Woody Harrelson is in talks to star opposite Laura Dern as a middle-aged misanthrope desperate for one last chance of family life in the grimy drama Wilson, based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Ghost World’s Daniel Clowes.
Harrelson plays the Californian divorcee of the title, as he sets out to persuade his scarred, drug-abusing ex-wife (Dern) to rekindle their relationship after he discovers the existence of a teenage daughter. Wilson is also struggling to cope with the death of his father, a plot inspired by Clowes’ own experience.
Skeleton Twins’ director Craig Johnson will direct the film, which will be based on Clowes’ own screenplay. The doyen of the American independent comics scene also adapted his own graphic novel work for the big-screen version of Ghost World, starring Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Buscemi, in 2001.
Both Wilson leads are on career highs: Harrelson after his critically acclaimed turn as a Louisiana homicide investigator in the HBO crime drama True Detective, and Dern after scoring a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for her turn in Jean-Marc Vallée’s acclaimed drama Wild.
Nebraska and Sideways’ Alexander Payne was previously attached to direct Wilson, but is now on board as a producer. Payne’s first film, Citizen Ruth, starred Dern as a recovering drug addict. Johnson is looking to shoot in Minneapolis in June, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Clowes was embroiled in controversy two years ago, after accusing actor Shia LaBeouf of using his work uncredited for the Transformers star’s short film Howard Cantour.com. LaBeouf was forced to issue an abject apology in December 2013 after it emerged he had included dialogue from Clowes’ story Justin M Damiano, a study of a world-weary and disillusioned film critic, in his project.
