Why would Steve McQueen choose anyone other than Michael Fassbender to star in his third feature film? The two have teamed to spectacular results with Hunger and Shame, the latter of which hits theaters on December 2 and I already doted on it in my review out of Toronto. Now they will turn their attention to 12 Years a Slave with a script from McQueen and John Ridley.
Variety reports 12 Years a Slave tells the true story of Solomon Northrup, a New York citizen who was kidnapped in Washington in 1841 and rescued from a cotton plantation in Louisiana in 1853. The film will co-star Chiwetel Ejiofor making for an powerful trio of participants.
There is no word on when filming will begin, but you can rest assured this will most likely be a hot title during next year’s fall film festival circuit just as Shame was this year.
Curiously, back in May 2010 it was reported Ejiofor would star in an adaptation of the Broadway musical “Fela!” for McQueen with Ejiofor playing the title role as African musician and activist. I don’t know what happened with that film, but obviously McQueen and Ejiofor found a way to work together nevertheless.
