I Only Realised How Scary Cronenberg Is Right Now, Blimey…

David Cronenberg and Denzel Washington: those are two names we’d never figure we’d hear in the same film together. An odd pairing, no? Well, Cronenberg is in talks to direct, a political thriller called, “The Matarese Circle” for MGM according to Variety. Denzel is already attached to star and just his name on the project would probably make it one of the biggest films the cerebral Cronenberg has ever worked on. Based on a Robert Ludlum spy novel set in the Cold War, ‘Circle’ focuses on two agents, one U.S. and one Russian who uncover an century-old conspiracy that threatens to create chaos in the world. Michael Brandt and Derek Haas are adapting the screenplay. Washington would obviously play the American, but there’s no word on who the Russian would be played by yet. Viggo Mortensen, since he seemed to play such a convincing Russkie in Cronenberg’s “Eastern Promises,” or is that too close to home been done? Probably, but wouldn’t it be great to see those two face off? We’ll find out soon enough. The project is being fast-tracked by MGM and the studio is eyeing a spring 2009 production start date. [Courtesy of The Playlist]

Julie Taymor, an imaginative visionary of sorts in my mind, is rounding up cast members for her take on Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” including Oscar winner Helen Mirren (Prospero, whom the entire play revolves around), Jeremy Irons (The King of Naples), Djimon Hounsou (an island inhabitant), Russell Brand (Trinculo the jester), Alfred Molina (Stephano, a drunken butler), Ben Wishaw (Ariel, a spirit) and Felicity Jones (as Helen Mirren’s daughter) with Geoffrey Rush currently in talks to play Gonzalo, an ally of Prospero’s. True to her experimental style of filmmaking, Taymor changed Prospero’s gender and one can only imagine other twists she may employ, and if it is as interesting as her debut “Titus,” based on the Bard’s “Titus Andronicus,” it’s more than worth keeping an eye open for.  “Tempest” is due to begin filming in Hawaii in November. [THR]

Forest Whitaker, who portrayed jazz musician Charlie Parker in “Bird” a few years ago and won an Oscar is the same year as Helen Mirren, is set to star and direct the Ron Bass-penned biopic of Louis Armstrong titled “What A Wonderful World,” for the same company that handled “La Vie En Rose,” Legende. The filmmakers have unrestricted access to all of Armstrong’s personal accounts contained in his archives, which had never been granted before. Filming is set to begin in Summer in Louisiana, starting off looking at Armstrong’s impoverished childhood before chronicling his legendary career. That, if you ask me, is exactly the same format of at least the last five or so musical biopics, and the paint-by-numbers approach can only work so many times before its gets boring. Oh wait, it already has. Whitaker better bring something to this monumental story besides his formulae book, because this has all the potential in the world to be better than his previous directorial efforts – “The First Daughter” and “Hope Floats.” [Variety]