Cronenberg Does The Talking Cure Next; Casts Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender And Christoph Waltz

Stories like this make me want to bellow like the Kool-Aid Man. At the beginning of November there was a tiny mention in an otherwise unrelated Variety article that suggested David Cronenberg was still developing The Talking Cure, a film based on Christopher Hampton's 2002 play about Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Announced in 2007, this had been quickly sidelined by films like The Matarese Circle and Cosmopolis. Or so we thought. Now it appears that the film is very much happening, and will be the next project for Cronenberg. And that cast? Oh, yeah!

Here's what Australian distributor Hopscotch Films announced today, on Facebook of all places:

More LA buys... Hopscotch will release 'The Talking Cure' directed by Cronenberg, starring Keira Knightly, Michael Fassbender, Christoph Waltz. A beautiful young woman, driven mad by her past. An ambitious doctor on a mission to succeed. An esteemed mentor with a revolutionary cure. Let the mind games begin...

The irony here is that the Variety article that mentioned the film last month was about new projects for Fassbender, but there was no implication that he'd show up in this. Having a little Inglourious Basterds reunion (even if he at Waltz didn't have a scene together in that film) should help this one with some audiences. And for those who thought Waltz was taking the Hollywood crack pipe too soon for his role in The Green Hornet, this should be ample antidote.

I know that someone is going to complain about Keira Knightley, but I'm dying to see what Cronenberg can do with her. This could be exactly what she needs. And she'll probably be able to wear a corset if she really wants to, just to stay comfortable.

(Going back to the last article I wrote about this film, I see that three weeks ago 'sonseses' left a comment saying that, yes, the film is moving forward and is scheduled for April 2010. I don't get email notes when comments are posted, so if something goes up way after an article runs I'll almost never see it, just FYI.)

Finally, for some of you the best part about this is that a possible new version of The Fly is now a bit further off. I still don't think we'll ever actually see that happen, and having Cronenberg making other movies is the best way to ensure that it doesn't.

[via The Playlist]