Giamatti, Tomei and Rachel Wood ‘March’ to Clooney’s Orders

Clooney is casting himself and adding Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood to the already mentioned Ryan Gosling in what will be among next year’s juiciest studio pics. The Idles of March will perhaps ready in time for next year’s Film Festival and political talk heavy Fall season, with production pegged for February in Michigan and Ohio, the politico, sharp knifed project full of mad men/women was a Black List script favorite that was slightly dormant when Leo DiCaprio was involved, and is easily among the must see films for 2011. Besides the cast announcement and the title change, among the new details to emerge is that we now know that Grant Heslov worked on the latest draft of the screenplay with Beau Willimon, and Columbia Pictures would be the possible suitor.

Gist: This is based on Beau Willimon’s original screenplay and play, Gosling plays a press spokesman for a candidate running in the presidential primary for the Democratic Party ticket. Clooney will play the candidate, a state governor with White House aspirations. In the play, the press agent falls prey to backroom politics, the manipulations of veteran political operatives and the seduction of a young intern. Giamatti plays a rival campaign manager, Tomei plays a reporter for the New York Times, and Wood plays an intern for the campaign.

Worth Noting: Back when it was called “Farragut North”, this was 2nd on the annual Black List (2007), behind another politico tale in HBO’s Recount. Another anecdote, Willimon based this on his experience of working for Howard Dean (who got railroaded for his enthusiasm). 

Why Do We Care?: For starters… we’re big fans of 2007’s Beau Willimon’s screenplay. We like George Clooney best when he is working from Smoke House Pictures projects. And finally, we like the ensemble ticket announced late last night with Giamatti, Tomei and yes, even Evan Rachel Wood joining Clooney and Gosling.