Friday, February 08, 2013

Speculation: Is ‘Inherent Vice' Looking To Cast Big Names?

Treat this as not quite a rumor but just some speculation on our part. We know that PTA's adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's "Inherent Vice" is getting ready for a late April/early May start date, assuming the financing falls into place and/or PTA doesn't decide to postpone. Last month, it was reported that Robert Downey Jr. was still attached to the lead role of Doc Sportello (as had first been reported back in December of 2010) and that Charlize Theron (who PTA had mentioned wanting to work with) was also circling a role. Now it appears that both of those options are off the table with Downey Jr. likely in the middle of his "Iron Man 3" promotional duties in early May when the film opens and Charlize booking a role that shoots in that same window.

Two weeks ago it was reported that Joaquin Phoenix will be taking over the lead role and recent public appearances would suggest this has been in the works for quite some time. The question is: who will join him? Unless he's just doing some artful dodging, Philip Seymour Hoffman says sitting this one out, making this just the second PTA film he doesn't appear in. And while we should be getting some definitive answers on that in the next month or two, we thought we'd use this time to do a little speculating and draw your attention to something that costume designer Mark Bridges said about getting ready for the film.
There’s a film called “Candy” -- as well as other films that I’ve been looking at -- that are satires but they’re broad and they have very iconic people in them. So I’m playing with that idea in my mind, whether that’s something that Paul’s going to want to latch onto, [I’m not sure].
He names a 1968 Buck Henry scripted satire "Candy" as being an inspiration, which may be mostly forgotten today but has a huge cast of stars including Marlon Brando, Richard Burton, Walter Matthau, John Huston, James Coburn, Ringo Starr and Charles Aznavour. Bridges goes on to say that he's not sure if that's something Paul will latch onto but it seems like that's certainly an idea they could be playing with. So with Joaquin at the center, might PTA be looking to bulk up his supporting cast with some big names? Back in October, PTA was asked what actors he'd like to work with someday and rattled off a few names off the top of his head: Robert De Niro, Jim Carrey, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Shannon. Some pretty big names -- even if Carrey and Theron are off the table due to previous filming commitments -- so it's interesting to guess at where he might be heading.

So who would you like to see in "Inherent Vice"? Sound off in the comments below.

And stay tuned to C&RV. On Monday we're launching Part 4 of our "Making The Master" series featuring a lengthy interview with production designers Jack Fisk & David Crank.



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51 comments:

  1. Ok, other than Joaquin Phoenix, as mentioned above, I would love to see Robert DeNiro (a damn fine choice along w/ Joaquin Phoenix), Kim Basinger, oh geez, this is hard lol & Danny Glover! Just a few very amateurish picks here ok? LOL! :-D Clearly, I am NO PTA LOL!! :-D

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  2. maybe someone who has read the book could make some guesses on who these "big stars" would play?

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  3. De Niro as Mickey Wolfmann. I can see it.

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  4. Aside from myself in a small character role, it'd be nice to see some of his regulars from the first four movies make re-appearances.

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  5. How about Jessica Chastain as Shasta? She's unstoppable right now and so good.
    Also would love to see John C. Reilly back in a PTA picture, and there seems to be several possible roles for him here.

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  6. Michael Shannon as Bigfoot would be a great fit.

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  7. I would LOVE to see:
    - Michael Shannon (as Bigfoot- can't get this image out of my head)
    - Jessica Chastain (as Shasta- Shannon and Chastain worked together on Take Shelter, a fabulous film. Check out Shannon's explosiveness..
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey1Z0VhAQdA )
    - Christoph Waltz (as Adrian Prussia)
    - Luis Guzman (as Sauncho)
    - James Franco (as Denis)
    - Phil Hoffman (as.. anyone. He's fucking brilliant, always)
    - Robert De Niro as Wolffman (as the comment above said)

    I am truly looking forward to hearing the line-up for this film. Its an ensemble with Doc as the centerpiece (there are around 10 big players in the novel)
    Also, as mentioned on Twitter- I would love to see a more soundtrack-driven score. The songs mentioned in the novel are fantastic. With Pynchon involved in production, I can easily see the musical tone from the novel translate to the screen (with some sexy composition from Greenwood)
    This is my most anticipated film, ever. Clearly I'm a little excited :D

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  8. Sam Rockwell, anyone?

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  9. Hi guys,
    The Master opened yesterday in Portugal and it's getting raving reviews! I haven't seen a single bad review - the worst that I saw was 3 in 5 stars.
    In this website, one of the most read in the country, the 3 critics gave the movie 5 stars - http://www.rtp.pt/cinemax/index.php?headline=40&visual=17&lyt=42.

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  10. Yeah Sam Rockwell would be amazing!

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  11. Chloe Sevigny as Shasta would be great.... she's a great fucking actress and could really do the part insanely well. I agree that Michael Shannon would be awesome as Bigfoot also same as Luis Guzman for Sauncho.

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  12. He said he wanted to work with Adam Sandler again. There's gotta be a role in this for him.

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  13. joaquin phoenix as doc
    michelle williams as shasta
    Sam rocwelll as coy
    Scott mcnairy as dennis
    michael shannon as bigfoot
    Viggo mortensen as adrian

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  14. Jude Law wants to work with PTA, maybe him.
    Wouldn't mind seeing Ricky Jay again.

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  15. Michael Shannon,
    Michael Pitt,
    Caleb Landry Jones,
    Shiloh Fernandez,
    Alexis Dziena.

    Should be noted that Omar Rodriguez Lopez would be perfect for the original score, just listen to his record called Please Heat Eventually

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    Replies
    1. Mars Volta just broke up it would be interesting to see him score some films, also Anthony Gonzales from M83 is starting to score movies such as Oblivion

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  16. Amy Smart as Shasta
    Michael Shannon as Bigfoot
    Sam Rockwell as Coy
    Christopher Walken as Wolfmann
    James Franco as Denis
    Luis Guzman as Sauncho
    Christoph Waltz as Adrian Prussia

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  17. It has been some time since I visited website with such high quality informationPhotographs and pictures of sun

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  18. PTA's characters always at one point have their climax on getting too emotional. Watch Michael Shannon in Take Shelter, he's the exact man to work with PTA.

    Christopher Walken and Christoph Waltz are great.

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  19. I expect Kirsten Dunst, probably as Shasta.

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  20. the thing about shasta is she's only in 2 or 3 scenes. it's difficult to see a big name actress with a big schedule take that role.... unless it's really well written and they really love pta -- who doesnt? seems most actors adore him and would take the role?

    whoever started the rockwell/coy trend is genius. maya rudolph just worked with sam rockwell.. perhaps a good word was put in?

    i like denis/franco. and reily/bigfoot or shannon/bigfoot

    it's really incredible to think that pynchon is working with paul on this. should be really groundbreaking.

    and they better end with the scene with doc driving in the fog!

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  21. any characters in there that could work for Jack Nicholson?

    Honestly, I don't even know if he's still acting, his last film was in 2010, but I can't think of anyone more "iconic" than him. I'd just love to see him in a PTA movie.

    However, Robert De Niro would work just as well, he's just as iconic for sure, and the fact that PTA's actually mentioned him bodes well. Plus, he's coming off a strong performance in another writer/director's movie, David O'Russell's Silver Linings Playbook, so perhaps he'd be keen on taking a role if offered.

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  22. CAREY MULLIGAN!!!

    And I really wish Charlize would join. Ugh she's my fave.

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  23. I would love to see Amy Adams work with Joaquin and PTA in a completely different thing from The Master. Maybe as Penny? Though I know her schedule is pretty full. She's doing a David O Russell movie later this month and she has Man of Steel coming out in June. Not sure if she's doing anything in between.

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  24. As soon as PTA mentioned he wants to work with Michael Shannon, I too haven't been able to think of anyone else as Bigfoot. I would love to see James Franco and Kirsten Dunst as well. And Rockwell, oh god, that would be too good. I'm actually really excited to see who plays Denis, because he's got at least two scenes that are some of the funniest scenes ever written that I hope make it in.

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  25. as said above sam rockwell (coy) and michael shannon (bigfoot) would be incredible. franco (denis) too. some other actors that haven't been mentioned and would love to see in a PTA film, esp. Vice: steve buscemi, naomi watts, chris cooper, ben whishaw, emily mortimer, natalie portman, gael garcia bernal, idris elba, mark ruffalo, mike meyers, john hawks, claire danes...

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  26. Vincent Gallo, Sam Rockwell, Luis Guzman, Kirsten Dunst , Michael Shannon are all who I would love to see. And I'm so excited to see PTA tackle a film with an ensemble piece again!!! He was like the ensemble piece guy early in his carrer and I always wanted him to do more of them!

    Please get Vincent Gallo for anything! That would be my ultimate dream come true!

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  27. elswitt will be shooting vice btw, guaranteed

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  28. In Pynchon's book, Doc Sportello is 30 years old. I always thought that having an older actor such as Downey Jr. as Sportello would be a mistake. Joaquin Phoenix is an improvement, but still the wrong age (and is perhaps a little too 'serious' for the role). Sure, the character could be aged up for the movie, but then Sportello starts to look like a bit of a loser... he's flakey, but he's not a Lebowski. I would love to see James Franco in the lead.

    As for the other roles... well, how 'bout Phoenix as Bigfoot? And Theron as Shasta would be great, I'm hoping that happens.

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    1. I hear those concerns, but I'm confident in Joaquin's potential to inject the comedy into the role. He's incredibly versatile.

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  29. I wonder if PTA has ever taken acid...

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  30. Vincent Gallo is a Legend, he is the most underrated actor out there... He starred in Coppola's TETRO, where also Mihai Malaimare Jr. did the cinematography... It would be great!!!

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  31. Going through the character list, I'd love to see these actors/actresses:

    Carla Gugino as Shasta Fay Hepworth
    Ving Rhames as Tariq Khalil
    Jason Lee as Denis
    Michael Shannon as Bigfoot Bjornsen
    Jessica Chastain as Penny
    Jamie Chung as Jade
    Luis Guzman as Sauncho Smilax
    Frances Macdormand as Aunt Reet
    Charlize Theron as Hope Harlingen
    Sam Rockwell as Coy Harlingen
    Christoph Waltz as Adrian Prussia

    There's dozens of other characters of course, but it's pretty safe to say these are the main players of the story.

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    Replies
    1. jamie chung as jade? oh boy. what a disaster. i realize she is the biggest name among asian actresses as out there, but i hope to god they get someone more interesting.

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  32. How about adrien brody for a role?

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  33. joaquin phoenix as doc
    michael shannon as bigfoot
    sam rockwell as coy
    Kirsten Dunst as Shasta
    christoph waltz as adrian prussia
    vincent gallo as Puck
    Ben affleck as RUDY BLATYNOYD
    christopher walken as mickey wolffman

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  34. Melanie Lynskey as Shasta

    Madisen Beaty as Japonica
    Amy Ferguson as Trillium
    Melora Walters as Sortilege
    Ambyr Childers as Penny
    Jennifer Neala Page as Clancy Charlock
    Colleen Foy as Lourdes
    Emily Browning as Bambi
    Eva Green as Sloane Wolfmann
    Mary Lynn Rajskub as Hope Harlingen
    Joanna Gleason as Aunt Reet
    Frances McDormand as Elmina

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  35. Benicio Del Toro - Bigfoot

    Michelle Williams - Shasta


    that is all

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  36. LARRY "DOC" SPORTELLO - Joaquin Phoenix
    SHASTA FAY HEPWORTH - Kirsten Dunst
    SAUNCHO - Clifton Collins, Jr or Mark Ruffalo
    MICKEY WOLFMANN - Warren Beatty or Michael Shannon
    SLOANE WOLFMANN - Nastassia Kinski or Bridget Fonda or Jennifer Jason Leigh
    RIGGS WARBLING - Ben Chaplin
    TARIQ KHALIL - Tunde Adebimpe
    GLEN CHARLOCK - Kevin Durand
    BIGFOOT BJORNSEN - Peter Stormare or John Malkovich
    AUNT REET - Andrea Martin
    COY HARLINGEN - Wes Bentley or Jim Carrey
    HOPE HARLINGEN - Kelly McDonald
    PUCK BEAVERTON - Ben Foster or Spike Jonze
    JAPONICA FENWAY - Madisen Beaty or Sasha Grey
    ADRIAN PRUSSIA- Tim Heidecker or David Bowie
    TRILLIUM FORTNIGHT - Dana Dearmond
    EINAR - Kevin J Oconnor or Fred Armisen
    FABIAN FAZZO - Richard Edson
    CROCKER FENWAY - Wallace Shawn

    and then just let the rest of Hollywood become more of what they already are.

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    1. Tim Heidecker in a PTA movie would be awesome! And why not, Patton Oswalt was in Magnolia!

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  37. i would like see a Thomas Pynchon "cameo".

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  38. Doc- Robert Downey Jr. (I know....)
    Shasta - Charlize Theron (still hoping she's involved)
    Mickey Wolfmann - Robert De Niro
    Sloane Wolfmann - Julianne Moore
    Riggs Warbling- Joaquin Pheonix (again, I know...)
    Big Foot: Phillip Seymour Hoffman
    Coy: Edward Norton
    Hope: Jennifer Jason Leigh
    Denis: John C Reilly
    Sauncho- Luis Guizman
    Puck - Thomas Jane
    Fabian Fazzo- Alfred Molina
    Glen Charlock - William H Macy
    Japonica: Mary Elizabeth Winstead
    Adrian Prussia- Michael Shannon
    Einar - Kevin J Oconnor
    Crocker Fenway: Phillip Baker Hall
    Vincent Indelicato: Adam Sandler
    Tariq Khalil: Anthony Mackie
    Trillium Fortnight - Amber Heard

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  39. God, I can only hope Edward Norton would be in this movie.
    An interesting casting choice I feel would be Matthew Goode as Adrian Prussia. When reading the character's description in the book, he immediately comes to mind as a great charismatic bad guy. Watch him in The Lookout or Watchmen.

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  40. Listening to Brian Wilson’s SMILE, I just can’t help but get excited for PTA’s INHERENT VICE. I hope the soundtrack includes some music from this record. But I wonder if he wouldn’t include the old Beach Boy’s version of HEROES AND VILLAINS instead? Except that it just sounds soo beautiful on SMILE, like the smell of crisp salt water and sand, waves and foam, and laterite, Lemuria, and the Lighthouse Café ...

    Although Frank Zappa’s CUCAMONGA is also a great source of music for this flick, too. Tons of great songs out there!

    Are you sleeping Brother John?

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  41. you know, i am curious to see if he uses GREENWOOD for the score... i would much rather see BRION return - he just did best coast's new record, in the surf rock vein...

    i may be biased, but i think jon brion doing this score would be perfect. music is such an (oddly) important aspect of the novel...

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    1. so true about the importance of the music. it sets the mood for the entire story. though Greenwood would never disappoint

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  42. PTA's praised Michael Shannon before (who wouldn't?)
    Would be great as Bigfoot.

    John Hawkes as one of the guys (doesn't matter).
    James Franco (same)
    Phil Hoffman as the pimp in the limo (cameo).
    Ashley Hinshaw as any of the girls.
    Adam Driver in any part (want to see more what this guy can do).

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    ReplyDelete