Even with an already starry cast that will feature the actors playing multiple roles, it seems there is still room for one more in The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer‘s “Cloud Atlas,” as Variety report that James D’Arcy has boarded the film.
Adapted from the complex novel by David Mitchell, the story follows six plot threads across time—a 19th century notary on a Pacific expedition, a bisexual musician in the 1930s, a female journalist in a thriller in 1970s California, an aging publisher in London in the present, a clone in a futuristic dystopia, and a Pacific survivor in a post-apocalyptic world—all of which fold in on themselves. The directors will be working in a unique fashion, with each filmmaking team shooting in parallel to one another with their own units. Tykwer is expected to take on the period portions of the story, with The Wachowskis tackling the futuristic material.
D’Arcy has been working steadily and is a familiar character actor, but not quite yet a bonafide star. This turn should certainly help in boosting his profile. You’ll likely see him next in Madonna‘s infamous “W.E.” later this year playing King Edward VIII. There is no word yet on the role(s) he has in “Cloud Atlas.”
Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Ben Whishaw, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, Bae Doona, Jim Sturgess and Hugh Grant are all on board for the film that is currently lensing in Berlin. No release date yet but the project is eyeing an October 2012 bow.