It’s an idea that makes you surprised Hollywood didn’t think of it before. Harry Houdini, master escapologist, was also a devil-may-care adventurer with a sideline in spooky goings-on and espionage. Based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s speculative biography The Secret Life Of Houdini, director Dean Parisot (RED 2) is hoping to magic up a movie around this juicy scenario. And which male A Lister is being sought to portray the flamboyant master of illusion…?
Adam Sandler. Only joking – the answer is of course Johnny Depp. The option is a no brainer really, though hopefully the end result will have an IQ higher than a smothered dove. A proposed title of THE SECRET LIFE OF HOUDINI: AMERICA’S FIRST SUPERHERO does not bode well, though there may be some Alan Moore-inspired thrills to be had. Depp has been in introspective mood lately with For No Good Reason, a forthcoming documentary about artist Ralph Steadman from Sky Atlantic (soon to be reviewed on this very site) and is gearing up for ALICE IN WONDERLAND 2 and possibly THE NIGHT STALKER with ANT MAN evictee Edgar Wright. A packed slate of genre film awaits him, and at a time when it’s never been more fashionable to be into the far out, the Man Who Would Be Sparrow is surely the ace in the pack for any mooted fantasy releases.
Lionsgate/Summit are overseeing this cinematic trick, which may also bag Christi Dembrowski (of Depp’s Infinitum Nihil company) for production duties with Frank Marshall (JURASSIC WORLD) and Bruce Cohen (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK). Noah Oppenheim will write the script.
Source: THR
