Steve Carell has the drama bug and he’s joining another strong ensemble cast for his next project. He is in talks to star in The Big Short with Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale and Brad Pitt.
Carell has not signed on for the project just yet, The Hollywood Reporter, which first reported on the potential casting, notes.
The news comes just a day after it was confirmed that Bale, Gosling and Pitt were all in talks to join the project, which will be written and directed by Anchorman’s Adam McKay. It is based on Michael Lewis’ bestseller on the 2007-2008 global financial crisis.
The Big Short sounds like a major ensemble piece like Syriana or Traffic. Gosling would play Greg Lippmann of Deutsche Bank, while Bale is up for the role of Scion Capital founder Michael Burry. Pitt, whose Plan B is producing the film, will play Cornwall Capital partner Ben Hockett.
Carell is being considered for the role of FrontPoint Partners money manager Steve Eisman.
Paramount will release the film, although there is no set start date for production. Considering the schedules the film will have to work around, that will probably take some time.
Carell made the jump from comedy to drama with a stunning performance in Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher. He is set to make Freeheld, a gay rights drama with Julianne Moore, next.
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