Whenever Steven Spielberg makes a movie, we pay attention – and when it was revealed that he’d be re-teaming with his Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can and The Terminal star Tom Hanks for his latest, an Untitled Cold War Thriller, we went from interested to excited. Add in that Ethan and Joel Coen penned the latest iteration of the script, working from an original draft from Matt Charman, and you’ve got the recipe for an absolutely terrific thriller. Now, Spielberg has enlisted the help of four other stars for major roles in the project.
Gone Baby Gone Oscar nominee Amy Ryan has come aboard as the wife of James Donovan (Hanks), “the CIA attorney who is thrust behind the Iron Curtain when he is sent to negotiate the release of captured American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers.” Also in talks for roles are Alan Alda (Little Miss Sunshine), Billy Magnussen (TV’s Boardwalk Empire) and Eve Hewson (This Must Be the Place, TV’s The Knick), though their parts are unknown. Mark Rylance (The Other Boleyn Girl) previously signed on in an unknown role, though the early nature of his joining the project suggests to me that he’s playing Powers.
That’s a very impressive cast, and after Hanks’ dramatic one-two punch of Captain Phillips and Saving Mr. Banks, all signs point to the actor delivering another excellent performance. We’ll be looking forward to watching him bring his affable charm and dramatic tenacity to what’s surely a naturally complex and intriguing role. It’s also exciting to see that Spielberg is including both acting veterans and exciting fresh faces in the supporting cast.
The film is set to begin filming in September, with shoots in New York and Berlin planned. Disney is releasing it domestically, with Fox handling the international distribution duties, and the thriller is already set for release on October 16th, 2015.
