Megan Ellison gave
Paul Thomas Anderson's long in the making take-down movie of religious cults (specifically Scientology) a huge $35 million boost back in February after Universal previously dropped the controversial drama and according to
Variety, the movie is now firmly back on and a cast is being sought after. Still locked in as the charismatic leader of 'The Cause' is
Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Lancaster Dodd, aka 'The Master', a charismatic and conniving fictional version of
L. Ron. Hubbard. Intriguingly
Joaquin Phoenix is now in talks for the part of Freddie Sutton, the young alcoholic drifter who becomes his apprentice. This is the role previously attached to
Jeremy Renner last year but after Universal dropped the film, he's since moved on to other projects. Of course for Phoenix this is precisely the challenging and awesome role that could get him back into consideration and wholly drop that
I'm Still Here, "I've retired and become a musician, second-rate Andy Kaufman publicity stunt" negative buzz that has been flying around his name for the past two years and beyond. Despite being offered a role in
Big Shoe from Secretary director
Steven Shainberg and also a part in
James Franco's As I Lay Dying, Phoenix has yet to accept anything that has come his way and his
last acting credit on IMDB is still listed as the infamous February 2009 episode of 'Late Show With David Letterman' (he is credited'himself' for last year's mockumentary). PTA is also searching for an actress to portray The Master's wife Mary Sue which was previously offered to
Reese Witherspoon last year, and also their daughter Elizabeth (
Emma Stone &
Amanda Seyfried previously considered).
Presumably with Phoenix in talks, PTA has decided to go with The Master (as it's widely known as but might not be called) as his next film, his second religious take-down movie in a row after There Will Be Blood instead of adapting Thomas Pynchon's
Inherent Vice with Robert Downey Jr, the movie he has been scripting for the past five months and is close to completion. Both sound awesome but The Master sounds the more interesting and we hope PTA can get his cast together to film this year.