Back in July, director Fernando Meirelles confirmed that “360” (along with his segment in the forthcoming omnibus “Rio In Love”) would be shooting this year, and it looks like he has found his leading lady.
Deadline reports that Rachel Weisz has joined the Peter Morgan (“The Queen,” “Hereafter”)-scribed film, marking the actress’ second outing with Meirelles following “The Constant Gardener.” The drama, set up at BBC Films and Austria’s ORF Fernsehfilm, is a retelling of the classic Arthur Schnitzler play “Reigen.” The play, perhaps the best known work by Schnitzler (who also wrote the short story that served as the basis for Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut”) has been adapted a number of times, from Max Ophuls’ 1950 film “La Ronde” to David Hare’s 1998 play “The Blue Room,” which starred Nicole Kidman and Iain Glen. It has a simple, and rather brilliant conceit; it’s made up of several short scenes between couples, who are shown before or after a sexual liaison. After each scene, one character from the pairing is then shown with another partner, who is then shown with another partner, and so on, until the promiscuity comes full circle.
No word yet on an exact production start, but if Meirelles’ plans don’t change, it will get in front of cameras by the end of the year. Sounds like great material, and we can’t wait to see what Weisz and Meirelles conjure up.