At this point, it’s going to be very tough for the cast of In Bruges director Martin McDonagh’s Seven Psychopaths to get any better. He’s already got Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, and Christopher Walken lined up, and now Woody Harrelson, Tom Waits, and Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) have joined the line-up. Farrell stars as a screenwriter struggling with his latest script, titled Seven Psychopaths, who gets roped into a dog-napping job by his friends (Rockwell and Walken). Things take a turn when the beloved Shih Tzu of a psychopathic gangster goes missing, and the trio find themselves on the run.Mickey Rourke was originally in talks to play the gangster, but recently turned the gig down (calling director McDonagh "a jerkoff†in the process). Harrelson will take on the role of the gangster, which pairied with the casting of Waits makes for a big step up from Rourke in my book. I loved the hell out of In Bruges and I’m anxiously looking forward to the writer-director’s follow up, especially given the fantastic cast he’s put together. Hit the jump to read the full synopsis for the film. [Update: We've been sent the full press release for the casting announcement, which is now included after the jump.]Here’s the full synopsis for Seven Psychopaths, which we recently brought you from the American Film Market:
From Oscar-winning writer and director Martin McDonagh comes a star-studded, blood-drenched, black comedy. Marty (Colin Farrell) is a struggling writer who dreams of finishing his screenplay Seven Psychopaths. All he needs is a little focus and inspiration.
Billy (Sam Rockwell) is Marty’s best friend, an unemployed actor and part time dog thief, who wants to help Marty by any means necessary.
Hans (Christopher Walken) is Billy’s partner in crime. A religious man with a violent past. Charlie is the psychopathetic gangster whose beloved dog, Billy and Hans have just stolen. Charlie’s unpredictable, extremely violent and wouldn’t think twice about killing anyone or anything associated with the theft. Marty is going to get all the focus and inspiration he needs, just as long as he lives to tell the tale.
Here's the full press release:
LOS ANGELES – November 9, 2011 – Colin Farrell (In Bruges, Crazy Heart), Sam Rockwell (Iron Man 2, Frost/Nixon), Academy Award®-winner and Tony® nominee Christopher Walken (Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can), and Academy Award®-nominee Woody Harrelson (The Messenger, Rampart) have all signed on to star in Seven Psychopaths, an action-comedy written and directed by Academy Award®-winner Martin McDonagh (In Bruges). Blueprint Pictures is producing. Film4 are co-financing with the BFI Film Fund and CBS Films which has the U.S. rights to the film. Hanway Films is handling foreign sales.
Farrell stars as a struggling screenwriter, who inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends (Rockwell) and (Walken) kidnap a gangster’s (Harrelson) beloved Shih Tzu.
Tom Waits (The Book of Eli, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus) has also joined the cast along with Olga Kurylenko (Centurian, Quantum of Solace) who is currently in negotiations.
Graham Broadbent (In Bruges, Millions) and Peter Czernin (In Bruges) are attached to produce with Film4’s Tessa Ross who is set to serve as executive producer.
CAA represents Farrell, Harrelson, Kurylenko, and co-represents McDonagh with the Knight Hall Agency in London. The agency, which packaged and set up financing for the film with the producers, brokered the U.S. distribution deal on behalf of the filmmakers. Rockwell is represented by Gersh, Walken by ICM and Waits by WME.
EVP of Acquisitions Scott Shooman will oversee the project for CBS Films. Production began in Los Angeles on November 7th.