Top 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2012: #4. Terrence Malick’s The Burial

#04. The Burial

Director/Writer: Terrence Malick
Producers: Nicolas Gonda (Voyage of Time) and Sarah Green (Tree of Life)
Distributor: Rights Available (FilmNation Ent.)

The Gist: To likely go by another title, set over a period of several years, Neil (Ben Affleck), is a failed writer stuck in a loveless marriage with Marina (Kurylenko), whose expiring visa put pressure on Neil to propose. Neil and Marina have a daughter (Tatiana Chilin) together, but both of them are looking outside the marriage. Neil is drawn to Jane (McAdams) and Marina betrays her husband by having an affair with Charlie (Charles Baker)...(more)

Cast: Rachel McAdams, Jessica Chastain, Rachel Weisz, Ben Affleck, Michael Sheen, Javier Bardem, Olga Kurylenko, Amanda Peet, Barry Pepper and Charles Baker

List Worthy Reasons…: With a cast and tech crew (Emmanuel Lubezki, Jack Fisk) worth boasting about, I’m betting this will be the least ambiguous film in Malick’s slender, four-decade spanning filmography.

Release Date/Status?: Despite his busy schedule (filming has already commenced Knight of Cups and Lawless) there is no reason to think that Thierry Frémaux won’t be able to re-invite Malick’s currently untitled star-studded, romantic drama — especially after a Palme d’Or win for Tree of Life. With almost every single territory sold, U.S. rights are still available and FilmNation Ent. would once again welcome the platform of a Cannes Film Festival – I picture this released as a fall season item.