Hollywood heavyweights Christian Bale, Steve Carell and Amy Adams have joined the cast of Adam McKay‘s planned Dick Cheney film over at Paramount Pictures. Deadline reports that Bale is in line for the role of Dick Cheney in the biopic, with Steve Carell playing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Amy Adams as Cheney’s wife Lynne.
Cheney was Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under the administration of George W. Bush. He worked his way up through the White House during the Nixon and Ford administrations, and as the White House Chief of Staff, from 1975 to 1977. He was also the Secretary of Defense during the Presidency of George H. W. Bush.
The trade blog reports that Adam Mckay’s Dick Cheney film will tell the story of Cheney, who moved from Halliburton chief executive, a role he assumed after he was Secretary of Defence from 1995-2000, to become reputedly the most powerful vice president in American history. McKay wrote the screenplay for the film and will direct for the studio, re-teaming with them following his huge shift from comedy gigs to serious matter with the brilliant The Big Short in early 2016. Bale and Carell worked with McKay on that film also. It was a huge success for all involved, and went on to be nominated for no less than five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
“I’ve always found Cheney fascinating,” McKay told Deadline previously. “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.”
McKay’s Dick Cheney film, which remains untitled, is set to roll before cameras in September 2017 for a later 2018 release date – possible smack in the middle of awards season.
Bale as Cheney is a bold choice, but the fearless actor can more than pull it off. Richard Dreyfuss previously played Cheney in the Oliver Stone film W a few years back.
McKay’s previous efforts include Talladega Nights, Step Brothers and Anchorman.
