Ewan McGregor might be the latest (and hopefully last) actor to join his "Star Wars" co-star Natalie Portman in "Jane Got a Gun." McGregor, who appeared as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the three "Star Wars" prequels, is poised to take over the role of the lead villain in the Western, after Jude Law left and Bradley Cooper's schedule didn't work out. As reported last week, the short list of actors that were being considered for the lead baddie were "Thor" star Tom Hiddleston, Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt -- McGregor's name was nowhere to be found. Perhaps that leak was a psych-out; there's no doubt that McGregor is leading man (or villain) material.
So far, "Jane Got a Gun" has been more like a game of musical chairs than the straightforward production that its star and producer Natalie Portman had probably hoped for. Director Lynne Ramsay left the film after last minute wrangling with the film's producer (and perhaps more importantly, one of its financiers) Scott Steindorff. Gavin O'Connor ("Warrior") came onboard almost immediately -- as if he were waiting in the wings, as it were -- but that didn't stave off the film's problems. Michael Fassbender was supposed to play the ex-lover of Portman's character, whom she'd call upon once her farm was besieged by bad guys, but he quit the film as well, reportedly because of schedule conflicts with "X-Men: Days of Future Past." Joel Edgerton had been cast to play the lead villain threatening Portman, but he switched hats and took over former lover duties.
Edgerton, for one, sounds pretty positive about getting his "Gun" on so far. He told Vulture, "Movies are shot out of order... and nothing will have to be reshot." He added cheerily, "We're winning out there. We're having a great time. It's been wonderful." Okay, then.
[via Deadline h/t Vulture]
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