Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning in talks for Kelly Reichardt's 'Night Moves'

A few years ago, the idea of Jesse Eisenberg starring in a Kelly Reichardt film would have made absolutely zero sense. After crafting his career playing one particular sort of neurotic, anti-social comedy character, Eisenberg has been venturing out into new things lately. The Social Network took that persona he'd crafted and spun it into darker territory, while the heist flick Now You See Me and Richard Ayoade's Dostoyefsky adaptation of The Double will again have him
venturing into uncharted waters.

His most interesting move yet will come in working with Reichardt, the director behind such neo-realist flicks as Wendy and Lucy, Meek's Cutoff, and Old Joy. Eisenberg is in talks to replace Paul Dano in Night Moves, about three eco-terrorists with plans to blow up a dam. He'll play the ringleader of the group, with Peter Sarsgaard as another member. Dakota Fanning is also in line to join the film in the role that Rooney Mara had once been attached to.

As much as I appreciate Reichardt as a filmmaker, I really only was able to get into Wendy and Lucy. Old Joy was hurt by the two lackluster leads, while Meek's Cutoff is just....well, it's a perfect cure for insomnia. Let's put it that way. So far I like where Night Moves is headed, so hopefully we'll start to hear even more about it soon. [Variety]