Star Also Back On Board 'The Lone Ranger,' Along With Tom Wilkinson, Ruth Wilson & More
Armie Hammer's had his fair share of ups and downs across his admittedly brief career. Aged only 21, he was George Miller's choice to play Batman in "Justice League: Mortal!" But the film was scrapped only weeks before shooting. He spent a few years without major credits before impressing as the Winkelvi in David Fincher's "The Social Network," and landed a major role in Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar" as a result! But "J. Edgar" didn't turn out to be any good. He was cast as the prince in Snow White tale "Mirror Mirror" opposite Julia Roberts! But that film looks dreadful. He nabbed the title role in "The Lone Ranger," paired with megastar Johnny Depp! But that film got scrapped too, thanks to budget overruns.
But today's been a good day for Hammer; not only has Deadline confirmed that the actor, along with Tom Wilkinson, Ruth Wilson, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale, Dwight Yoakam and Helena Bonham-Carter, has locked back into the retooled, lower-budgeted version of "The Lone Ranger," which will shoot in February, but he's also gotten a new part, one that promises to be the biggest stretch of his acting talents to date. Deadline reports that Hammer has signed on to join Eric Bana in "By Virtue Fall," a thriller that will mark the directorial debut of "Up in the Air" and "The Longest Yard" co-writer Sheldon Turner.
Hammer will play an ATF agent framed by his partner (Bana) who emerges from prison a harder, tougher man, and sets out to seek his vengeance on his former friend. Colin Farrell and Jeremy Renner were both linked to the part in the past, but it's Hammer who'll now take it, and we're intrigued to see how he takes to something darker and grittier than what he's had to play so far.
James Spader, Carla Gugino and Ryan Phillipe were also connected to roles in an earlier incarnation of the project, but there's no word if they're still involved. Turner will direct his own script, while QED are financing the project, and filming will get underway once Hammer wraps on "The Lone Ranger," likely towards the end of next summer.