Broadly speaking, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an actor you can almost always count on to secure a compelling role year in, year out. Since his breakout in Rian Johnson’s Brick, audiences have witnessed that actor chop and change between poignant drama in 50/50, superhero action in The Dark Knight Rises and, more recently, character study for Oliver Stone’s Snowden.
They may not always be winners, but at least you can’t fault Gordon-Levitt for not straying outside his comfort zone, and it looks as though the actor’s latest gig will uphold that streak. It’s called Sovereign, according to Deadline, and is pitched as a sci-fi thriller. Geoff Tock and Gregory Weidman were the brains behind the initial script, though we understand that the so-hot-right-now Jack Thorne has been drafted in to give the screenplay a significant overhaul.
The underlying premise remains relatively unchanged for now, with Gordon-Levitt attached to play man who, in the wake of an ailing marriage, “goes to find his wife and the entire crew of a space station who have gone missing. As he explores the ship, he discovers the truth about their disappearance and is forced to confront his own role in losing her.” It’s early days on this one, though Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Dan Cohen – the team that last worked on Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival – are on board to produce. International sales will be handled by Sierra/Affinity.
So, there you have it; a trip into sci-fi drama looks to be in the cards for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Details remain few and far between, but on paper Sovereign has some similarities to the upcoming Passengers. This, coupled with the casting of Gordon-Levitt, has us immediately intrigued.
