“Bond” star Daniel Craig is in talks to take Robert Downey Jr.’s place in Jon Favreau’s upcoming adaptation of “Cowboys & Aliens,” according to Collider and later confirmed by Variety.
Downey Jr. recently left the project due to a scheduling conflict with his “Sherlock Holmes” sequel. Both projects were due to begin photography in June this year, but Dreamworks and Favreau, who seems committed as ever despite losing his leading man/BFF, have wasted no time and are now targeting Craig as the man to portray protagonist Zeke Jackson in the pulpy sci-fi-western that will see natives and settlers unite against a potential alien invasion.
Other than the Bond films and “Layer Cake,” where he pretty much plays Bond anyway, has Craig even led any other films of note? Recent big budget Craig flops include “Defiance,” “The Golden Compass,” “The Invasion” and you can probably argue “Quantum Of Solace” — casting him might actually be riskier than it sounds.
The script was written by J.J. Abrams stable talent Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof, who are also currently scribing the upcoming “Star Trek” sequel. A 2011 release is being eyed for “Cowboys & Aliens,” probably in the summer.
