John C. Reilly will play Michael, the role originated by James Gandolfini on Broadway, in Roman Polanski’s big screen adaptation of the stage hit God of Carnage, according to Deadline.com. The gossip website had previously mentioned Matt Dillon for the part in the film, which will also star Academy Award winners Jodie Foster as Veronica, Kate Winslet as Annette and Christoph Waltz as Alan.
Written by Yazmina Reza, God of Carnage tells the story of two sets of parents who decide to have a cordial meeting after their sons are involved in a schoolyard brawl. The get-together hilariously goes south as each pair attacks the other’s parenting style and eventually reveals their personal qualms with their own spouses.
Reilly was nominated for a Tony Award for his work in True West and received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for playing Amos Hart in the film version of Chicago. His other Broadway credits include A Streetcar Named Desire and The Grapes of Wrath. His other film credits include Boogie Nights, Never Been Kissed, Magnolia, Gangs of New York, The Hours, The Aviator, Talladega Nights, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Step Brothers and Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant.
Filming is set to start in February in France.
Source: Broadway.com