Steve Carell is often referred to as the nicest guy in Hollywood. Even in his more obnoxious and acerbic roles, he still has this undercurrent of sweetness that just makes you want to go out for coffee with the guy. Since it must get tiring being that nice, Carell has begun to take on much nastier, darker roles, beginning with a critically acclaimed turn in Foxcatcher. He now continues to expand his repertoire by signing on to a new, as-yet-untitled thriller to be directed by Gore Verbinski.
According Variety, Carell and Verbinski have just inked a deal to begin shooting a “paranoid thriller” sometime in March. There are no further details right now, except that the script is being written by Secret Life of Walter Mitty scribe Steve Conrad – a good or a bad deal, depending on your feelings about that particular slice of schmaltz.
Although Verbinski has not been terribly dependable recently, at least this new thriller marks a move away from films starring Johnny Depp’s accents. He’s already got quite a line-up for his next three films: following the Carell project, he’ll be making A Cure for Wellness and an action-comedy called Passengers. This is all part of Verbinski’s multi-film deal with New Regency.
I’m all for Steve Carell and Gore Verbinski continuing to move slightly outside of their comfort zones. Verbinski is a good director when he tries, and he can probably use Carell’s edge of madness to excellent effect. More than anything, I’m excited to see what shape this film takes, crossing my fingers for Carell as a villain rather than the hero/protagonist. He’s such an interesting actor that it would be great to see him in some more villainous parts.
We’ll keep an ear to the ground, of course, and let you know any further details on this project as they become available.