When it was announced that John Hillcoat was directing the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic novel The Road, I thought it would look a lot like The Proposition Part II. I was more correct than I could have imagined; while stalking the American Film Market here in Los Angeles, Ryan Rotten of Shock Til You Drop has learned that Proposition star Guy Pearce will be starring in the movie. He’s playing the lead, a man who takes his son on a grim journey through a blasted landscape after a nuclear war, battling starvation, the elements and some nasty cannibals along the way.
Last month we heard that Viggo Mortensen was in talks to play the dad, which is actually casting I like better. Nothing against Guy, I would just prefer to have Viggo as my dad if I was wandering a savage wasteland. The key role, of course, is the kid. The book really only has the two characters, so it’ll be interesting to see who Hillcoat finds for that other anchoring role. Looking at his past work, I have to assume it won’t be some cute moppet.
In other Cormac McCarthy news, I’m off to see No Country for Old Men tonight in preparation for this weekend’s junket. Look for an exclusive Josh Brolin interview here soon; yes, we are going straight to the source for our celebration of Year of the Brolin.