Watanabe is the latest FREAK

After coming off a Best Supporting Actor nod for outshining Tom Cruise in THE LAST SAMURAI, Ken Watanabe was unforgivably wasted in his small cameo in BATMAN BEGINS. I can see why Nolan cast such an esteemed actor for the part (so we wouldn't think twice that he was Ra's Al Ghul and not jump to the conclusion that it was Neeson) but still I'm guessing WB must have paid Ken a nice wad of cash to perform such a stereotypical and cliche blockbuster villain. Watanabe would soon show his talents again with a great performance in LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA and I thought his Hollywood days might be behind him for a while. Looks like I was wrong. Variety say Watanbe has been cast as Mr. Tall, a carnival barker in CIRQUE DU FREAK.

CIRQUE DU FREAK stars John C. Reilly as a vampire who hires a 14 year old boy as his assistant and sucks him into a undead state.. to fight on his side in the war between Vampires and Vampanese. Salma Hayek supports as Madame Trusk, a.k.a. The Bearded Lady. The movie is based on the successful Paul Shaun series of books, of which there has now been 12 published€ all have been picked up by Universal. MYSTIC RIVER scribe Brian Helgeland adapted the first book for Paul Weitz (ABOUT A BOY) to begin filming movie next month.