Redford set to direct Lincoln assassination film; Spielberg also still in a LIncoln state of mind

Robert Redford is set to direct The Conspirator, a drama based on the trial of Mary Surratt, an accused conspirator in the Lincoln assassination. According to The Guardian, the film will star Robin Wright Penn as Surratt and Atonement's James McAvoy as her attorney, Frederick Aiken. Redford's plans coincide with Steven Spielberg's ongoing Lincoln biopic starring Liam Neeson. Spielberg, whose production has been repeatedly delayed, told Variety that he is still moving forward,  with Angels In America scribe Tony Kushner revising the script. With Redford and Spielberg both making Lincoln-related movies, one can't help but wonder: Is Lincoln the new vampires? Will schoolchildren across the nation soon be dressing up in fake beards and stovepipes, spouting axioms on the virtue of democracy and thrift? Only time will tell, but – yes, probably.