Adaptations of John Le Carre's novels have become big business all of a sudden, which is definitely a good thing. The Constant Gardener is a particular favorite of mine, and last year's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was the rare espionage thriller that valued character and mood over excessive action. Anton Corbijn(The American) has been putting together the pieces for A Most Wanted Man, and with Philip Seymour Hoffman in place for the male lead, there's just been a major change for his female co-star.
Variety reports that the always excellent Robin Wright has joined the film, which follows a Russian-Chechen man who is illegally smuggled into Hamburg with a ton of cash and spinning an intriguing tale that lands him in the care of an idealistic German lawyer and a British banker. The story has echoes of our current "war on terror", and is loosely based on the story of Murat Kurnaz, who was held as an enemy combatant.
It's not explicitly stated in the Variety piece, but it looks as if Wright will be replacing the previously cast Rachel McAdams. The two are vastly different actresses, in terms of look, style, and age, so this is a pretty big shift. Wright was most recently seen opposite Woody Harrelson in the cop drama, Rampart.
