Tom Hollandis about to reach superstardom levels whenSpider-Man: Homecominghits theater this summer, but it’s a testament to the actor’s talent and character that he’salsostill very interested in working with interesting filmmakers on much smaller-scale movies. One of these is filmmakerJames Gray’sThe Lost City of Z, which just hit select theaters, but he’s also attached to star in the next film from an incredibly fascinating director:Shane Carruth.
Carruth first broke through with the head-spinning sci-fi picPrimer, then followed that up years later with the emotional yet intellectually complexUpstream Color. Holland was announced as joining the cast ofThe Modern Ocean, Carruth’s 200-page adventure epic involving disputes over shipping routes, back in 2015 when the film was being packaged, but we’ve since heard precious little about the project.
So when Collider’s own Steve Weintraub spoke with Holland at the press day forThe Lost City of Z, he asked the actor what happened toThe Modern Oceanand if it still might happen:
“Do you know what, I don’t know. I love Shane’s movies, I think he’s a great director;PrimerandUpstream Colorare awesome. That is I think the best script I’ve ever read. It’s the craziest idea for a movie ever; it’s so cool. I actually keep meaning to get my agents on the phone to talk about it, to try and see if we can kick it up again. But not I’m still attached to it I guess, but I hope we get to make it in the future.”
The 2015 cast also includedKeanu Reeves,Daniel Radcliffe, andAnne Hathaway, and Holland’s about to havea lotof clout to get films financed whenSpider-Manofficially hits theaters, so it’s possibleThe Modern Oceanmight come to fruition in the wake of the Marvel superhero pic.
But Holland has another smaller scale drama on the horizon that’s already in the can. He stars inThe Current WaralongsideBenedict CumberbatchandMichael Shannon, withMe and Earl and the Dying GirlfilmmakerAlfonso Gomez-Rejondirecting, and Holland plays a key role in the pic:
“I would call it a political drama about the invention of the light bulb and the kind of race [of] who was able to supply this incredible invention to the American people between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse. I play a character called Samuel Insull, who is the secretary to Mr. Edison. He’s a boy who grew up in Putney, which is not far from where I live now, moved to Chicago then moved to New York and started working for Edison. “
The actor had high praise not only for his co-star Cumberbatch, but also the film’s director:
“It was amazing for me to play a character opposite Benedict Cumberbatch—he’s someone who I’ve looked up to for years and the idea that I would work with him and then become friends with him was an amazing experience. And Alfonso, our director, was off the charts amazing. I mean this guy is so unique in the way he works. The way he would shoot a scene was so interesting, and I really wanted to watch him work. I’m so excited for the movie and also maybe hopefully working with him again in the future.”
The Weinstein Company has slatedThe Current Warfor release this December, so we’ll get to see this thing sooner rather than later. Look for Steve’s full interview with Holland onThe Lost City of Zon Collider soon.
