The great David Mamet had only directed two movies in nearly two decades: 2008’s underrated Redbelt, and last year’s low-key prison drama Henry Johnson starring Shia LaBeouf. But there’s good news, because Deadline reports Mamet has found his next project, a feature film adaptation of his Tony Award-winning play, Speed the Plow.
Even better, the cast is already set with Anthony Mackie, Sharon Stone, Ben Mendelsohn, and Emily Alyn Lind. Mamet will write the screenplay, of course, as his signature voice remains one of the strongest in all of Hollywood. Production is set to begin on February 18th, so this one is definitely happening.
The story will diverge from the play to some extent, but will be set at the fictional American Prestige Studios, where junior executive Bob Grant (Mackie) is appointed to a head of production role. Grant is emotionally and philosophically unsuited to a job overseeing the production of schlock, but is aided, or impeded, by a studio time server, Charlie Fox (Mendelsohn); an office temp, Karen (Lind); and crazed movie star Gemma Speed (Stone).
Also in the cast are Rebecca Pidgeon and Chris Bauer.
Mamet’s edgy dialogue has made him a king of the screen and stage, with just a few of his strongest works being Glengarry Glen Ross, The Verdict, The Untouchables, Ronin, and Wag the Dog.
