First Image of Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe in 'Sea of Trees'

While it's easy to poke fun at the lousy treatment afforded to Ken Watanabe in Godzilla, he's still one of the most accomplished actors working today and his presence in a film is always a good thing. His next film promises to be a much better showcase of his talents, starring opposite Matthew McConaughey in Gus Van Sant's existential drama, Sea of Trees, and the first image from it has arrived.

Looking like it could have been a deleted scene from True Detective, this bleak image shows a bloodied McConaughey as an American who enters Japan's "Suicide Forest" to end his life, encountering Watanabe's character along the way. Naomi Watts co-stars as McConaughey's wife, and this looks like a very dark psychological character study, the kind that would normally play well this time of year. Van Sant has made this sort of two-hander before, but the less said about Gerry the better.

Unfortunately, Sea of Trees has yet to gain a release date, but we'll probably see it in 2015. [EW]

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Katie Aselton Joins 'Sea of Trees'; Yolanda Ross Heads to 'Meadowland'; Heather Graham Casts 'Half Magic'

 Mark Duplass' multi-talented (and extremely funny) wife Katie Aselton (The League, Black Rock) has joined Matthew McConaughey,  Ken Watanabe, and Naomi Watts in Gus Van Sant's Sea of Trees. She'll play McConaughey's mistress in the film about two men who meet in Japan's "Suicide Forest" with plans to kill themselves, but instead embark on a journey of self-discovery. [THR]

I've raved about John Sayle's film Go for Sisters here in the past, in particular the lead performance by Yolanda Ross, and so it's good to see her getting a little bit of attention from others. She's joined the cast of Meadowland, reuniting with her Yelling to the Sky director, Reed Morano. The film stars Olivia Wilde, Elisabeth Moss, Luke Wilson, and Natasha Lyonne in the story of a couple whose son disappears, setting the wife (Wilde) on a dangerous journey in which she seeks a relationship with a neglected boy. Ross will play one of Wilde's colleagues. [Blackfilm]

Heather Graham is set to direct, write, and star in Half Magic, a film she's been developing for awhile and is finally moving forward on. In fact she's up and skipped out on Neil Labute's upcoming stage play in order to focus on the film now that all of the pieces have fallen into place. Co-starring Josh Lucas, the story centers on "a woman who wants a nice guy and great sex, preferably in the same package. "  [Deadline]

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Naomi Watts Joins Gus Van Sant's 'Sea of Trees' with Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe

Naomi Watts may be hoping you'll forget about how terrible Diana turned out (you folks sadly ignored Sunlight Jr.) by lining up a slew of promising projects. She's got Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's comedy Birdman on the way, along with Noah Baumbach's While We're Young, and now she's joining Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe in Sea of Trees.

Directed by Gus Van Sant with a script by Chris Sparling, the story "follows an American man (McConaughey) who takes a journey into the infamous “Suicide Forest” at the foothills of Mount Fuji with the intention of taking his own life. When he is interrupted by a Japanese man (Watanabe) who has had second thoughts about his own suicide, and is trying to find his way out of the forest, the two begin a journey of reflection and survival." Watts' role is unclear but does it really matter? McConaughey, Watanabe, Watts, and Van Sant? Yes please.

Filming is set to begin this summer. 

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Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe to Star in Gus Van Sant's 'Sea of Trees'

At this point it's old hat to talk about the actor Matthew McConaughey used to be when the actor he has become is so compelling. The consistency which he's delivering amazing performances deserves proper credit and not a constant reminder of the "mimbo" he once was. And as top flight filmmakers flock to him in droves with one interesting project after another, McConaughey has chosen to work with Gus Van Sant on his next film.

According to The Wrap, McConaughey and Ken Watanabe (Inception) will star in Sea of Trees, a film that came to the surface late last year. At the time it looked like Joaquin Phoenix would be a part of it, but McConaughey has to be considered a lateral move at worst, and maybe even a better fit for the material. Chris Sparling's Black List script "follows an American man (McConaughey) who takes a journey into the infamous “Suicide Forest” at the foothills of Mount Fuji with the intention of taking his own life. When he is interrupted by a Japanese man (Watanabe) who has had second thoughts about his own suicide, and is trying to find his way out of the forest, the two begin a journey of reflection and survival."

No word on when filming will begin, but this will be Van Sant's first film since 2012's snoozer, Promised Land.

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