Fresh from his Oscar-nominated turn in The Florida Project, Willem Dafoe has signed on to star alongside Edward Norton in Motherless Brooklyn, Deadline is reporting.
Based on Jonathan Lethem’s novel, the film takes place in 1950s New Tork and follows “a Tourette Syndrome affected private eye Lionel Essrog (Norton) witnesses the murder of his only friend and mentor, by shadowy thugs. Clues lead the detective to a Harlem nightclub and a beautiful young woman named who is also leading a protest against powerful developer Moses Randolph. Randolph is having neighborhoods designated as slums so his people can buy up property to build an expressway. The private eye finds a connection between Randolph, his broken brother Paul and the young woman – the same connection that got his mentor killed.”
Dafoe is set to take on the role of the developer’s brother, described as “a man who is beaten and broken by his brother. Unwilling to directly bring down his brother, he becomes a useful conduit of information to the private eye.”
Dafoe is currently shooting At Eternity’s Gate, where he plays legendary artist Vincent Van Gogh, and will be seen later this year in Warner Bros.’ DC superhero blockbuster Aquaman, which is set for release in December.
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