Jeff Bridges is Grendel, John Malkovich joins The Fantastic Four, and more casting news of the week

Michelle Yeoh, Nicolas Cage, Samuel L. Jackson, Alexander Skarsgård, Jeremy Strong, Taylor Lautner, and more were also in the headlines this week

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Jeff Bridges is Grendel, John Malkovich joins The Fantastic Four, and more casting news of the week
L-R: Glen Powell, John Malkovich, Sydney Sweeney, Alexander Skarsgård, Michelle Yeoh Photo: Anthony Harvey; Shutterstock; John Salangsang; David Fisher; Anthony Harvey

Nicolas Cage will play Jesus Christ in a horror movie about his biblical childhood, and that’s not even the most exciting casting update this week. Michelle Yeoh continues her hot streak with Blade Runner 2099, Jeremy Strong might join fellow Jeremy (Allen White) in his Bruce Springsteen biopic, and Faye Dunaway, Harvey Keitel, and Andrew McCarthy are heading a film that director Jonathan Baker believes “will stand as one of the most memorable love stories of our time.” Now that’s how you get people back to the theaters!

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Jeff Bridges is Grendel
Photo Gregory Pace Shutterstock

Jeff Bridges is set to play Grendel in an upcoming movie of the same name, . The initial premise is giving Wicked a little bit, as Grendel promises to tell the story of the monster from the epic poem Beowulf from his point of view. There is quite a bit of talent already attached, too: Dave Bautista, Bryan Cranston, Sam Elliot, Thomasin McKenzie, and Aidan Turner also feature. [Drew Gillis]

13 Comments

  • breadnmaters-av says:

    So they’re going to make a movie from Grendel’s point of view. Here’s an idea: film an adaptation of John Gardner’s novel of the same name. It’s freakin’ hilarious.On the other hand, Hollywood would certainly fuck it up. As you were.

    • mattthecatania-av says:

      That is what they’re doing. The AV Club couldn’t be bothered to specify that or that Grendel predates Wicked.

      • jthane-av says:

        I’m rather relieved, because for a moment I thought he would be Hunter Rose, aka comic-book Grendel, and that’d be TERRIBLE casting.

    • roger-dale-av says:

      According to other articles, it is an adaptation of the Gardner book. Also, the Henson Company is involved. Two points that might have been interesting to mention.

      • dkesserich-av says:

        For years I’ve had a version of an adaptation in my head that was stop motion, sort of ‘Creature Comforts’ style with a lot of ‘confessional booth talking directly to the camera’ stuff, which feels like the only way to handle the amount of interior monologue, and some of the other anachronisms.Bridges as Grendel and The Henson Company’s involvement gives me hope that the creative might be somewhere on the same wavelength.

    • explosionsinc-av says:

      I love Jeff Bridges and I love Grendel, but I can’t escape how much he’s essentially been playing The Dude for the last 20 years.“Hey, man, that’s like, my fuckin’ arm, man!”

      • breadnmaters-av says:

        My first thought too. I mean, Grended is, essenitally, what you might call an existential humorist (or, in this case) a sort of Clown. And Bridges can certainly do that. At the same time, Grendel, in the novel, has the “maturity” and extreme self conscousness of someone in his 20s (or maybe 30s). He is not a mature entity, although he is cynical AF. And, of course, his relationship with his mother is central to the work. I don’t think Bridges is right for the part, not even close. But who knows what they’ll do to the novel. F it up, I’m guessing.

  • michelle-fauxcault-av says:

    Present-day Malkovich would make a great Puppet Master.

  • mid-boss-av says:

    Given the title, I would have thought Russell Crowe would be running off with a boyfriend in Bear Country

  • null000000000-av says:

    Alright, well, time to wrap it up on Kat Dennings, I guess. Anyone who would choose to work with Tim Allen at this point, especially on a brand new show (well, not really brand new, because he’ll play the same character he’s played in everything for 30 years) is just a shitty choice that makes me completely lose respect for her.

  • carrercrytharis-av says:

    That rug wasn’t Hrothgar’s to give…

  • bc222-av says:

    Great Fantastic Four casting! It’s CLOBBAVICH time!

  • bassplayerconvention-av says:

    Edgar Wright’s The Running Man remake

    Wait, what? Why? The original was perfect*.*in the most ridiculous ways, obviously

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