When you win Oscars, suddenly you’re able to get the cream of the crop to star in your films. At least, that appears to be the case for filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. While he’s never been one to struggle to find big names for his casts, the filmmaker appears to have already outdone himself for the upcoming film “Nightmare Alley,” as he’s courting Cate Blanchett to star in the film.
According to Variety, del Toro is eyeing Blanchett to star opposite Bradley Cooper in the film “Nightmare Alley.” The film is based on the William Lindsay Gresham novel of the same name. While “Nightmare Alley” has already been adapted into a 1947 film, the del Toro project is said to be based more so on the novel about shady grifters, schemers, and other shadowy characters that are part of a second-rate carnival. In the original film, the story focused on a con-man and a female psychiatrist that would scheme people out of money, using mentalist tricks.
Blanchett, in recent years, has branched out of her typically dramatic roots to star in some big blockbusters such as “Ocean’s 8,” “The House with a Clock in Its Walls,” and “Thor: Ragnarok.” Her most recent film is the upcoming “Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” which arrives in theaters next week. She’s recently signed on to star in two separate prestige TV series, but will likely slot “Nightmare Alley” in between the productions.
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“Nightmare Alley” is the first film from Guillermo del Toro since his multiple Oscar wins for “The Shape of Water” in 2018. He’s been working on a new stop-motion “Pinocchio” for Netflix and has since lined up this film as his next live-action outing. Originally, the cast included Leonardo DiCaprio, who recently left the film and was replaced by Cooper. Not a bad backup plan, for sure.
There’s no release date for “Nightmare Alley,” but production is said to begin in early 2020.