After a long and litigious journey, Martin Scorsese’s next project Silence has landed his next leading man: Andrew Garfield. Yep, Spider-Man will shed his lycra ensemble and don an outfit of an entirely different variety…cloth. Garfield is lined up to play take the starring role in Silence as  Father Rodrigues, a 17th-century Portuguese Jesuit who embarks on a quest to Japan with another priest to confront allegations that Rodrigues’ mentor has abandoned the Church. Ken Watanabe has signed up to star as the priests’ interpreter.
Based on the Shusako Endo novel of the same name, Silence will be filmed in its native Japanese. Scorsese made clear his intention that the film is “meant for a smaller audience.” Remaining loyal to the novel’s mother tongue may affect how the film is received but Scorsese doesn’t give a stuff. He then went on say:
“Then again, it’s a thriller. Thriller meaning they are undercover. I’m interested in this, whether it’s undercover priests or undercover cops.”
Undercover priests?! As unlikely as it will be, maybe Scorsese could change tack and rename the film. Or have it as a subtitle?
At one point in time rumours of Benicio Del Toro, Gael Garcia Bernal and Daniel Day-Lewis taking the lead role were being batted about the ‘net. Whether or not those three leading men could snag the role of the priest journeying with Garfield or his mentor, only time will tell.
Shooting on the film is set to commence in Taiwan this coming June. Before then, Scorsese is locked away doing post on Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer The Wolf Of Wall Street, which is scheduled for release in November. Andrew Garfield is currently filming The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and judging by this latest piece of casting news it looks like he’ll have to wrap up his scenes sharpish.
