Here’s some rather exciting news. In August, it was announced that Alexander Payne had shelved his high concept midgets little people comedy, “Downsizing,” in favor of his semi-long-gestating adaptation of Kaui Hart Hemmings’ “The Descendants” that Fox Searchlight bought the rights to for him in 2007. Scripted by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, the novel is a tragicomedy that centers on the story of an attorney who finds his life at a crossroads after the death of his wife, and decides to take a trip with his two daughters to find the man she was having an affair with.
Up until now, there’d been no cast movement, despite shooting being scheduled to begin in January 2010, but it looks like George Clooney, who seems to be going the Brad Pitt route of helping smaller, mid-sized smart projects get off the ground, is in talks to take the lead role.
Clooney is currently shooting Anton Corbjin’s “The American” in Italy, so if he takes the role, presumably, he gets himself a quick Xmas break and is then back to shooting on Payne’s new project. He proved an excellent lead for Jason Reitman’s “Up In The Air,” and this sounds like a project that could be equally funny and soulful. We hope this one comes together, it sounds like a perfect match.
