Best known for his roles in X-Men: First Class and Antiviral, Caleb Landry Jones is a young star on the rise. He’s got an impressive slate of films coming up (God’s Pocket, Low Down) and today, he’s added one more in the form of Roland Emmerich’s Stonewall.
Already set to star Jeremy Irvine as Danny, a “a young man who experiences a political awakening during the Stonewall riots,” the film will see Jones co-star as Orphan Annie, “an eccentric gay street hustler who participates alongside Danny in the uprising.”
If you couldn’t already tell, Stonewall will focus on the riot that broke out on June 28, 1969 at the titular inn, where gay and lesbian patrons stood up to police who raided the bar.
Though Emmerich has given us historical dramas before (The Patriot, Anonymous), this will certainly be his smallest, and most intimate effort to date. The director is usually known for his big, loud, end of the world films like Independence Day, 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow. Despite the departure, I think that it will be nice to see Emmerich try his hand at something different. He’s definitely good at what he does, but it’s always interesting to see a director step out of their comfort zone and tackle something new.
As for Jones, I’ve seen him in both First Class and Antiviral, as well as a few of his other films, and I definitely have him pegged as an actor to look out for. Stonewall should give him some meaty material to sink his teeth into and I’m looking forward to seeing him in another big role.
Tell us, what do you think of Roland Emmerich switching gears with Stonewall? Are you happy to hear about Jones’ involvement? Sound off below!
