Naomi Watts hit a brief career rough patch following her Oscar nominated turn “The Impossible.” A couple of indies—”Adore” and “Sunlight Jr.“—were barely seen, while she was savaged ruthlessly by critics for last year’s biopic flop “Diana.” But she’s got a very promising slate coming up with roles in Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s “Birdman,” the buzzed “Saint Vincent De Van Nuys” and Noah Baumbach‘s “While We’re Young.” And she’s adding yet another auteur to her filmography.
THR reports the actress is in talks to join Gus Van Sant‘s “Sea Of Trees” opposite Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe. And yes, that’s a helluva pairing. Penned by Chris Sparling (“Buried,” “ATM“), the 2013 Black List script follows an American man taking a journey into the infamous “Suicide Forest” at the foothills of Mount Fuji with the intention of taking his own life. When he is interrupted by a Japanese man who has had second thoughts about his own suicide and is trying to find his way out of the forest, the two begin a journey of reflection and survival. No word yet on Watts’ role, but production on the film will get underway this summer.
Meanwhile, Halle Berry is joining the rather generic-sounding thriller “Kidnap.” Luis Prieto, the guy who directed that remake of Nicolas Winding Refn‘s “Pusher,” is at the helm of this one about a mother who will stop at nothing to rescue her kidnapped son. Yawn.