Here’s some information that should come as news to exactly no one: Steven Spielberg, whether or not he’s working on a long-cherished dream project, can command pretty much any actor working today to join up, schedule permitting. Much like Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura putting out his call to animals, they come scurrying and flocking. And with Lincoln, Spielberg is now gathering a fantastic set of performers, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Hal Holbrook and James Spader.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Entering negotiations alongside that batch are Winter’s Bone Oscar nominee John Hawkes, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill, Joseph Cross, David Costible, Byron Jennings, Boris McGiver, Gloria Reuben, Jeremy Strong, Dakin Matthews and David Warshofsky. Oh, and Joey from War Horse. Of course.*
Lincoln already boasts Daniel Day-Lewis as the main man and Sally Field as Mary Todd, his other half.
Jones is signing on to play Thaddeus Stevens, a staunch Republican congressman who campaigned to end slavery and assisted the President in writing legislation that helped fund the Civil War. Gordon-Levitt, meanwhile, will be Lincoln’s oldest and longest-surviving son Robert Todd Lincoln. The rest of the roles will be revealed as more info leaks, but for now, we know that Spielberg plans to have the cameras cranking this autumn in Virginia and that the eventual film should be out next December.
Not really, though if they need a steed, you’ve got to figure he’s a horse shoe-in.
**Sorry. *