Tom Hardy and Michael Shannon have signed on to a big screen adaptation of Brett C. Leonard’s, The Long Red Road.
The 2010 play was directed by the one and only Philip Seymour Hoffman, though as of yet, there are no reports as to whether he’ll direct the film or not. For those unfamiliar with the story, it tells the tale of Sam, a man with a grief-stricken past who decides to live on an Indian reservation in South Dakota in order to drink his life away. As he spirals deeper into despair, his daughter appears on the reservation in order to mend the wounds created in their past.
Tom Hardy originated the role of Sam in the stage production and will continue to portray the ill-fated protagonist in the film as well. Michael Shannon has been cast as Sam’s brother, Bob, a character who is said to have ties with the reason Sam has given up on life. We also know that Leonard will write the adapted screenplay for the film.
With such a critically acclaimed play, the playwright who conceived the idea, and the now Hollywood actor reprising his role, this film in concept is already turning heads.
A story like this is pure gold when it comes to award season as the simple, yet painful road taken by Sam may seem hauntingly familiar to audiences alike. Whether or not this play can hold the essence of a film is still up in the air, but with more news to follow, this red road might soon be clear.
Source: The Film Stage
