Actor Scoot McNairy, who led an expedition through creature-savaged Mexico in Gareth Edwards’ indie thriller Monsters, is the latest thesp to join Ben Affleck’s still-in-development political satire Argo.
Variety, which breaks the story, doesn’t clarify what role McNairy would play, though Affleck, directing his third feature, already has cast himself, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and Alan Arkin for his ensemble. Screenwriter Chris Terrio is adapting Argo from a 2007 Wired magazine article by Joshuah Bearman (this one, in fact) that explained how, in 1979, the CIA posed as Hollywood executives filming a sci-fi alien picture in order to rescue captured U.S. diplomats in Tehran. The picture’s being produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse banner, and sounds a lot like it will mirror The Men Who Stare At Goats in tone.
The reason we’re excited, and it still surprises us a little to admit this, is because Affleck is directing. But after the near-flawless Gone Baby Gone and the admirable The Town, Affleck has earned his reputation as a director on the rise. This will be his first endeavor outside of the “Boston criminal” element, but the material sounds quirky enough and his cast, so far, is top notch.
Argo isn’t the only feather in McNairy’s cap. He’ll be seen in a handful of productions schedule to hit between now and next year, though none are as high profile as Andrew Dominik’s Cogan’s Trade, a crime thriller with Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and James Gandolfini. That’s a ton of made men crammed into a heist pic we’re dying to see.
