Bruce Willis and Alec Baldwin have joined Edward Norton’s upcoming thriller Motherless Brooklyn. In what THR describes as Norton’s “passion project”, the duo will appear alongside director Norton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Cherry Jones and Willem Dafoe in what is Norton’s second directorial feature following 2000’s Keeping the Faith. The cast and crew have started production in New York City for Norton’s Class 5 Films and MWM Studios.
The film is an adaptation of the Jonathan Lethem detective novel set in NYC during the 1950s that follows Lional (Norton), “a private detective with Tourette’s Syndrome as he tries to solve the murder of his mentor and only friend, Frank Minna” as portrayed by Willis. “Armed only with a few clues and his obsessive mind, Norton’s character unravels closely guarded secrets that hold the fate of the whole city in the balance.” With how intriguing this premise is and the success of the Lethem novel, it’s no surprise why Norton chose this work to bring to the big screen.
Rounding out the stellar ensemble cast are Ethan Suplee, Leslie Mann, Josh Pais, Fisher Stevens, Michael K. Williams, and Robert Wisdom. Audiences have seen the impressive work executed by a number of those involved in the film, so hopefully it will feature characters compelling enough to warrant having these names attached.
Norton not only directs and stars in the film, he is tackling producing duties as well with his Class 5 Films producing partner Bill Migliore along with Gigi Pritzker (Drive) and Rachel Shane (Lawless). Executive producers include Michael Bederman, Adrian Alperovich, Sue Kroll, Robert F. Smith, Brian Sheth and Daniel Nadler.
Motherless Brooklyn is set for a release in 2019.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
