One film that’s been in the works for many years, and gone through many different permutations, isThe Current War. The script byMichael Mitnicklanded on the Black List way back in 2011, and it’s seen filmmakers likeBen StillerandTimur Bekmambetoveye it as a high-profile directorial vehicle. The Weinstein Company project finally materialized last year withMe and Earl and the Dying GirlfilmmakerAlfonso Gomez-Rejondirecting and the stellar lineup ofBenedict Cumberbatchas Thomas Edison,Michael Shannonas George Westinghouse, andNicholas Houltas Nikola Tesla, and filming is currently underway in London.
The story ofThe Current Warrevolves around the race to own light in the late 1800s. Edison and Westinghouse were embroiled in an intense rivalry to invent the defining mode of producing electric power and light, and if that sounds a little Steve Jobs/Bill Gates-esque to you, you’re not alone. Collider’s own Steve Weintraub recently spoke with producerBasil Iwanykin anticipation of the release ofJohn Wick: Chapter 2, and Iwanyk brought upThe Current Waras one of his most exciting projects, drawing parallels to two stellarAaron Sorkinfilms:
“It’s the story of the race to kind of light up the eastern seaboard, specifically Manhattan, between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse. The movie isn’t played like a stodgy period drama, it feels likeThe Social NetworkorSteve Jobs. It’s the idea of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs went toe-to-toe to create the lightbulb, and that’s what these characters were. They’re larger than life, and they’re aggressive and tough and funny and geniuses, and that’s the vibe of the movie.”
The cast of this thing is insane, withKatherine Waterston,Tom Holland,Matthew Macfadyen, andTuppence Middletonrounding out the ensemble, but given that it was such a high-profile project for directors, Steve asked what made Gomez-Rejon the right choice to take the helm:
“I have to say it was the Weinsteins. They’re the ones that really pushed Alfonso, and they were right. For a movie about light and about lighting the world, you want a director who is a visualist, you want a director who is playful with the medium, and that’s Alfonso. You look atMe and Earl and the Dying Girl, it could’ve been a very straightforward YA movie but there’s a real style to it. He was Scorsese’s assistant for a long time, and Scorsese just plays with the medium and filmmaking—that’s what Alfonso does, and it just makes it an event to watch it.”
Indeed,Me and Earlbroke out big at last year’s Sundance Film Festival for a reason, as Gomez-Rejon crafted a wildly emotional, visceral adaptation of that book. With a larger budget and bigger cast, the possibilities forThe Current Warare even more exciting.
Look for Steve’s full interview with Iwanyk on Collider closer to the release ofJohn Wick: Chapter 2. And if you missed our previous updates, peruse the links below:
