James McAvoy and Robin Wright Penn will pair up for Oscar Award winner Robert Redford-directed historical drama “The Conspirator“.
The period drama is based on true events following the assassination of US President Abraham Lincoln. The script for the movie is written by James Solomon.
Wright Penn is due to play Mary Surratt, the only woman who was charged with conspiring to kill the president in April 1865 and McAvoy will take on the role of young way hero Frederick Aiken, an idealistic young war hero who reluctantly defends the woman.
The duo will start filming the James Solomon script in October.
For several years, Steven Spielberg has been trying to launch his major Lincoln opus, but his project was postponed recently by budget and location problems. But he's not giving up.
“We are very happy that Redford will be doing this Lincoln movie. It is completely different from what our DreamWorks Lincoln movie will be, and we believe that it will add to the commercial potential of our film. Lincoln as a subject is inexhaustible,” Spielberg said.
McAvoy has been rumored to be reprising his role in “Wanted 2” with director Timur Bekmambetov and possibly Angelina Jolie. “Wanted 2” is also likely to shoot in 2010.
Wright Penn most recently starred in the Rebecca Miller-directed “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.”
