Tidbits: Big Names Not Making The Cut For To The Wonder, Park Chan-Wook Eyes Western, More

With TIFF and Venice just a handful of days away, so is the debut of Terrence Malick’s new film, To The Wonder. And we now know some faces that we will not be fortunate enough to see on the big screen during this film’s runtime.

Deadline not only reports that the collective of Barry Pepper, Michael Sheen and Amanda Peet have been dropped (all in admittedly small roles ranging from character’s boss to a priest, to an unknown role for Peet), but Italian source La Stampa (thanks to The Film Stage for digging this up) has it that Rachel Weisz has also been cut out of the picture.   It’s also been rumored that Jessica Chastain will likely make a home on the cutting room floor. Stories have been conflicting as to just what this film will ultimately be, with people calling it Malick’s most experimental and others calling it his most down to earth film since Badlands, so who the hell knows at this point. All involved appear to have only been on set for a short period of time, so those asking how Malick could cut entire collections of his cast may be a bit misguided. Remember, there is also a 5 hour-plus cut of Tree Of Life  floating around somewhere. It is inherently odd, but if the film is indeed as experimental, if not more, than his last film, we may all just swoop around Ben Affleck for six hours as he narrates the growth of a tree. Who the hell knows? I bet it’d be the greatest thing in the world, too.

In other news about brilliant filmmakers, Harmony Korine is about to hit the festival circuit with his new picture, Spring Breakers, and a clip has been unveiled in anticipation. The film stars Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine, as well as James Franco, and as one of the maybe six people who will stand up and call Korine’s last film, Trash Humpers, a nearly generation defining masterpiece, I can’t wait for this sucker. It may lack that film’s inherent horror, but it doesn’t lack its brood, as it looks to be just as dark and just as heavy as anything Korine’s done.

Finally, Variety is reporting that Park Chan-wook will helm a Western entitled The Brigands Of Rattleborge. The film follows a group of thieves who use a storm to cover their heist, only to find a doctor and a sheriff in their way, in what sounds like a perfect action film for a director like Park to take on. I’m thinking a lot more from the director who brought us the brilliant hallway fight in Oldboy, and I’m instantly excited. He’ll be seen behind the camera next with his new film, Stoker.