Gore Verbinski has had an interesting career helming films in many different genres, including children's flicks (MOUSEHUNT), dramas (the Nic Cage-starring THE WEATHER MAN), crime-comedies (THE MEXICAN), and animated features (RANGO). And let's not forget his work on the PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN films. But the film that really brought him to many people's attention was 2002's scary-fun THE RING, which proved he had the chops to deliver plenty of genuine shocks and scares within our beloved genre. Now Deadline is reporting that Verbinski has a couple of new projects that should appeal to our readers, including one that is described as 'elevated horror'. Right on!
Deadline reports that Verbinski is teaming with New Regency for A CURE FOR WELLNESS, an elevated horror film written by REVOLUTIONARY ROAD scribe Justin Haythe. We don't have any plot details on A CURE FOR WELLNESS at the time, but just knowing Verbinski will be bringing his considerable talents back to the horror genre is enough to get me excited.
Before he takes on A CURE FOR WELLNESS, Verbinski will be tackling another project for New Regency that sounds as if it could also be something right up our alley. Deadline also shares that Verbinski will direct Steve Carell in an untitled paranoid thriller that New Regency will put in production in March. The script was written by Steve Conrad, whose credits include THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS and THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY.
Carell is one of the funniest (and most talented) actors in the biz. But beyond his work in comedies, he has proven to be one hell of a great actor when taking on non-comedic characters, so it will be interesting to see what he brings to the table in a dark paranoid thriller. Remember how great Robin Williams was in ONE HOUR PHOTO and INSOMNIA? I can see Carell delivering the same kind of disturbing performance.
More on these projects as we hear it!
Steve Carell