Martin Scorsese adds Ken Watanabe and Andrew Garfield to 'Silence'

It's been an extremely long road for Martin Scorsese's passion project, Silence, and every time it seems close to getting underway, something else causes it to be pushed back. After getting another promising update last month, it looks like Silence is finally happening because the first actors have come aboard.

Andrew Garfield, Ken Watanabe, and Issei Ogata (The Sun) have been set for the adaptation of Shusaku Endo's novel, which Scorsese says will be a Japanese-language production. The story follows two 17th century Jesuit priests investigating religious persecution in Japan. Garfield will play Portugese priest Father Rodrigues, there to find his mentor and spread the word of Christianity. The role of his colleague Father Garrpe has yet to be filled, but we know Watanabe will play their translator.

Earlier rumors had Daniel Day-Lewis, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Benicio Del Toro starring, but it looks like Scorsese has decided to go in a completely different direction. Garfield may seem like an odd choice for a role like this since he's best known for donning a pair of tights in The Amazing Spider-Man, but he's got no shortage of impressive dramatic credits to his name including The Social Network and Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go. Filming on Silence begins in June 2014. [Variety]