Fresh off his first Oscar nomination and a standout voice role in the Star Wars animated series Maul: Shadow Lord, Wagner Moura is assembling an all-star cast for his next project. He'll be joined by fellow Oscar nominees Ralph Fiennes and Colin Farrell in a film adaptation of the acclaimed 1994 play Art by French playwright Yasmina Reza.
The dark comedy centers on three friends—Serge, Marc, and Yvan—whose bond is tested when Serge, a modern art enthusiast, proudly shows off his latest purchase: a canvas that appears to be completely white. Marc finds the whole thing absurd and doesn't hesitate to voice his disdain, while Yvan tries to play peacemaker. The film promises sharp dialogue and biting humor, much like Reza's earlier work God of Carnage, which was adapted into the 2011 film Carnage.
Directing Art is Fernando Meirelles, the Brazilian filmmaker who earned an Oscar nomination for the harrowing City of God. The screenplay is being penned by Christopher Hampton, known for his Oscar-winning adaptation of Atonement. The project is being produced by Charles Finch and Tracy Seaward, and will be shopped to potential buyers at the Cannes Film Market.
Moura, who recently voiced the lawman Brander Lawson in Maul: Shadow Lord—a series that just dropped its season finale but has already been renewed for a second season—has a busy slate ahead. He'll also star in the sci-fi thriller The Last House alongside Greta Lee, the drama The Last Day with Alicia Vikander, and the horror film Flesh of the Gods opposite Kristen Stewart.
Farrell is set to reprise his role as the Penguin in The Batman: Part II and return for the second season of the Apple TV+ series Sugar, where he plays a private detective with a big secret. Fiennes, meanwhile, recently appeared in the horror sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and will step into the role of President Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping this fall.
With such a powerhouse cast and a celebrated director at the helm, Art is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated indie films in development. For fans of Moura's recent work, it's a chance to see him flex his dramatic chops alongside two of the most respected actors working today.
In other casting news, 'Grease 2' cast reunites 44 years later as the cult sequel finally gets its due, and 'John Wick's lowest-grossing spin-off 'Ballerina' finds streaming redemption on HBO Max.
