UPDATE 11:48am: Variety just announced that Jessica Chastain is in final negotiations to join the cast. This would be a reunion for the actress and the director, who previously worked together in Mama, which Del Toro produced.
Guillermo Del Toro’s cast for Crimson Peakis shaping up nicely, and the newest addition should delight many an anglophile.
Variety reports that Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch will be joining the list that already includes Emma Stone and Charlie Hunnam.
“Plot details are unknown as del Toro and Lucinda Coxon work through a rewrite on a script del Toro and Matthew Robins originally penned,” Variety said.
Del Toro reportedly looks to honor the “grand dames” of classic haunted tales in Crimson Peak.
“Films like The Omen, The Exorcist and The Shining, the latter of which is another Mount Everest of the haunted house movie. I loved the way that Kubrick had such control over the big sets he used, and how much big production value there was. I think people are getting used to horror subjects done as found footage or B-value budgets. I wanted this to feel like a throwback.”
via Variety