Benedict Cumberbatch and Jake Gyllenhaal are eying the leads in The Current War, focusing on the rivalry between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse
Talent appears to be coalescing today for The Weinstein Company‘s historical drama The Current War. According to a story at The Hollywood Reporter, both Benedict Cumberbatch and Jake Gyllenhaal are in talks for the leading roles of Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse, respectively. What’s more, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon is in talks to helm.
The Current War was scripted by Michael Mitnick and had the distinction of landing on the 2011 Black List of “unproduced” screenplays with the following logline:
Based on the true story of the race between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse to develop a practical system of electricity and sell their respective inventions to the country and the world.
Wanted and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter‘s Timur Bekmambetov, who at one time was planning to direct The Current War himself, is now set to produce the project alongside Garret Basch and Steve Zaillian.
Benedict Cumberbatch is in theaters now as part of the ensemble cast of Scott Cooper’s Black Mass. The “Sherlock” star will soon be donning the Eye of Agamotto, however, as he steps into the Marvel Cinematic Universe for Scott Derrickson’s Doctor Strange. Look for that film to hit theaters November 4, 2016.
Jake Gyllenhaal, meanwhile, recently headlined Antoine Fuqua’s boxing drama Southpaw and is in theaters now as part of the Everest cast. He next stars in Dallas Buyers Club helmer Jean-Marc Vallée’s latest, Demolition, which recently premiered during the Toronto International Film Festival. If you missed it, be sure to check out our own Edward Douglas’ positive Demolition review.
Before directing The Current War, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon is set to next helm the Allan Loeb penned drama Collateral Beauty with Will Smith attached to play the lead.
(Photo Credit: Brian To / Ivan Nikolov / WENN.com)
