Since his big retirement announcement now appears in a different light after his rap debut was all part of a hoax for mock-doc I’m Still Here, rumours of the death of Joaquin Phoenix’s acting career are looking more and more exaggerated. According to Deadline, he’s currently mulling the idea of playing Henry Sturgess in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Director Timur Bekmambetov, producer Tim Burton and studio 20th Century Fox locked in their choice for Honest Abe last week in the shape of Benjamin Walker.
Sturgess is one of the other big lead roles in the film – a vampire who meets the young Lincoln when he saves the lad’s life during a battle with another, much nastier creature of the night. The two become friends and Sturgess serves as something of a mentor to Lincoln, explaining the history of vampirism and training him to fight them.
It’s also part of the concept for the book – author Seth Grahame-Smith claims that the story is based on Sturgess’ diaries. There’s no confirmation on whether Phoenix will actually agree to the role, but apparently it’s his if he wants it. Sturgess sounds like an intriguing way for Phoenix to crack back into studio movies with a decent twist on the usual mentor character. You might even say it’s something he could get his teeth into. What’s that? Reporting us to the pun police? Curses!