Daniel Day-Lewis to Star in Steven Spielberg's LINCOLN!

 

Holy crap! This is some of the best casting news ever!! Daniel Day-Lewis (Gangs of New York and There Will Be Blood) has been cast as Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's long awaited film project Lincoln! How awesome is that! 

Liam Neeson was attached to the film for years, but ended up dropping out of the project because he felt he got to old to portray the 16th President of the United States. Day-Lewis is one hell of a fantastic replacement! I'm actually even more excited for him taking on the role than Neeson. Day-Lewis is one of the best actors working in Hollywood right now.

The announcement was made today by Spielberg and Stacey Snider, Co-Chairman and CEO of DreamWorks Studios. On top of that, filming is expected to begin in the fall of 2011 for a release in 2012! I've been waiting for this movie since I first heard it was getting made, now it all finally going to happen!

What do you all think about Day-Lewis playing Lincoln?

From the Press Release:

"Daniel Day-Lewis would have always been counted as one of the greatest of actors, were he from the silent era, the golden age of film or even some time in cinema's distant future. I am grateful and inspired that our paths will finally cross with 'Lincoln,'" said Steven Spielberg. "Throughout his career, he has been exceptionally selective in his choice of material," added Stacey Snider, "which makes us feel even more fortunate that he has chosen to join with us for 'Lincoln.'"

Based on the best-selling book, "Team of Rivals," by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, the screenplay has been written by the Pulitzer Prize winner, Tony Award winner, and Academy Award nominated writer Tony Kushner. It will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Steven Spielberg.

It is anticipated that the film will focus on the political collision of Lincoln and the powerful men of his cabinet on the road to abolition and the end of the Civil War.

Doris Kearns Goodwin won her Pulitzer Prize for "No Ordinary Time:
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II." Kushner's prize was for his play "Angels in America," which later became an Emmy Award-winning television special. He had previously worked with Spielberg on Munich for which he was nominated for an Oscar in the Adapted Screenplay category.

Filming is expected to begin in the fall of 2011 for release in the fourth quarter of 2012 through Disney's Touchstone distribution label.

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