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It is shocking to think that Warren Beatty has been absent from cinema screens for a decade now… but thankfully he is set to make a return, both in front of the camera and behind it.
The project? An as-yet untitled Howard Hughes biopic, which is said to be very different to Scorsese’s The Aviator .
The star of 1967’s Bonnie And Clyde has form when it comes to directing: his credits include Heaven Can Wait , Reds , Bulw orth and Dick Tracy .
Considering Beatty still probably has the clout to cast almost anyone he likes, it's quite the show of confidence that he has selected British talent Felicity Jones - very much the next big thing – to play the love interest of the ageing Hughes (Beatty).
Impressing in Cemetery Junction and Albatross , she is set to capture the hearts of cinemagoers in festival-favourite Like Crazy .
Justin Timberlake, Alden Ehrenreich, Jack Nicholson, Alec Baldwin and Beatty's spouse Annette Bening are among the names in contention for the remaining key roles.
Whether this will be a another blow to Christopher Nolan's planned Hughes biopic (after Scorsese scuppered his attempts first time round), remains to be seen. And it looks like we'll be waiting a while for Dick Tracy 2 ...