October 28, 2010

Clooney to direct, star in 'Ides' with Gosling, Tomei, Wood, Giamatti, (SCR, VAR, DH)

By Nancy Tartaglione

Funding is now in place with George Clooney set to direct and star in "The Ides of March," an "intense tale of sex, ambition, loyalty, betrayal and revenge," that's based on the play, "Farragut North." Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood will also star.

Exclusive Media Group and newly launched Cross Creek Pictures will finance and co-produce with Clooney and Grant Heslov's Smoke House Pictures and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way.

Exclusive Films International will start pre-sales at the AFM next week. Exclusive Media co-chairs Guy East and Nigel Sinclair and Cross Creek president Brian Oliver are financing and co-producing.

Clooney and Heslov adapted the screenplay with playwright Beau Willimon. According to Screen, further casting announcements are anticipated and the film will begin photography in February 2011 in Michigan and Ohio.

Per Variety, "Ides" follows a young press spokesman who falls prey to backroom politics, the treacherous manipulations of veteran operatives and the seduction of a young intern.

Clooney will play a candidate running in the presidential primary race for the Democratic Party ticket. Gosling is set for the role of press spokesman, with Giamatti playing a rival campaign manager. Tomei plays a New York Times reporter and Wood is an intern for the campaign.