While it was Inglourious Basterds that really shot his into the stratosphere, it was Hunger (and to a lesser extent band Of Brothers) that first brought Michael Fassbender to international attention, where he played IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, losing weight to the point of becoming virtually unrecognisable for the role.
While artist turned director Steve McQueen got much praise for directing that movie, he’s bided his time to decide on a follow-up, but Variety reports that he’s now decided on Shame (after struggling to find funds for the biopic Fela), which will reunite him with the now much more famous Fassbender. The movie is looking for financing/distribution at the Toronto International Film Festival, with the plan being to start shooting in January.
Fassbender will play 30-something New Yorker Brandon, who finds himself unable to manage his sex life (the poor thing). The script, by Abi Morgan (Brick Lane) ‘will examine the nature of need, how people live their lives and react to experiences that shame them’.