Newcomer Scott Marshall will direct the upcoming action/comedy Wild Oats, which has been written by newcomer Claudia Myers, and focusses on an elderly widow and her granddaughter taking a cross-country road trip to Las Vegas, after a rather large pile of money unexpectedly finds its way into their possession.
But despite sounding like a very unoriginal, generic, action/comedy that’s been seen many times before, Wild Oats is still managing to attract its fair share of attention, and a fairly big name cast; Shirley Maclaine (Valentine’s Day) will be playing the widowed grandmother, and Christina Ricci (Black Snake Moan), Bill Pullman (Independence Day), Maria Bello (Coyote Ugly), and John Corbett (Baby on Board) are also attached to star.
Unlike Shirley Maclaine (who isn’t usually associated with the action genre) however, the latest potential cast member is no stranger to either action or comedy films; having appeared in films such as Batman Returns, Click, Domino, Mousehunt, Sleepy Hollow, and The Deer Hunter, among others; and is none other than Christopher Walken.
It’s unclear exactly what part Walken would play, or even if he will definitely appear (as he’s still in the negotiating phase at the moment), or even how big a part he would play; would he be the main action/comedy bad guy, chasing the women across the country? or have a more sidelined part, as he did in Man on Fire? or even make more of a cameo type appearance, like he did in Pulp Fiction?; because it’s even harder than usual to predict with Marshall and Myers being relative newcomers.
What is certain however, is that, while there’s no major studio currently attached to the project (those in charge are currently shopping for buyers at this years’ Cannes Film Festival), it is set to begin filming in Connecticut, and Nevada, this August, and should be released sometime next year; hopefully with Christopher Walken having signed on and completed another memorable, and quirky, role.
