The Avengers may be the all-star superhero movie of the year, but Ridley Scott is putting together an all-star lineup of his own for The Counselor.  No Country for Old Men author Cormac McCarthy wrote the script—his first—which quickly sparked a feeding frenzy over who would direct and star in the film.  Michael Fassbender is onboard as a respected lawyer who thinks he can dip his toe in the drug business without getting sucked down, and we previously reported that Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Bradley Cooper, and Jeremy Renner were circling roles in the pic.  Now it appears that Pitt and Bardem are extremely close to joining the cast, with Angelina Jolie not far behind.  Hit the jump for more.

Per Deadline, Pitt and Bardem are now officially in talks to star in the film, with Pitt angling to play a character named West Ray.  No details are given regarding Bardem’s part, but he famously won the Academy Award for his dastardly work in No Country for Old Men.  We previously reported that Jolie was in talks to take a small role in the film, but Deadline says there are rumors that she might take on the female lead (though they do note that her involvement is “less solidified”).  It would make sense for Pitt and Jolie to appear together, as they generally trade off acting duties while the other takes care of their children.

I’m beyond excited by the prospect of this cast, director, and material, and The Counselor would mark a reunion of sorts for Pitt and his Thelma and Louise director Scott.  Pitt and Fassbender are also set to both appear in director Steve McQueen’s period slavery drama Twelve Years a Slave, which is expected to shoot sometime this year.  Production on The Counselor begins in June.