HBO has been ramping up on its potential HBO Films presentations as of late. We already know that three such works are moving rather quickly. In this post, we look at casting notices for MY DINNER WITH HERVE, the Joe Paterno film and FAHRENHEIT 451.
MY DINNER WITH HERVE
Eager to see Peter Dinklage as Fantasy Island/Bond actor Herve Villichaize? Well, even though casting has gotten underway, and more of that in a second, we will not see that film this year. You can get a glimpse of Dinklage, in character, though.
Pictured with Dinklage is James Dornan, whom we already know from a previous post will be the journalist Danny Tate. The TV-movie focuses on their relationship. Joining them in the story are some obvious characters. Villichaize’s famous co-star and his longtime girlfriend also appear.
The co-star is no other than Ricardo Montalban who appeared on ABC’s Fantasy Island series with Herve V. He will be played by Andy Gracia, who was last seen on HBO’s second season of BALLERS. The lady friend, Kathy Self, is portrayed by Mireille Enos of The Catch. Also appearing are Oona Chaplin (Taboo) as Danny Tate’s girlfriend Katie and Harriet Walter (The Crown) as Baskin, Danny’s newspaper editor. David Strathairn (Z: The Beginning of Everything) will play Marty Rothstein, Hervé’s longtime agent.
We reported the film was a go back in May and we await Peter Dinklage stepping out of his Tyrion Lannister role as he personifies the title character when Sacha Gervasi ‘s film DINNER WITH HERVE comes to HBO.
JOE PATERNO MOVIE
Though it does not have an exact title yet, HAPPY VALLEY was thrown around, the Joe Paterno TV-movie does have leads and some other casting established. Forefront in the TV-movie is Al Pacino as the winningest coach in college football and here is an early picture to prove it.
Actor Pacino has already been Jack Kevorkian in YOU DON’T KNOW JACK, Roy Cohn in ANGELS IN AMERICA and the title character in PHIL SPECTOR and he is about to add the late Penn State coach to his list. The movie is said to focus more not on his career but the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal he was said to have ignored was happening in his locker room. It is a scandal still be played out in the justice system well after Paterno’s death.
Joining him in the HBO Film presentation will be Kathy Baker (recently of The Ranch) who will play Sue Paterno, Joe’s devoted wife and Greg Grunberg (of Heroes fame) portraying Scott Paterno, the youngest of Joe & Susan’s five children. Annie Parisse (Andie Zito in HBO’s VINYL) will play Mary Kay Paterno, Joe’s second daughter.
Riley Keough has been picked to play Sara Ganim, the 23-year-old journalist who first reported on the Sandusky case, bringing it to the attention of the Happy Valley, PA, community and national media. She won a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting.
FAHRENHEIT 451
We told you this Ray Bradbury classic was getting the HBO treatment way back in July of 2016. Then in May of this year, we informed you that the two leads were cast. They are Michael B. Jordan and Michael Shannon as Guy Montag and Captain Beatty respectively. Here is our first look of those characters in action.
The task for these “firemen” is to burn books and Montag has got the flame ready while his boss looks on. You can feel the heat. Also, joining the cast to our knowledge are Laura Harrier (Spider-Man Homecoming) who will play Millie, Montag’s social media-immersed wife whose consumption of all things digital results in a disconnected marriage and also famed vlogger Lilly Singh will play Raven, a tabloid vlogger who works with the fire department to spread the ministry’s propaganda by broadcasting their book-burning raids to fans.
Also attached is Sofia Boutella (Universal’s The Mummy) will play Clarisse, an informant caught between Montag and Beatty’s competing interests and Saad Siddiqui (Taken) will play Fireman Stone, a fireman alongside Montag and Beatty.
As always we will keep you posted on all of the HBO Films presentations as they develop, shoot and air.
