Ridley Scott Making Cormac McCarthy's The Counselor, Could Michael Fassbender Star?

It would seem that Michael Fassbender and Ridley Scott really got along well on the set of Prometheus because now there's apparently a chance that Scott will include the German/Irish actor in his next project, Cormac McCarthy's The Counselor.

First reported earlier this month, Ridley Scott has committed to making the project his follow-up to Prometheus and apparently has already been having discussions with Fassbender about him starring in the title role. While no formal offer or deal is on the table as of yet, Deadline says that there is a "high likelihood" that they will team-up for the movie (though Scott is looking at some other actors for the part). The film isn't based on a novel, but rather an original script that McCarthy wrote last year and is described as "No Country For Old Men on steroids." The story follows a lawyer who decides to try and make a bit of money in the drug world. His plan backfires, however, when he is sucked in too deep and must fight to survive.

What's most impressive about this project is how quickly its progressing. McCarthy first presented the script in December, a deal was closed with producers Nick Wechsler and Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz last month, and now Ridley Scott is officially attached. Should things continue on this schedule, the plan is to start production at the start of May, meaning that Scott will be working on his next project over a full month before Prometheus is released. The director has always been able to work at a fast clip, but this is amazing.

Eric Eisenberg
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Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.