It's a happy day for film fans when the brilliant David Cronenberg announces his next project -- and this time, the shock value comes not from a disintegrating Jeff Goldblum or a naked Viggo Mortensen, but because it's bizarrely normal. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he's in talks to direct "The Matarese Circle," a big-screen adaptation of Robert Ludlum's 1979 novel. Denzel Washington is attached to star.
The Cold War-era novel centers around two rival intelligence agents, one American and one Soviet, who uncover the existence of the Matarese Dynasty, a group of criminals who have infiltrated the highest levels of the world's government. The two agents find themselves working together in an unlikely alliance to dismantle and destroy the group's conspiracy, while being hunted down by their own agencies.
It's an unusual choice for Cronenberg, who has steered clear of A-list actors and big budget movies in favor of edgy and original stories. He's had numerous chances to direct standard action fare, and has always turned them down. Certainly, "Matarese" sounds like a pretty enjoyable thriller, but it's tough to say what about it intrigues Cronenberg. He's been toying with more mainstream cinema with "A History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises," perhaps he's looking to round out the experience. I rather hope he's luring us all into a false sense of security, and will fill "Matarese" with the most gory controversy of his career.
What do you think, readers? Is Cronenberg selling out his indie credibility, or do you expect a mainstream masterpiece?
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