After having been rumored for months and months now, it is finalized. Tom Cruise is confirmed to star in Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of At the Mountains of Madness based on the novel by H.P. Lovecraft. This has been del Toro’s pet project ever since he sadly abandoned The Hobbit and this hasn’t been much easier to get off the ground. But now with Tom Cruise attached, James Cameron producing and del Toro comfortably in the director’s chair the film will begin lensing in 3D in June of this year.
Way back in September it was announced that fantasy wunderkind Guillermo del Toro wanted Tom Cruise to star in his version of Lovecraft’s dark science fiction/fantasy horror tale as the lead character William Dyer. Now he is officially attached and producer Don Murphy in talking to io9 revealed that the script is incredibly close to the novel and ready to go. Cruise’s weight as a bankable star will provide some needed boosts from the studio in order to make it as fully a visionary work as possible.
There isn’t a doubt in my mind that del Toro can produce a wondrous film experience, his mind is full of beautiful creations which know how to blossom regardless of budget, look for example at the beautiful Pan’s Labyrinth shot only for around €15 million ($21 million). Cruise is more of a concern, I’m not a huge fan admittedly and I wonder how much it will become more about him as a person and less about the content. But due to the immense creative talent involved, I can’t wait.