Once he wraps the villainous role of the Rhino in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti will play Brian Wilson's therapist Dr. Eugene Landy in Bill Pohlad's indie movie "Love & Mercy."
John Cusack and Paul Dano are set to star as the troubled Beach Boys frontman during different points in his remarkable life.
A co-production between Pohlad's River Road Entertainment and John Wells Productions, "Love & Mercy" will take an unconventional look at Wilson's life and explore his legendary battle with mental illness, as well as the love that keeps him alive.
While Landy primarily served as Wilson's therapist, he also wormed his way into the artist's life to an unhealthy and perhaps unethical degree.
Pohlad is producing with John Wells and Claire Rudnick Polstein of John Wells Productions. Oren Moverman ("The Messenger") wrote the script and will executive produce with Jim Lefkowitz. Atticus Ross ("The Social Network") will work on the sound design of the film and the soundtrack.
"Love & Mercy," which is expected to start production this summer, marks a return to directing for Pohlad, who wrote, directed and co-produced his first feature film "Old Explorers" after forming River Road Entertainment. He has also directed and produced a number of commercial and documentary film projects throughout the years.
Giamatti, who received an Oscar nomination for his rousing turn in "Cinderella Man," is in for another busy awards season with key supporting roles in Disney's "Saving Mr. Banks" and Steve McQueen's "Twelve Years a Slave." He also plays Abraham Zapruder in the JFK assassination movie "Parkland."
Giamatti will soon be seen as Friar Laurence in "Romeo and Juliet," and he also voices a role in DreamWorks Animation's "Turbo," which speeds into theaters on July 17 via 20th Century Fox. He's represented by UTA and Kipperman Management.
