Now, before you get too excited — nothing is confirmed just yet, this is a lot of best case scenario stuff, but if it works out? Damn. As you’ll recall, last fall it was reported that “The Hunt” and “Celebration” director Thomas Vinterberg was gearing up an adaptation of Thomas Hardy‘s “Far From The Madding Crowd,” and was eyeing Carey Mulligan to star. Well, her name is still in the mix and two more actors are being tossed around to join her.
Baz Bamigboye reveals that “Rust & Bone” and “Bullhead” star Matthias Schoenaerts has been offered a role and Matthew Goode has been rumored to join the production. David Nicholls (the Ralph Fiennes/Helena Bonham Carter “Great Expectations” and the 2008 Brit TV mini-series “Tess of the D’Urbervilles“) is penning the script that tells the tale of Bathsheba Everdene, who is courted by three men: Gabriel Oak, a shepherd; Sergeant Troy, a handsome soldier; and William Boldwood, a farm owner.
Mulligan is being eyed for Bathsheba (duh), with Schoenaerts offered the part of Gabriel and with Goode rumored for Troy. Nothing is final with anyone yet, as deals are still being sorted about, but everything is running toward a production start this summer backed by DNA Films, Fox Searchlight and BBC Films. Of the three, Schoenaerts currently has the tightest schedule with “Animal Rescue” now filming, the Alan Rickman directed “A Little Chaos” to follow with the Michelle Williams starring “Suite Francaise” expected to round things up this summer. Unless one of those projects drops off, we don’t how he would manage to take this on. So — we’ll see.
But as for the movie itself, everyone involved is promising it won’t be beautiful costumes and stately production. Word around the campfire is that it’s going to be “visceral and violent in its emotions and physicality.” Which after the harrowing “The Hunt” is a particularly tall order.