Originally set up as something of an Election reunion between director Alexander Payne and star Reese Witherspoon, Downsizing has undergone a last-minute casting shake-up. Witherspoon has been forced to drop out due to a scheduling conflict, and has now been replaced by the more than capable Kristen Wiig.
Payne wrote the script with his Sideways partner Jim Taylor, and the plot will see another of Payne's Omaha men (Matt Damon), low on money, deciding that life would be a lot cheaper and easier if he undergoes a procedure to shrink himself. Travelling through life as a tiny person, he meets Wiig's character at a commune for the similarly size-reduced. Christoph Waltz and Hong Chau are also along for the ride.
While the idea of an Alexander Payne VFX film does somewhat boggle our minds, we’re excited to see what he’ll do with such a high concept. Production starts shortly for a release next year.
We'll next see Wiig in Ghostbusters on July 15, and Damon in Jason Bourne on July 28.