Director Bennett Miller’s Moneyball was one of the best films of 2011, so it’s with great anticipation that we look toward his follow-up feature, the real-life drama Foxcatcher.  The pic tells the true story of John du Pont, a paranoid schizophrenic who built a wrestling training facility on his 800-acre Pennsylvania estate where he subsequently shot and killed Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler David Schultz in 1996. Heir to his family’s chemical fortune, du Pont locked himself in his mansion for two days after murdering his friend, and spent the time on the phone with negotiators.

Miller has assembled a fantastic ensemble cast that includes Steve Carell as du Pont, Mark Ruffalo as Schultz, and Channing Tatum as Schultz’s brother.  Some set photos have surfaced today that feature a nearly unrecognizable Ruffalo as the Olympian alongside a very in-shape Tatum.  Hit the jump to take a look at the images.  Foxcatcher is set to hit theaters sometime next fall.

Columbia Pictures has picked up U.S. distribution rights to Moneyball director Bennett Miller’s real life drama Foxcatcher.  The film tells the true story of John du Pont, a paranoid schizophrenic who built a wrestling training facility on his 800-acre Pennsylvania estate where he subsequently shot and killed Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler David Schultz in 1996. Heir to his family’s chemical fortune, du Pont locked himself in his mansion for two days after murdering his friend, and spent the time on the phone with negotiators.

The swell ensemble cast includes Steve Carell as du Pont and Mark Ruffalo as Schultz, as well as Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, and Anthony Michael Hall.  Today’s announcement adds that Vanessa Redgrave has also joined the cast, making for one hell of an ensemble.  Production is underway in anticipation of a Fall 2013 release.  Given how great Miller’s past two efforts have been (Moneyball and Capote), it’s safe to assume that Foxcatcher will likely be an awards contender.  Hit the jump to read the full press release.

More casting notes today.  Check them out in brief below:

• Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) is in talks to topline the period drama, Suite Francaise, from British writer/director Saul Dibb (The Duchess).
• Anthony Michael Hall (The Dark Knight) is the latest addition to Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher, which already stars Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo and Sienna Miller.

Hit the jump for more on the above-mentioned films. 

Moneyball director Bennett Miller is filling out the rest of his cast for the drama Foxcatcher, and now Sienna Miller has jumped onboard.  The film tells the true story of John du Pont, a paranoid schizophrenic who built a wrestling training facility on his 800-acre Pennsylvania estate where he subsequently shot and killed Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler David Schultz in 1996. Heir to his family’s chemical fortune, du Pont locked himself in his mansion for two days after murdering his friend, and spent the time on the phone with negotiators.

Steve Carell is set as du Pont, Mark Ruffalo is portraying Schultz, and Deadline reports that Miller will play Schultz’s wife.  Channing Tatum is also set as Schultz’s brother.  As a huge fan of Miller’s Capote and Moneyball, I’m really excited by the impressive cast he’s put together for Foxcatcher and look forward to seeing the finished film.  Production is set to begin later this year.

Though he’ll next be seen playing a scientist with anger management issues in The Avengers, Mark Ruffalo is looking to next play a full-blown wrestler for an upcoming role.  Variety reports that Ruffalo is in talks to join Moneyball director Bennett Miller’s drama Foxcatcher.  The film tells the true story of John du Pont, a paranoid schizophrenic who built a wrestling training facility on his 800-acre Pennsylvania estate where he subsequently shot and killed Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler David Schultz in 1996. Heir to his family’s chemical fortune, du Pont locked himself in his mansion for two days after murdering his friend, and spent the time on the phone with negotiators.  Hit the jump for more.

With director Steven Soderbergh’s spy-action pic Haywire opening tomorrow, I recently got to speak with most of the cast about making the movie.  Starring MMA fighter Gina Carano as a burned spy who takes revenge against her handlers, Haywire also stars Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Angarano, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, and Bill Paxton.  I’ve seen Haywire twice now and it’s fantastic.  On top of Carano’s star-making performance, the action scenes are some of the best I’ve seen in years.   It’s absolutely something you should see in a theater.

During the press junket I got to speak to Channing Tatum twice.  The first time we just talked about Haywire. However, the second time we covered a ton of other topics like what the last year has been like for him, his relationship with Soderbergh, how Magic Mike came together and it’s rating, what it was like working with Matthew McConaughey, and what happened to The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. In addition, Tatum revealed he has a small part in Soderbergh’s next picture, The Bitter Pill (which might now be called The Side Effects), and we ended talking about Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher - which he might star in with Steve Carell. It’s a crazy sounding movie.  Hit the jump to watch.

Director Bennett Miller is capitalizing on the success of Moneyball to make Foxcatcher happen after several years in development.  The dark, captivating premise—based on the life of John du Pont—suggests the project is worth the effort.  Steve Carell is attached to star as du Pont, “the heir to the du Pont chemical fortune who, in an apparent fit of paranoid schizophrenia, infamously shot and killed the Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz in 1996.”  In casting, Miller and producer Anthony Bregman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) narrowed down the list of actors who could believably portray an Olympic wrestler—sources tell 24 Frames the filmmakers landed on Channing Tatum.

E. Max Frye (Band of Brothers) and Dan Futterman (Capote) wrote the script.  Hit the jump for background on du Pont’s story.

Steve Carell is going dark, folks. The actor has been set as the lead in Moneyball director Bennett Miller’s long-in-the-works true crime pic Foxcatcher, per Variety. The film tells the true story of John du Pont, a paranoid schizophrenic who built a wrestling training facility on his 800-acre Pennsylvania estate where he subsequently shot and killed Olmypic gold medal-winning wrestler David Schultz in 1996. Heir to his family’s chemical fortune, du Pont locked himself in his mansion for two days after murdering his friend, and spent the time on the phone with negotiators. The authorities were finally able to lure the man out of his house when they shut off his power and heat. E. Max Frye (Band of Brothers) and Dan Futterman, who penned Miller’s debut feature Capote, wrote the script.

Miller is no stranger to the true crime genre, as he expertly captured Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood research in 2005’s Capote. His latest effort, Moneyball, is one flat-out fantastic and I can’t wait to see what he brings to the decidedly strange du Pont story. As for Carell, his comedic talent is undeniable but he’s rarely gotten the chance to delve into drama. He showed promise in Dan in Real Life and Crazy, Stupid, Love., but Foxcatcher is a whole new league of dark. He’s an inspired choice, and I’m eager to see what he and Miller cook up. Production is set to begin in March.