MR. ROBOT Creator Sam Esmail Casts Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Armie Hammer, and Joel Edgerton in His Watergate Scandal Film GASLIT
Sam Esmail, the creator of the hit series Mr. Robot, is setting up his next film project, titled Gaslit, which is a modern take on the Watergate scandal.
He’s managed to bring together an impressive cast of actors that includes Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Armie Hammer, and Joel Edgerton.
The film is based on the Slate podcast Slow Burn, which focuses on “the untold stories and forgotten characters of Watergate, from Nixon’s bumbling, opportunistic subordinates, to the deranged zealots aiding and abetting their crimes, to the tragic whistleblowers who would eventually bring the whole rotten enterprise crashing down.”
Roberts will play Martha Mitchell, “a big personality with an even bigger mouth, who is a celebrity Arkansan socialite and wife to Nixon’s loyal Attorney General, John Mitchell, played by Penn. Despite her party affiliation, she’s the first person to publicly sound the alarm on Nixon’s involvement in Watergate, causing both the Presidency and her personal life to unravel.”
Penn’s character, John Mitchell, is described as “temperamental, foulmouthed and ruthless – yet hopelessly in love with his famously outspoken wife. He’ll be forced to choose between Martha and the President.”
Hammer will take on the role of John Dean. “A hotshot upstart, Dean is the young White House Counsel torn between his ambition and his struggle with whether he can lie to protect the President.”
Edgerton will play G. Gordon Liddy. “A Korean War veteran and former FBI agent, Liddy is chief operative of Nixon’s ‘Plumbers’ unit, tasked with plugging embarrassing leaks in the wake of the Pentagon Papers.”
Dawn Olmstead, president of UCP said in a statement:
“We are so excited to announce our next collaboration with Sam as we prepare to bring ‘Gaslit’ to market. Sam and Esmail Corp have introduced the world to some of the most talented creatives in front of and behind the camera, and this project with Robbie at the helm is the next in the lineage of outstanding series from this team. We are also thrilled to be partnering with Julia once again and welcome Sean, Armie, Joel and Nash to UCP.”
The project has a lot of solid talent involved with it. The Watergate scandal has always been an interesting historical event to explore, and I like that this film will tell the story through the eyes of different characters.
Source: Variety