If you’re trying to escape the recent presidential election, entertainment hasn’t exactly been keeping out of the political arena. From theHamiltoncast’s plea toMike Penceto Negan’s Trumpian victory lap at Alexandria inThe Walking Deadto even some of the early critical reactions toThe Founder, there have been reminders of our current reality everywhere. And now, for better or worse, directorAdam McKayis adding more topical content to Hollywood by boarding a film about former Vice PresidentDick Cheney.
According toDeadline, McKay has been quietly working on a screenplay for the untitled film since he won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar earlier this year forThe Big Short. He’ll also direct the Cheney biopic, much as he both wrote and directedThe Big Short, and he’ll partner with the same production team ofBrad Pitt,Dede Gardner, andJeremy Kleinerfrom Plan B andWill FerrellandKevin Messicofrom Gary Sanchez.
The plan is to send out the screenplay to potential stars in the near future and to begin shooting by next spring for a projected release date in late 2017.[Editor’s Comment: Tracy Lettsneedsto play this part].
Cheney has been a polarizing figure: Vice President-elect Pence called him a role model, but he implemented controversial post-9/11 anti-terrorism efforts while serving with PresidentGeorge W. Bush, including implementing waterboarding as an “enhanced interrogation technique.” McKay told Deadline of what drew him to Cheney’s story:
I’ve always found Cheney fascinating. Questions of what drove him, what his beliefs were; but once we started digging I was astounded at how much he had shaped modern America’s place in the world and how shocking the methods were by which he gained his power.
Elsewhere, McKay is working on the HBO comedySuccessionabouta dysfunctional media family dynasty,Bad BloodwithJennifer Lawrenceplayingthe controversial founderof the blood-test company Theranos, andAnt-Man and The WaspforMarvel.
