Last month we reported on the fact that Lions for Lambs director, Robert Redfrod, is going to be making a movie called The Conspirator about Mary Surratt, the alleged co-conspirator of John Wilkes Booth, the man responsible for President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. And today we learn that two of the primary cast members have been found: James McAvoy and Robin Wright Penn.
McAvoy was already said to be at the top of the list of actors for one of the lead roles, and Variety is today confirming his casting. Penn will play (what is presumably) the lead role of Mary Surratt, the woman who in real life was tried and hanged (the first woman ever to be executed by the United States federal government, FYI) for her alleged role in the conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln. McAvoy will play Frederick Aiken, a young war hero who reluctantly defends Surratt at trial and in the process comes to believe she is innocent of the crime(s) she’s been charged with.
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Along with Redford’s The Conspirator – which is a connected story to Lincoln as opposed to a biopic about the man – we also have Steven Spielberg attached to a biopic about the former President (appropriately called, simply, Lincoln) and an upcoming HBO project about the search for Booth after he committed the assassination. Out of the three, I’m most looking forward to Spielberg’s biopic (which has Liam Neeson attached to star), but I’m still very much interested in Redford’s movie.
Along with Redford directing, The Conspirator is written by James D. Solomon (The Bronx Is Burning) and will be the first film financed by the American Film Company, which is headed by online brokerage entrepreneur, Joe Ricketts.
I had Kate Winslet in mind for the role of Surratt for some reason, but Penn is a good choice, too. She stars in the upcoming The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (see my review), a fairly enjoyable if uneven “dramedy” in which Penn was quite brilliant in the titular role. McAvoy is pretty much always worth watching IMO, with particularly impressive work in The Last King of Scotland and Atonement. I’m glad to see him take roles like this, not just riding on his success and reputation as a movie star, just taking the “easy” roles that pay the big bucks (though I wonder how much he’ll get for Wanted 2).
What do you think of the two leads cast in Robert Redford’s The Conspirator? Would you have chosen different actors?
The Conspirator is set to start filming this October but doesn’t have a release date yet.
Source: Variety
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6 Comments
I am very excited about this film and the excellent actors who have been cast. It will be especially nice to see James McAvoy back on the screen again. He’s been missed.
McAvoy is one of the best actors of his generation. The more films he makes the happier I’ll be. He was the best thing in Wanted, Last King and TLTWATW. I just hope he’ll get a role oneday where he can show his skills off to the full.
Redford’s films always seem a notch or two down from an Eastwood film.
Just wanted to spew that thought,,,
Mary Surratt give me Meryl Streep
JWBooth give me Jonny Depp
Robin Wright Penn can play Anna Surratt (better yet Amy Adams)-
Love Mcelvoy to pieces as Frederick Aiken -that s a winner.
throw Alan Rickman with Michael Kitchens as head JAGS-
John Surratt- that blonge guy from Flame and Citron
With the safety devices removed from the gallows, heart rates throttled as the countdown was blarred out and the slow motion cameras rolled. As the last numeral echoed from the director below, the crack of the hinged platform bashing down on the timber supports and the ensuing flailing dangled bodies swinging at the end of the creaking ropes gave no doubt about the finality of a hanging. On cue, a muffled voice from each of the hoods choked out their brief code of reassurance of no injuries much less death. Precious camera moments savored the
views that followed from numerous angles for awhile as the stunt doubles’ bodies danced at the end of their nooses and in the comfort of safety harnesses.
This would be Craig Markowski’s second death scene, sharing a lot of non verbal communication with Mary Surratt’s attorney of which she highly respected and befriended. His first death scene is where he consoled Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln as the President was dying and had passed on control of the Union. The whole set of hundreds was nearly in tears by the time it was “wrapped” after a couple of dozen “takes”. …
As a Walk On, Craig took on some minor roles in “The Conspirator” and also shared some ideas and info collected from his Civil War research when he recently produced, Spirit Of Olde Savannah
As unexpected challenges are met in life, blue prints of response are developed. Craig’s solution to the challenges became an enlightening career adventure. People that he personally shares these unusual and unique career stories with quickly become a mesmerized audience of envy. Several of his books, “Key West to Alaska” and “Trading Wall St for St John USVI” are meant to inspire those saddled with responsibilities and monotonous routines to focus on the reward of the shining light of hope to those encountering a few unforeseen hurdles in life. Not long ago he was also in what seemed like an endless rut consumed by endless hours for unappreciative bosses and with the few hours of personal time devoted to the love of his life enduring endless pain from an expected death of cancer. ….
Currently an innkeeper at “Savannah Beach Inn” and producing weddings at “Romantic Weddings Of Savannah”, Craig has created a small empire of romance and entertainment. Originally from Key Largo and fed up with the deceit he encountered as a successful investment banker on Wall St, he rebuilt his career on his terms. Self made and without deep pockets, he enjoys his career as he travels and works in destinations in which most only dream.
Working his way through some unique careers in Alaska for years of challenging climate and conditions, he accumulated the experience and savings to become a sailboat captain and a well respected author. With a uniquely positive and determined attitude, he seems almost a legend as he shares stories of his experiences and travels of which many include his pet timber wolf, Buddy.
No adventurous dreams or goals would be complete without generating ideas from successes in his favorite works which include “Key West to Alaska” and “Trading Wall St for St John USVI”. It’s been quite a journey and a lot of fun for him. There have been the expected bumps in the road at times but “the experience couldn’t be bought with a fistful of winning lottery tickets”. …
A number of publishers and retailers have expressed quantity interest in the publication for the near future. In the meantime, “Key West to Alaska” and “Trading Wall St for St John USVI” can be easily purchased on his web site, “www.KeyWesttoAlaska.com”. A soon to be incorporated automated system will simplify the ordering process as the presses will start to roll in the near future with an edition which includes his recent adventures, productions and romance with Nancy Hillis, famous for her character as Mandy in the “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”…..
Whenever you have the opportunity, you are invited to visit him at his current adventure or to book a sailing charter or activity on “www.PirateChartersOfTheCaribbean.com”. It is also only a matter of time before he acquires a major resort in the near future of which you are also invited to visit.
Sincerely,
Spirit Of Olde Savannah
email: Spirit@SpiritOfOldeSavannah.com
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