THR has learned that Jake Gyllenhaal and Benedict Cumberbatch are in talks to star as George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison in The Weinstein Co.'s THE CURRENT WAR, a film about the Edison-Westinghouse feud over the distribution of electricity. Although ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL's Alfonso Gomez-Rejon isn't 100% set to direct yet, according to the site, the plan is for Gomez-Rejon to shoot the drama after he finishes filming for COLLATERAL BEAUTY starring Will Smith, which will start production this fall.
Synopsis:
Current War takes place in the late 1880s and revolves around power titans Edison and Westinghouse's battle over the supply of electricity. Edison championed direct current (DC) for electric-power distribution over alternating current (AC), which was backed by several European companies and Westinghouse Electric.
Timur Bekmambetov was previously attached to direct THE CURRENT WAR after he acquired Michael Mitnick's Black List script in 2012, and at one point Ben Stiller was also being eyed to helm the film. Bekmambetov will instead produce with Film Rites' Steven Zaillian and Garrett Basch through his Bazelevs shingle.
Jake Gyllenhaal's EVEREST opens wide today, while Benedict Cumberbatch can be currently seen starring alongside Johnny Depp and Joel Edgerton in Scott Cooper's BLACK MASS.