The InSneider reports that Gus Van Sant is set to direct Bill Skarsgård in the true crime thriller Dead Man’s Wire. This project was initially intended to star Nicolas Cage and be directed by Werner Herzog.
Dead Man’s Wire is set in 1977 and is based on the true story of Tony Kiritsis (Skarsgård), a former real estate developer who took a drastic step by putting a dead man’s switch on himself and the mortgage banker he believed wronged him, demanding $5 million and a personal apology.
This marks Van Sant’s first film project in over six years. In the 1990s and 2000s, he was one of the most acclaimed filmmakers, winning the Palme d’Or in 2003 for Elephant and directing notable films such as My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy, To Die For, Good Will Hunting, and Milk.
However, since Milk in 2008, Van Sant has faced a creative slump; 2011’s Restless was a peculiar departure, 2013’s The Promised Land fell flat, 2015’s Sea of Trees was poorly received at Cannes, and his film Don’t Worry He Won’t Get Far on Foot, starring Joaquin Phoenix, did not impress.
Recently, Van Sant has ventured into television, directing six of the eight episodes of this year’s critically acclaimed Feud: Capote vs The Swans. It’s worth noting that Van Sant was originally set to direct Killing Gawker, featuring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, in the spring, but production has been delayed due to Damon’s commitments to Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film in early 2025.
Production on Dead Man’s Wire is scheduled to begin in early 2025, with the script penned by Austin Kolodney. The project is being produced by Elevated Films and Balcony 9 Productions.
