This is the kind of news that’s always thrilling to hear despite how unsurprising it is. Michael Shannon has acted in all of Jeff Nichols’ movies, and according to Variety, the streak continues with a sci-fi flick called Midnight Special. Regarding the project, Nichols recently told The Playlist that he “wanted to make a government chase movie. And see if I could make that not suck. Make that not cliché.”
So either Shannon will be running from the government, chasing someone for the government, or helping out somehow along the way.
The film is set up with Warner Bros. for distribution, and it’s great to see 1) Nichols getting that kind of studio recognition that could lead to broader audiences and 2) that Warners still has faith in some mid-budget projects made by filmmakers with strong voices. Take Shelter is one of the best movies of the last few years – the kind of film that sets up shop in your veins and ignores your eviction notices. Yet, it remains something of a sleeper despite how powerful it is.
Nichols was just named by many critics as one of the best directors under 40 (along with some stunning young talent), so hopefully all of this gives him a bigger stage to share his vision. More Jeff Nichols movies are always a welcome development.