bourne Legacy and Snow White and the Huntsman before joining Warner Bros.' The Great Gatsby.
He is repped by CAA and Shanahan Management.
Source: Variety
Comment: Not sure about a film on this subject right now tbh...