Russell Crowe accepts offer to PLAY!

The Hollywood Reporter say that Crowe is all but confirmed to be his replacement after accepting the studio's offer from the weekend. I can't seem to find the original link to the story but I found the news over at Coming Soon. Despite giving himself his busiest work schedule in a while (after YUMA and GANGSTER, he went straight into shooting BODY OF LIES, then this movie, then all being well NOTTINGHAM before June), Crowe simply couldn't resist the offer of the movie after director Kevin Macdonald went to Australia personally to tempt the A-Lister. Having seen the 2003 British series upon this movie is to be based, and having read a draft that Pitt loved (it's since been changed to something he didn't like) I have to say I find the whole casting of Edward Norton and Russell Crowe weird. To me, Crowe would have been so much better as the rather washed up politician and Edward Norton would have suited the former/friend reporter who is trying to get to the bottom of the investigation. Still it's two great actors and it will be fascinating to see them work together for the first time, in a movie that vitally needs them to hit it off on screen. Yeah it's a shame we aren't getting the FIGHT CLUB reunion anymore but instead they are getting Crowe... and that's cool by me.