Jeffrey Wright & Octavia Spencer to star in DEATH OF A SALESMAN film

That is really exciting casting. And Kushner working on the screenplay!

Is Kushner ever going to write for the stage again?  

Jeffrey Wright is fantastic. Curious to see if/how this affects the Nathan Lane revival that I assume that recent anonymous audition notice was for (with dates fall of ‘26).

verywellthensigh said: "Is Kushner ever going to write for the stage again?"

Considering he seems to be elevating many stage writings to a screen treatment (see the recent WSS and his AIA miniseries), I think this is a great way of helping theatrical works be accessible to the masses.

I give him points on the scoreboard for that.

After seeing Denzel Washington in Fences, my dream was to see him in the role. I admit that I was (selfishly) a little disappointed when Wendell Pierce was the first black actor to take on the role in a Broadway production. Fences and Death of a Salesman are so thematically related that I still believe it would have been terrific to see Denzel do it either on stage or on screen. The casting of Wright, however, is very intriguing. He has an amazing depth to his performances that will surely make this adaptation shine. I am really excited for this one.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "^ I would bet money thatDenzel got offered this film first and turned it down…people rarely get their first choices in casting, and often it works out for the best."

Kushner and Wright have a history, so I would bet that you are wrong.  I also think Wright is better casting than the more (at this point perhaps too) iconic Washington.  

 

I think Denzel can tone down his coolness to make it work, but I also prefer Wright for this part. And yes, Arthur Miller’s original writing is basically perfect as it is, so Kushner’s involvement is odd. I’m guessing his work will be less extensive than it was for West Side Story (which he should’ve won an Oscar for). Also guessing that Kushner and Chinonye Chukwu are working to make this adaptation not just a bit of colorblind casting. Curious who they’ll be getting for Biff. Personally, I’d like to see Wright’s Topdog/Underdog successor Corey Hawkins.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Amazingly, all of Tony Kushner's feature films up to this point have been directed by Steven Spielberg (+ Mike Nichols'Angels in America for HBO)."

Although Kushner did make some uncredited modifications to previous drafts of the screenplay for the film adaptation of Fences that August Wilson wrote before he died.

Doesn’t really matter who was offered the role: an incredible actor landed it with an equally stunning actress. 

Personally, I think Denzel would - somehow - make the part bigger than it should be. Jeffrey will really bring out the quiet moments. I cannot wait for this!

quizking101 said: "verywellthensigh said: "Is Kushner ever going to write for the stage again?"

Considering he seems to be elevating many stage writings to a screen treatment (see the recent WSS and his AIA miniseries), I think this is a great way of helping theatrical works be accessible to the masses.

I give him points on the scoreboard for that."

I give him points on the scoreboard for simply putting pen to paper. That man is a genius of the written word. 

KevinKlawitter said: 
Yeah, he can tone down his cool and charismatic if the role calls for it - his underplayed take onMacbethand the vastly underratedRoman J. Israel, esq.both speak to that. But he's also been open about the roles he plans on doing before he retiresand Willy Loman was not among them."

Not to further derail this thread but though I love Denzel, I was so baffled by his Macbeth. Playing it so small was just completely out of place in such an extremely expressionistic film, his "Tomorrow and tomorrow" was like a damp squib especially with how teed up he was by the staging of the scene. Other actors, particularly Kathryn Hunter as the Witches, seemed way more in synch with the vibe of the movie. 

Jeffrey will be great in this, I'm sure. I wonder if the Wendell Pierce revival had anything to do with this film being developed.