Gus Van Sant’s upcoming adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s literary cult-hit “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” which pioneered new journalism, told the story of Ken Kesey, his drug-induced tour with his band of Merry Pranksters and helped usher”The Grateful Dead” into the mainstream, could possibly star two drug-guzzling stars themselves, Woody Harrelson and Jack Black.
According to Rolling Stone, “Van Sant originally pictured the late Heath Ledger for the Kesey role, but now has two marquee names in mind: Woody Harrelson and Jack Black, which might make the film more of comedy than a zany drug jag.” Apparently the former wife of Jerry Garcia, Caroline Garcia believes Harrelson would be a perfect fit for Kesey, due to a visit the actor paid to Kesey right before he died, “They went out into the field and had a pretty good mind meld,” Garcia said, “I just know he could play the role.”
The project, which has struggled through a series of false starts, is finally getting underway and has a script penned by his “Milk,” screenwriter Dustin Lance Black and has already signed “Milk,” director of photography Harris Savides.