It’s been well over a year since any significant movement was made on James Gray’s The Lost City Of Z. In late 2013, Twilight‘s Robert Pattinson joined the cast, which, at that time, only included Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead. Then, in December, Sienna Miller was reportedly grafted onto the project in a minor role, with outlets announcing that production would commence in summer 2015.
Was that imminent lensing date a motivating factor for acquiring a new leading man? Either way, Deadline reports that Cumberbatch is off the project and Sons Of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam is taking his place. It’s likely that the former has had to reshuffle his pending projects due to his Marvel commitments on Doctor Strange.
Whatever the reason, the unknown cause of the film’s delay now means that Hunnam will play Percival Fawcett, described as a “British colonial who disappeared in the 1920s while searching for a mythical city in the Amazon jungles of Brazil that he believed he discovered on a prior expedition.”
Take into account Hunnam’s upcoming slate – including Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur reboot and survival drama, The Mountains Between Us – and it’s easy to see a pattern emerging. Mr. Hunnam’s interests lie in active roles that demand a honed physique and the possibility of madcap stunts in far-flung locales.
Joining the Queer As Folk star will be the aforementioned Pattinson, who will play a British corporal who joins Fawcett on his endeavours and Miller as Fawcett’s wife. On the production side, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner are producing for Plan B with Dale Johnson and Anthony Katagas. Marc Butan will executive produce along with with MICA Entertainment’s – who are also financing the flick – Julie B, May and Glenn Murray.
Based on an original novel by David Grann, The Lost City Of Z is expected to start production shortly.