Jake Gyllenhaal and Benedict Cumberbatch are in talks to play George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison in the Weinstein Company’s “The Current War.”
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon is in talks to direct the film written by Michael Mitnick.
The movie takes place in the late 1880s and revolves around power titans Edison and Westinghouse’s battle over the supply of electricity. Edison championed the use of a direct current for electric power distribution over an alternating current, which was backed by several European companies and Westinghouse Electric.
TWC will finance and distribute the film.
Timur Bekmambetov, who was originally eyed to direct the movie, will produce alongside Film Rites’ Steve Zaillian and Garrett Basch.
Gyllenhaal is currently shooting Tom Ford’s “Nocturnal Animals,” Cumberbatch is about to start filming Marvel’s “Doctor Strange” and Gomez-Rejon is working on “Collateral Beauty.” Gyllenhaal also has the Boston Marathon bombing pic “Stronger” on his slate.
Gyllenhaal is coming off a strong festival season after “Everest” and “Demolition” premiered at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, respectively. Gyllenhaal, who is repped by WME, most recently worked with with Weinstein Co. on the boxing drama “Southpaw.”
Cumberbatch can currently be seen in Warner Bros.’ “Black Mass.” He is repped by UTA, Conway van Gelder Grant in the UK and attorney Robert Offer.
Gomez-Rejon, who is also repped by WME, is coming off strong reviews for his Sundance pic “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” and had been weighing several other directing offers.
The news was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
