With "J. Edgar" now in theaters (sidenote: don't believe the vitriolic reviews, it's uneven, but lots to admire) Clint Eastwood has a bit of free time. His next film is supposed to be "A Star Is Born," but with the lead star, Beyoncé preggers, production has been put on hold. So what's he gonna do instead? Take a lead role in "Trouble With The Curve," the directorial debut of his longtime colleague, friend and Malpaso Productions pal Robert Lorenz. While Sandra Bullock was one of the first names to be looking at the co-starring role, she has moved on and now two more names have surfaced.
Producers are now "considering" Amy Adams and Reese Witherspoon for the role, but whether that means they're still on a list in someone's desk or being actively pursued is not quite clear. Penned by Randy Brown, the film has a great concept, centering on an aging baseball scout, who is slowly going blind, on a final trip with his daughter to check out a hot prospect. Frankly, either actress could do the role justice, though we may prefer Adams in the part. But both can do drama well, would likely easily go toe to toe with the grizzled Eastwood. Either way, it seems the filmmakers are determined to get an Oscar calibre name alongside Clint.
The project is set up over at Warner Bros., but no word yet on when it might roll. [Twitch]