Madonna bags McGregor for W.E.

Madonna’s feature directing debut - Filth And Wisdom back in 2008 - went down like a lead balloon.

Not to be deterred, the multi-hyphenate is pushing forward with her next celluloid project, W.E. , which examines the life of Wallis Simpson, the woman for whom King Edward VIII abdicated the throne.

Who to play the king? Well, Madge has signed up Ewan McGregor for the role. The Scotsman will be joining Abbie Cornish and Vera Farmiga, both already involved and rounding out a surprisingly strong cast. Cornish will play a modern-day woman obsessed with Simpson’s story who is also having an affair.

Meanwhile, Farmiga will play Simpson herself.

In other casting news, Rebecca Hall (above) has signed up to star opposite Will Ferrell in indie drama Everything Must Go .

Based on the story by Raymond Carver, Dan Rush has written and will direct the film. Ferrell will play a relapsed alcoholic who resolves to live on his front lawn and sell his belongings when he loses his job and his wife.

Hall won’t be playing the wife, but a resident of Ferrell’s neighbourhood who “forges a special bond” with him. We're happy to see Hall getting these high profile roles after her brilliant turns in Frost/Nixon and Vicky Cristina Barcelona . Let's hope this one serves her better than the disappointing Dorian Grray .

Intrigued by Madge's collection of stars?

Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.