Update: Reports spoke to soon, as Gyllenhaal has now dropped out of the project due to scheduling issues, according to Deadline. He wanted to push dates, but producers said no. Look for (another) replacement update soon.
Jake Gyllenhaal has come aboard Albert Hughes‘ drama Motor City, as he will be taking over for Dominic Cooper, who dropped out due to his schedule (possibly for Brian De Palma‘s Passion?). Gyllenhaal will be joined by Amber Heard and Gary Oldman in the Warner Bros. film. [Variety]
Chad St. John’s script, which reached the 2009 Black List, follows a small time hood (Gyllenhaal) who is framed and sent to prison, only to exact revenge years later on a kingpin-type (Oldman) to get back the woman (Heard) he loves.” The film reportedly only has one line of dialogue, which greatly intrigues me. Hughes, who last co-helmed The Book of Eli, has quite a visual eye and I hope he pulls this off.
As for Gyllenhaal, the actor has been keeping things steady, but only has one film hitting theaters this year, the David Ayer cop drama End of Watch. After Source Code last year, he seems to be staying in the same type of genre and while I’ve been more impressed with Cooper lately, this isn’t a shabby replacement.
Filming begins late April in Berlin for a likely 2013 release.
What do you think about Gyllenhaal joining the cast?