So far, with Christoph Waltz and Melanie Thierry on board for Terry Gilliam's "The Zero Theorem," things are already looking promising for the picture, and even the rumored names are exciting, with Tilda Swinton recently mentioned (but not confirmed) as one of the participants in the picture. But another actor has come on board, raising the stakes just a bit higher.
First mentioned on the website for production company Voltage Pictures, The Playlist has confirmed with reps for David Thewlis, that he has indeed joined the film. The futuristic, high concept tale also has an official logline now as well, so here it is: "An eccentric and reclusive computer genius plagued with existential angst works on a mysterious project aimed at discovering the purpose of existence—or the lack thereof—once and for all."
Waltz plays that computer genius, but such is the nature of his character, he won't be moving out of one location too often. "The main character is literally living in this burnt-out chapel which one could take as a metaphor for old beliefs and old systems," Gilliam explained last month. "He's a computer genius but he's just sitting there waiting for a phone call, which he's hoping will give meaning to his life….It really is about relationships, and discovering what's really important in life." He added: "Two-thirds of it — if not more — take place in a ruined chapel."
And indeed, that setting is being built, with the director's official Facebook page revealing a couple of days ago, the chapel in the midst of construction (which you can see below). "Here is a sneak peek at the chapel set. But from the outside. You'll never see this angle in the film," he noted.
All this to say that Thewlis is a fine addition, a great actor who has done everything from mega-blockbusters to tiny indies, and everything in between. It has been a long time coming for Gilliam's next feature, and we just hope his return behind the camera also finds him newly inspired and invigorated, as his recent output has been a bit hit and miss. Much more info to come we'd wager, as the lean 36-day shoot kicks off on October 22nd.
