Thomas Haden Church is going to be a busy man, with two new roles announced in the same day! First up, Variety reports that he’s joining We Bought A Zoo, the Cameron Crowe movie based on the story of Ben Mee, who despite having no experience looking after animals, bought the delapidated Dartmoor Wildlife Park almost on a whim.
He then moved his entire family to Devon, rechristened the attraction Dartmoor Zoological Park, gave the entire thing an overhaul and rehabilitated the 500 animals there, despite also having to cope with the fact his wife’s brain tumour had re-emerged.
Matt Damon is lined up for the lead role, but unfortunately there’s no news on who Haden Church will play. However with two American actors now confirmed for the film, it does suggest the story may be moving from Devon to the US.
Production on We Bought A Zoo is set to begin in early 2011, but before then Haden Church will squeeze in Killer Joe, William Friedkin’s indie flick, which will also star Matthew McConaughey and Emile Hirsch. Adapted by Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning writer Tracy Letts from her own play, about a brother (Hirsch) and sister, who plot the death of their mother for the insurance money and hire “Killer Joe” Cooper, a cop and contract killer (McConaughey) to do the deed. Once more, there’s no news on who Haden Church will play, but shooting starts in new Orleans next month.