Willem Dafoe joins Nicolas Cage in Paul Schrader’s Dog Eat Dog
Arclight Films and Pure Dopamine have announced the addition of Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man trilogy, The Fault in Our Stars, The Grand Budapest Hotel) to the gritty crime-thriller, Dog Eat Dog, based on the award-winning book of the same name by celebrated author Eddie Bunker. Production has just begun on the film, directed by two-time Golden Globe and Palme d’Or nominee and WGA Laurel Award-winner Paul Schrader (Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Afflicted). Dafoe joins Academy and Golden Globe Award-winner Nicolas Cage in the film.
With a screenplay by Matt Wilder and Paul Schrader, Dog Eat Dog is a gritty contemporary crime thriller about a trio of ex-cons, deep in the underbelly of Los Angeles, who are hired for a kidnapping. When the botched abduction goes awry and gets completely out of control, the cons find themselves on the run, vowing to stay out of prison at all costs.
“We’re thrilled to be working with the immensely talented Willem Dafoe, who bolsters the cast and joins the list of cinema legends involved in ‘Dog Eat Dog’ like Paul Schrader and Nicolas Cage,” said Gary Hamilton, Managing Director of Arclight Films and an executive producer on the project. “The talent in front of and behind the camera in ‘Dog Eat Dog’ ensure a solid, commercially viable final product that will enthrall audiences all over the world.”
Producers are Mark Earl Burman and David Hillary of Pure Dopamine. Executive Producers are Gary Hamilton, Don Rivers, Tim Peternel, Shaun Redick and Ray Mansfield.
“The addition of Willem Dafoe to ‘Dog Eat Dog’ perfectly rounds out the cast and adds a brilliant mix of dark comedy and truthful raw acting that only Mr. Dafoe can bring to the table,” said Burman.
Cage recently worked with Schrader on the thriller Dying of the Light, which both director and actor disowned after it was taken away by producers during post-production. Dafoe has a long history with Schrader dating back to 1988’s The Last Temptation of Christ, which was written for Martin Scorsese to direct. Other Dafoe/Schrader collaborations include Light Sleeper, Affliction, Auto Focus, The Walker and Adam Resurrected.
(Photo credit: WENN)
