Director Richard Kelly hasn't had the career we all thought he would have in 2001. That year, of course, saw the release of Donnie Darko, the cerebral time-travel thriller that had many critics cheering (while others were left scratching their heads) and had people expecting great things out of the first time director. Sadly, things still haven't panned out as planned. In the 11 years since, Kelly has released two movies, Southland Tales and The Box, but both were seen by professionals as being a departure from the quality of Darko. At only 36, however, there's more than enough time for Kelly's career to rebound and he's just found the actor who could try and help him do that.
Variety has learned that Edgar Ramirez, who is only two years removed from his critically lauded turn in the 2010 miniseries Carlos, has been tapped for the lead role in Corpus Christie, the new film from Richard Kelly. Produced by Darko Entertainment and being financed by Robert Rodriguez's Quick Draw Productions, the project will feature Ramirez as Paciencia De La Rosa, a PTSD-suffering Iraq War veteran who "forges a dangerous alliance with a wealthy industrialist in Texas." The movie is being called a more "traditional narrative" for Kelly, and the plan is to shoot in Austin and Corpus Christi this July.
In a strange twist, this project will actually serve as a reunion for Kelly and Ramirez. The actor made his English-language debut in the 2005 Tony Scott film Domino, which was based on a script written by Kelly. He will be seen later this month playing Ares in Wrath of the Titans and is currently in production on Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty.
