After what seems like several decades, it looks like Alexander Payne’s NEBRASKA is finally coming together.
Deadline says the director wants Bruce Dern and Will Forte for the black-and-white father-son drama. The film is centered around an aged alcoholic who treks across the country with his deadbeat son after learning he might have won a major sweepstakes. The script was written by Bob Nelson.
This has been a pet project for Payne for a long time. The director was pursuing Gene Hackman to take up the fatherly role (that would have been amazing) but Hackman has apparently passed in favor of enjoying his retirement. Can’t blame him. As for the role of the son, many names have been tossed around from Bryan Cranston to even Dave Matthews. Both Dern and Forte aren’t the first people you’d think of when talking about an Alexander Payne film but you must admit they’d be inspired casting. I’d be especially excited to see Forte, who hasn’t had much luck on the big screen post-SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
So Will Forte and Bruce Dern together in an Alexander Payne drama? Who do we have to bribe to make this happen?
