About a month ago we reported that Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon would be starring in Water For Elephants, Francis Lawrence's adaptation of Sarah Gruen's bestselling novel. At the time, Sean Penn was said to be circling the project, interested in the role of Witherspoon's gnarly husband, the animal trainer August. But thrice nay. It now transpires, courtesy of Deadline Hollywood, that the role has gone to Inglourious Basterds'** **Christoph Waltz.
/Film seem to think this means that Penn will now take the role of circus ringmaster Uncle Al, but DH imply that Penn is no longer on board at all. Whatever, it's good news for Waltz, picking up his second post-**Basterds **Hollywood role, following dastardly gang lord Chudnofsky in Green Hornet. Another villain though. Let's hope he finds a way to avoid getting typecast.
Water For Elephants is a love triangle set in a depression-era American circus. Pattinson plays Jacob, a recently orphaned vet who takes up with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, and falls in love with the circus life, Rosie the elephant, and Witherspoons' Marlena, risking the wrath of August.
Shooting is scheduled for later this year, before Pattinson starts Breaking Dawn and Lawrence gets going on Sgt. Rock.