Filming on The Dark Knight Rises is yet to commence, but already Christopher Nolan’s future projects are being readily discussed and anticipated. While the English director and his writing collaborator David Goyer are already signed on to Zack Snyder’s Superman: Man Of Steel (in production and writing roles respectively), New York Magazine believe that his next directorial role will be to revive a previously shelved project based on the later life of Howard Hughes.
Production was apparently suspended on the film when it became clear that Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator (2004) was at a more advanced stage of proceedings. Now that a significant period of time has passed since Leonardo DiCaprio’s portrayal of the eccentric billionaire, it is possible that Nolan will shoot his film in 2012 with a view to a 2014 release date. At this stage 10 years will have passed since Scorsese’s film, which was based on Hughes’ early years as depicted in Howard Hughes: The Secret Life by Charles Higham.
Nolan’s project is believed to focus on Hughes’ later years, when the aviation pioneer became a reclusive oddity; wildly secretive and severely influenced by his intense OCD. The inspiration for this aspect is Michael Drosnin’s 1985 non-fiction book - Citizen Hughes: The Power, The Money And The Madness.
Jim Carrey had been initially linked with the role, though it is unknown whether or not he is still in contention. Early speculation has naturally suggested that regular collaborator Christian Bale will probably at least get an audition. It is indisputable that playing this incarnation of Hughes is a role that requires a supremely talented leading man, and there have even been suggestions that this project would be the ideal time for a first collaboration between Nolan and Daniel Day-Lewis.
While the idea of one of the most successful modern directors linking up with the acting phenom is merely idle speculation, it is a magnificent thought. Only time will tell whether Christopher Nolan’s Hughes biopic is even officially green-lit again, but who would be your choice to play the bizarre tycoon?
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