Whitaker to patrol the ‘Night’

It’s the sort of project that seems to have passed through as many sets of hands as an old pool hall cue, but now with a May 21 production date set and some casting news trickling in – The Night Watchman is seriously going to make it o the screen. After re-confirming Keanu’s presence, the production is adding an (place the asterisk) Academy Award-winning actor to the slate. Variety reports that Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland and the upcoming Winged Creatures) has come onboard to play a captain of the elite unit called Ad/Vice. 

Set in Los Angeles in the early '90s, the project is described as being in the vein of Ellroy's “L.A. Confidential”. Reeves plays a member of an elite group of LAPD cops who questions the ruthless tactics he has used to become such an effective force in solving murders and battling gang violence and drugs. 

Spike Lee and Oliver Stone were once attached to direct the project, but now the Fox Searchlight Pictures and New Regency project is going to be helmed by David Ayer.