Last we heard about the historical drama Reykjavik, back in 2012, Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral) was sitting in the director’s chair. Now, perhaps due to the long amount of time that the project has spent stalling in development, Newell has departed and apparently, Baltasar Kormakur (2 Guns, the upcoming Everest) is in early talks to replace him.
Reykjavik will focus on the 1986 summit in Reykjavik between U.S. president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The summit was a huge milestone in U.S.-Soviet relations, ending the Cold War. Though talks between Reagan and Gorbachev collapsed under the mounting pressure of impending nuclear war, the two formed a bond in Reykjavik that ultimately led to a greater peace.
Michael Douglas is still signed on to play Reagan, while Christoph Waltz is set to play Gorbachev. Frank Langella is also on board as Paul Nitze, Reagan’s most trusted advisor and the U.S. Secretary of the Navy. No other actors are yet attached, though that cast alone makes Reykjavik sound like a possible awards contender. Kormakur is potentially an odd choice to direct, given his action-heavy background, but the Icelandic director does have a strong personal connection to the project: he was actually born in Reykjavik in 1966. Â
Kormakur, currently in Iceland working in post-production on Everest, was sure to set the record straight, saying:
“I am only in very early talks. Nothing has been confirmed.”
Still, it’s exciting to hear that this project is still kicking around after a few years of silence. Kormakur has proven himself capable of building huge amounts of excitement in films like Contraband and 2 Guns. Additionally, Everest, which stars Josh Brolin and Jake Gyllenhall and is set to open later this year, will only make his star rise higher in Hollywood. Hopefully he’ll be the one to sign a deal and get Reykjavik out of development hell and into theaters.
