The lead role in Motor City continues to be a revolving door. Chris Evans came in first. Then Dominic Cooper was on board for months in a more official capacity, until a scheduling conflict forced Cooper to drop out. Jake Gyllenhaal stepped up, but Warner Bros. and Dark Castle couldn’t secure a deal, so it’s back to the drawing board. The struggle may turn out for the best, since Twitch hears the drawing board turned up Jeremy Renner. Renner has reportedly entered into discussions to star as “a felon who, after being released from prison, begins tracking down the men who framed him.” If they can get him, Renner is a powerful presence, which Motor City requires. The original Black List-approved script by Chad St. John is said to contain just a few lines of dialogue. One catch: WB is looking at an April start date, which could pull Renner out of the running for The Counselor, which shoots in May. Sadly, Jeremy Renner cannot be in every movie.
Amber Heard and Gary Oldman are committed to play the romantic interest and the “kingpin-type pulling the strings,” respectively. Albert Hughes (The Book of Eli) is directing.
