Peter Sarsgaard has signed on to play John Ashpool in 10-episode Apple TV+ series adaptation of William Gibson’s Neuromancer

Forty years ago, author William Gibson brought the world a cyberpunk novel called Neuromancer – and an adaptation of that story has been trudging its way through development hell pretty much ever since. Versions of a feature film adaptation have passed through the hands of directors like music video maker Chris Cunningham, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and The Blob‘s Chuck Russell, Torque‘s Joseph Kahn, Cube‘s Vincenzo Natali, and Deadpool‘s Tim Miller. An adaptation of Neuromancer is currently moving forward as a 10-episode series that’s set up at Apple TV+, and Variety reports that Peter Sarsgaard of Garden State and The Batman has signed on to play a character named John Ashpool.

In the source material, John Ashpool was a character who wakes up delusional and paranoid after a thirty-year cryogenic sleep.

We’ve previously heard that BAFTA Award-nominee Callum Turner of Masters of the Air and The Boys in the Boat will be playing the lead character, Henry Dorsett Case, while Briana Middleton of Sharper and The Tender Bar takes on the role of Case’s partner Molly, “a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes.” Mark Strong of Dune: Prophecy and The Penguin has been cast as Molly’s employer Armitage. Joseph Lee of Beef and Star Trek: Picard plays Hideo, who was a ninja bodyguard in the novel. Clémence Poésy of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and Tenet plays a character named Marie-France Tessier, the matriarch of the Tessier-Ashpool clan.

Emma Laird of A Haunting in Venice and The Brutalist is also on board, playing an unspecified character. Laird told Collider, “The character’s really cool, and I read half the book, and they’ve managed to capture what is in the source material really, really well. There are a lot of characters. It’s very complex. It’s a very confusing book, but I think somehow bringing that onto the screen helps tell that story maybe a bit more clearly.” She added that her character’s costume is insane, and the hair and makeup is crazy.

Created for television by Graham Roland (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan) and JD Dillard (The Outsider), Neuromancer will follow a damaged, top-rung super-hacker named Case who is thrust into a web of digital espionage and high stakes crime with his partner Molly, a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes, aiming to pull a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets.

Gibson’s novel has the following description: Case was the sharpest data thief in the matrix—until he crossed the wrong people, and they crippled his nervous system, banishing him from cyberspace. Now a mysterious new employer has recruited him for a last-chance run at an unthinkably powerful artificial intelligence. With a dead man riding shotgun and Molly, a mirror-eyed street samurai, to watch his back, Case is ready for the adventure that upped the ante on an entire genre of fiction. Neuromancer was the first fully realized glimpse of humankind’s digital future—a shocking vision that has challenged our assumptions about technology and ourselves, reinvented the way we speak and think, and forever altered the landscape of our imaginations.

Gibson, Roland, and Dillard are executive producing the series with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Matt Thunell of Skydance Television, Anonymous Content; Drake, Adel’ Future’ Nur, and Jason Shrier of DreamCrew Entertainment; and Zack Hayden.

Are you a fan of William Gibson’s Neuromancer, and are you looking forward to the Apple TV+ series adaptation? What do you think of Peter Sarsgaard taking on the role of John Ashpool? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Borderline review: Film is a bit uneven but features fantastic performances from Ray Nicholson and Alba Baptista and a riveting opening.

PLOT: Follows a dangerously persistent stalker (Ray Nicholson) who invades the home of a ‘90s pop superstar (Samara Weaving) with grand delusions of a wedding. With her life on the line and help from her loyal bodyguard, she must escape the stalker’s sinister grip before they tie the knot

REVIEW: Samara Weaving is a staple of the horror genre at this point. It’s not a matter of if she’ll star in a new horror movie, it’s always when. Because there are few actresses that have shown the genre as much love as Weaving, and fans have returned the favor. Now, she’s taking on a less flashy role and allowing the actors around her to really shine. Borderline rides the line between more than just damaged personalities, and skirts so many genres, it almost takes on the same quality of its stalker lead. And as such, it may prove difficult to find a big audience.

Borderline is a tale of a man, Duerson, hopelessly in love with a pop star named Sofia…resulting in him stalking her and routinely making trips to her home. Thankfully Duerson is caught, but when he escapes from a mental hospital, his true plan can finally be set in motion, with the end goal being a marriage to Sofia. As you can guess, things do not go well for anyone in Sofia’s orbit, as Duerson proves to be quite persistent. And there’s an oddly likeable aspect of him that makes the events all the more confounding as a viewer. I was obviously on Sofia’s side, but I still found myself rooting for Duerson due to his charisma.

Samara Weaving’s Sofia is a self-obsessed musician who comes across a bit dull due to the personalities surrounding her. She’s more of the straight man here, allowing the others to go crazy around her and accentuate their wonderful performances. It means her role is a bit less showy, but she still rocks it. I was also very impressed with Eric Dane, who plays Sofia’s bodyguard. The narrative falters a bit when his family gets involved, but Dane does a great job through it all. The introduction between he and Duerson is the best scene in the film, and sets up the narrative brilliantly.

Ray Nicholson is absolutely phenomenal in Borderline to the point where I feel like this may be his coming out party. He plays Duerson as someone who is so lost and delusional, yet still manages to be likeable. Ironically, I’d even say there are shades of his father’s performance as The Joker present. There’s a phenomenal showcase moment for him that reminded me of a shot from Strange Darling where we see Willa Fitzgerald go through a range of emotion. Just like that scene, this feels like the first time we’re truly seeing the real Duerson, and it’s a showcase for Nicholson’s acting ability.

Alba Baptista comes into the movie like a freight train, with her character Penny maybe even more unpredictable than Duerson. While he clearly plans things out, Penny acts on impulse and can change her mind in an instant. She feels like even more of a threat than the massive cousin (Patrick Cox) due to her being an absolute psychopath. There’s a moment with a bit of fire that cements her as one of the craziest women in all of cinema. There should be a mental ward named after her. 

Writer/Director Jimmy Warden (who is also Weaving’s husband) makes his directorial debut here and does a decent job. I’m not entirely convinced that the film needed to be set in the 90s, as it could practically be modern day with how it’s presented. Cell phones always complicate horror films, so I understand that aspect, just seems like the 90sness could have been more at the forefront. There are some dumb moments like the power going out and being explained away with a simple “They were supposed to fix this weeks ago!” Or the random duet between Weaving and Baptista that goes on way too long. It’s stuff like this which really holds it back from being truly great and makes for an uneven experience.

Borderline doesn’t quite reach its potential, but it still has a lot going for it. Wonderfully psychotic performances from Nicholson and Baptista really give this the film its identity. The opening is absolutely spectacular and sets up the movie perfectly. It just loses that momentum and struggles to get it back outside of short bursts until the ending, which does manage to work as a great bookends to the chaos.

BORDERLINE IS PLAYING IN THEATERS ON MARCH 14TH, 2025.

7

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Viewer Ratings (0 reviews)

Jack Quaid fights to get the girl of his dreams back in the action comedy Novocaine, which is on track to win the weekend box office.

Novocaine, which stars Jack Quaid as the reluctant hero who can’t feel pain, was initially being projected to take the top spot this week with an estimated $10 million to $12 million from 3,300 North American theaters in its first weekend of release. Early projections also saw it overtaking Mickey 17, which was expected to drop by 55% to 60% after its $19 million debut from the past week. 

Variety now reports that Novocaine is on track to make its $10 million to $12 million as early Thursday screenings have already totaled $1.75 million. $10 – $12 million in its first week is pretty optimal for the action comedy as its price tag came out to about $18 million. The premise is a fresher one, and Jack Quaid’s star is on the rise due to his run on the hit Prime Video series, The Boys. Quaid is also just coming off of the critically acclaimed horror flick Companion.

Novocaine is already getting good buzz for capitalizing on its brutal fun premise. Our Tyler Nichols had a blast, as he said in his review, “I feel like whenever some action movie comes along that impresses, it’s always “this reminds me of the kind of film from a different era” but that doesn’t apply here. Novocaine feels very modern, and builds off of all the similar movies that have come before it. There were some twists and turns that I never saw coming and it helped keep the film fresh. While it doesn’t break from the norm too often, when it does, it gives the film a lot more personality. Jack Quaid has added yet another character type that he can pull off effortlessly: action star.”

JoBlo also recently got to sit down and talk with the cast and crew of Novocaine and they couldn’t have been more gracious. Check out our interview with Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Jacob Batalon, Ray Nicholson, Dan Berk and Robert Olsen HERE.

This week also sees the releases of Steven Soderbergh’s spy thriller Black Bag, which stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, and Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich’s surrealist satire Opus.

About the Author

E.J. is a News Editor at JoBlo, as well as a Video Editor, Writer, and Narrator for some of the movie retrospectives on our JoBlo Originals YouTube channel, including Reel Action, Revisited and some of the Top 10 lists. He is a graduate of the film program at Missouri Western State University with concentrations in performance, writing, editing and directing.

We talk with Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Rege-Jean Page, and Naomie Harris about Black Bag

Steven Soderbergh is undoubtedly an inspired and original filmmaker. From his critically acclaimed debut feature Sex, Lies, and Videotape to the recent Presence, he always approaches his work with style and generally a strong script without catering to the norm. Black Bag is a spy thriller. There is a little mystery, but more than anything, it offers a unique way to explore the genre. The cast is exceptional. It includes Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Tom Burke, Marisa Abela, Rege-Jean Page, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan. It’s a sharp feature that examines a little treachery with top-notch performances. Soderbergh continues to impress with his two very different, recent releases.

As you can imagine, it’s quite the feeling to sit across a Zoom screen with folks like Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender. Having admired both of their work from the beginning, talking about this sharp thriller was extra special. First up, I spoke with Fassbender, Marisa Abela, and Rege-Jean Page. The trio gave high praise to the director and screenwriter David Koepp. I was especially impressed by Ms. Abela’s work opposite Mr. Page, the two opened up about creating their on-screen story.

Then came Ms. Blanchett, Tom Burke, and Naomie Harris. For Cate, I asked her about taking on a familiar genre, yet one that is far more intimate than what we’ve come to expect from spy flicks. Both Tom and Naomie discussed bringing the characters to life, and yes, there was much praise for Steven Soderbergh. All six of these incredible talents gave terrific insight into the filmmaker. And yes, they all are excellent in the film. Don’t let the lengthy dinner scenes scare you; Black Bag is a fantastic thriller that moves effortlessly until its final frame.

Black Bag opens in theatres this Friday. It’s well worth a trip to the movies.

A poster has been unveiled for the Toxic Avenger remake, starring Peter Dinklage, which is set to reach theatres in August

Fans have been waiting a long time to see writer/director Macon Blair’s remake of the Troma cult classic The Toxic Avenger (watch it HERE), which wrapped filming way back in 2021 and unveiled a teaser trailer near the end of 2023, around the time it had its world premiere screening – but we won’t have to wait much longer. At the start of the year, it was announced that Cineverse had acquired the distribution rights with the intention of giving the film an unrated wide release, and we’ve since learned that they’re aiming for an August 29th theatrical release. Yesterday, the first clear images of the title character made their way online, and now a new poster has been unveiled. You can check it out at the bottom of this article.

Blair’s version of The Toxic Avenger stars Peter Dinklage as Winston Gooze, a stereotypical weakling who works as a janitor at Garb-X health club and is diagnosed with a terminal illness that can only be cured by an expensive treatment that his greedy, power hungry employer refuses to pay for. After deciding to take matters into his own hands and rob his company, Winston falls into a pit of toxic waste and is transformed into a deformed monster that sets out to do good and get back at all the people who have wronged him.

Dinklage is joined in the cast by Kevin Bacon as villainous corporate overlord Bob Garbinger; Elijah Wood as Bob’s brother Fritz Garbinger, who is described as “sort of Riff Raff from The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the Danny DeVito Penguin mixed together”; a group of lunatics / musicians called the Killer Nutz, who are “a rock and roll group where their presentation is theatrical evil, like KISS or Alice Cooper, but their moonlight gig is professional assassins”; Taylour Paige as investigative reporter / vigilante detective JJ Doherty; Jacob Tremblay as Winston’s stepson Wade; Jonny Coyne as a “shadowy criminal figure”; Sarah Niles as a “corrupt city official”; Julia Davis as an unspecified character; and Blair as a guy named Dennis.

The Toxic Avenger remake was filmed in Bulgaria. Troma’s Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz produced with Legendary Entertainment. The film has received an R rating for “strong violence and gore, language throughout, sexual references and brief graphic nudity“ – and the gore includes a moment that has been referred to as “the butt guts scene“.

Are you looking forward to The Toxic Avenger remake? Take a look at the poster, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

About the Author

Cody is a news editor and film critic, focused on the horror arm of JoBlo.com, and writes scripts for videos that are released through the JoBlo Originals and JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channels. In his spare time, he’s a globe-trotting digital nomad, runs a personal blog called Life Between Frames, and writes novels and screenplays.

Brandon Sklenar is playing an unhinged character in the upcoming thriller The Housemaid, while Michele Morrone plays a weirdo

Sydney Sweeney (Anyone But You, Madame Web), Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls, Jennifer’s Body), Brandon Sklenar (It Ends With Us, 1923), and Michele Morrone (365 Days, Subservience) star in the psychological thriller The Housemaid for Lionsgate and director Paul Feig, whose credits include Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters, and A Simple Favor. Lionsgate will be releasing the film on Christmas Day 2025 – and in new interviews, Sklenar and Morrone revealed that they’re playing unhinged, weirdo characters.

The film has the following synopsis: In The Housemaid, Millie (Sydney Sweeney) is a struggling young woman who is relieved to get a fresh start as a housemaid to Nina (Amanda Seyfried) and Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), an upscale, wealthy couple. She soon learns that the family’s secrets are far more dangerous than her own. Rebecca Sonnenshine wrote the screenplay adaptation.

Feig is producing the film with Todd Lieberman, Carly Kleinbart Elter, and Laura Fischer. Sweeney, Seyfried, and McFadden serve as executive producers with Alex Young.

Sklenar told Variety that his character is like “Norman Bates meets Patrick Bateman” and the film is “very dark, dramatic, twisted. It’s not gory but it’s twisted. It’s out there for sure. I am a little unhinged. You very rarely get the opportunity to just let the cat out of the bag.“

Morrone plays Enzo, the family’s groundskeeper. He told Variety, “I think the film is going to be very faithful to the book. That’s all I can actually say.” He did add that his character is “a weirdo. I like to play weirdos, as you know. But I’m proud of myself to be part of that project and being a weirdo!“

Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman provided the following statement when the project was first announced: “Part of the fun of the book was imagining the cast while we read it, and Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried are perfect for Millie and Nina — they’re both mysterious, nuanced, and incredibly skilled at becoming characters who don’t reveal everything right away. We’re thrilled to team them with Paul Feig, who we worked with on A Simple Favor and its upcoming sequel, and has a proven track record of developing stories with dynamic female leads.“

Adam Fogelson, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair, added: “I’m thrilled to have The Housemaid join our upcoming slate. A great filmmaker and a great cast with a great script from a great book is a terrific place to start. My prior work experiences with Paul and Amanda have been nothing short of spectacular, and Sydney is as talented and compelling as can be.“

If The Housemaid does well at the box office next December, there’s franchise potential here, as the novel has already received multiple follow-ups: The Housemaid’s Secret, The Housemaid’s Wedding, and The Housemaid is Watching.

Are you looking forward to seeing Brandon Sklenar and Michele Morrone play unhinged, weirdo characters in The Housemaid? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The Shrouds, the latest film from David Cronenberg, is coming to theatres in April and the trailer is online now

David Cronenberg has said that his new film The Shrouds – which has been making the festival rounds lately (you can read what JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray thought of it HERE) – was originally intended to be a Netflix TV series, but the streamer dropped it after paying him to write the pilot episode. So a feature film it is, and Sideshow and Janus Films have acquired all U.S. distribution rights to the film, with their plan being to give it a theatrical release next month. The Shrouds will be reaching theatres in New York and Los Angeles on April 18th, then will expand nationwide on April 25th. With those dates right around the corner, a trailer has dropped online and can be seen in the embed above.

In The Shrouds, Vincent Cassel, who previously worked with Cronenberg on Eastern Promises and A Dangerous Method, takes on the role of Karsh, “an innovative businessman and grieving widower, who builds a novel device to connect with the dead inside a burial shroud. This burial tool installed at his own state-of-the-art though controversial cemetery allows him and his clients to watch their specific departed loved one decompose in real time. Karsh’s revolutionary business is on the verge of breaking into the international mainstream when several graves within his cemetery are vandalized and nearly destroyed, including that of his wife. While he struggles to uncover a clear motive for the attack, the mystery of who wrought this havoc, and why, drive him to reevaluate his business, marriage and fidelity to his late wife’s memory, as well as push him to new beginnings.”

Diane Kruger (National Treasure, Inglorious Basterds, In the Fade), Guy Pearce (Memento, The Hurt Locker), Sandrine Holt (Homeland, House of Cards), Al Sapienza (The Sopranos, Reacher), Elizabeth Saunders (From, Mary Kills People), and Jennifer Dale (Coroner, Into Invisible Light) are also in the cast.

The Shrouds was produced by Saïd Ben Saïd, Martin Katz and Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent. It’s an SBS, Prospero Pictures & Saint Laurent Productions Film, with the participation of Telefilm Canada, Eurimages, Ontario Creates in association with Sphere Films, Crave & CBC Films with the support of Canal +, OCS & the Centre National du Cinema et de L’image Animée.

Sideshow/Janus provided the following statement: “Building on a long history with David Cronenberg that has included releases of Videodrome, Scanners, The Brood, Crash, Dead Ringers, and Naked Lunch, Janus Films and Criterion are very proud to be working with Sideshow and Saïd Ben Saïd, Martin Katz and Anthony Vaccarello to premiere The Shrouds, a major new work by the Canadian master in the United States. Cronenberg is at his wittiest, most personal and romantic in this thought-provoking thriller with knockout performances from Vincent Cassel and Diane Kruger.“

What did you think of the trailer for The Shrouds? Will you be catching this movie on the big screen next month? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis experience more bodyswap shenanigans in Disney’s teaser trailer for Freakier Friday.

Things get freaky for Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis in Disney‘s teaser trailer for Freakier Friday, the long-anticipated sequel to the acting duo’s 2003 comedy smash. The upcoming cinematic romp brings the bodyswap mechanic back with style as the switcharoo magic extends to other members of the Coleman family. In addition to the Freakier Friday teaser trailer, Disney dropped a new poster for the film featuring Lohan and Curtis in panic as chaos returns to haunt their best-laid plans.

In Freakier Friday, Lohan’s Anna has a daughter and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. They, too, get caught up in the switcharoo shenanigans, doubling the confusion and consequences of tampering with unknown forces.

The film also stars Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Rosalind Chao, Chad Michael Murray, Vanessa Bayer, and Mark Harmon.

Nisha Ganatra directs Freakier Friday, based on the book Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers. Freakier Friday could be another hit for Lohan, who delighted audiences with Netflix’s 2024 romantic comedy Irish Wish. The fantasy film features Lohan as Maddie, whose crush gets engaged while she’s stuck being a bridesmaid at his Irish wedding. Hilarity ensues as Maddie tries to navigate her feelings and responsibilities to the betrothed.

Jamie Lee Curtis recently wrapped production for Ella McCay, a comedic drama directed by James L. Brooks. The film will follow an idealistic young politician who juggles familial issues and a challenging work life while preparing to take over the job of her mentor, the state’s longtime incumbent governor. The film also stars Woody Harrelson, Rebecca Hall, Emma Mackey, Ayo Edebiri, Kumail Nanjiani, Albert Brooks, and more.

Since her welcomed comeback, Lohan has been selective about her acting projects. After starring in Irish Wish, which essentially resuscitated the romantic comedy genre alongside Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell’s Anyone but You, Lohan starred in Netflix’s holiday romance Out Little Secret. In the film, two resentful exes must awkwardly spend Christmas together after they learn that their new partners are siblings. Ian Harding, Kristin Chenoweth, Tim Meadows, and more star in Our Little Secret.

Are you ready to get freaky with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis for Freakier Friday? What do you think about the teaser trailer? Let us know in the comments section below.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.

A poster has been unveiled for the sci-fi thriller The Assessment, starring Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Olsen, and Himesh Patel

The sci-fi thriller The Assessment, starring Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina), Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision), and Himesh Patel (Station Eleven), had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, and is now heading for a March 21st theatrical release, courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. With that date just a week away, a poster for the film has been unveiled and can be seen at the bottom of this article.

The feature directorial debut of music video director Fleur Fortuné, who was working from a screenplay by John Donnelly and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, The Assessment centers on Mia (Olsen) and Aaryan (Patel), a successful couple who hope to become parents in a near future where resources are extremely limited and the government keeps firm control over reproduction. In looking to do so, the pair are assigned an assessor named Virginia (Vikander), who moves into their home for seven days to evaluate whether they deserve to move forward in their parenting journey. What Mia and Aaryan are hoping is a routine test quickly unravels into a psychological nightmare, forcing them to question the very foundations of their society and what it truly means to be human.

Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting), Indira Varma (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Nicholas Pinnock (Captain America: The First Avenger), Charlotte Ritchie (Wonka), and Leah Harvey (Foundation) are also in the cast.

Stephen Woolley, Elizabeth Karlsen, Jonas Katzenstein, Maximilian Leo, augenschein Filmproduktion, Shivani Rawat, Julie Goldstein, and Grant S. Johnson produced The Assessment. Allen Gilmer, Riki Rushing, William Shockley, Tom Brady, Connor Flanagan, Madeleine K. Rudin, William Bruce Johnson, Thomas K. Richards, Carlotta Lӧffelholz, Jonathan Saubach, and Rusta Mizani served as executive producers.

Magnolia Pictures co-CEOs Eamonn Bowles and Dori Begley provided the following statement: “Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel are all beyond fantastic in this scary, twisted, mind-blower of a movie. Fleur has fashioned an incredibly imaginative world that feels terrifyingly believable.“

Fortuné was thrilled by the distribution deal, saying that Magnolia “have always made bold choices, giving a voice to some of my favorite filmmakers, who make us think and have a different perspective on the world.“

Are you looking forward to The Assessment? Take a look at the poster, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

Michael Fassbender not only showed up late to his audition for George Miller but was given a harsh lesson by an acting coach.

We here at JoBlo.com love us some Michael Fassbender. From Hunger to Inglourious Basterds to 12 Years a Slave to pretty much any of his upcoming projects, the man is one of the finest actors of his generation. But it’s not like he lands every role he wants. He has been open about inadvertently sabotaging his own audition for James Bond by pushing Daniel Craig instead of himself, but he’s missed out on major parts in worse ways than that.

Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Michael Fassbender remembered trying to land the role of Max Rockatansky for George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road. But it went about as bad as it could, with the actor remembering it was straight-up awful. For starters, he was late to meet with Miller by nearly an hour. Frazzled, he said he didn’t have his bearings when he did finally make it to the Warner Bros. lot. “​​I arrived and I was like, ‘I’m so sorry,’ and they were like, ‘Fine.’ And then George Miller has this acting coach…and it was like, it was so excruciating. I’ve been classically trained, so I have my process of, obviously, there’s an objective that the character has and activities that I’m gonna play to get it. So I felt like you’re teaching granny how to suck eggs here — this guy really got on my nerves.”

The acting coach – merely doing his job at the instruction of George Miller – took it one step further. “He was like, ‘I want you to say this phrase: get out of the room, but I want you to physicalize it Michael,’” which seems like the coach trying to lay a bit of a burn…“It was so… I couldn’t wait to get out of there.” Michael Fassbender would eventually man a very different set of wheels, competing in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022 and 2023.

Of course, Tom Hardy ended up getting the Fury Road lead. Instead, that year Michael Fassbender would play both Macbeth and Steve Jobs, showing just how diverse of an actor he truly is. Fassbender is currently starring in Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag (you can read our review here).

How do you think Michael Fassbender would have done as Mad Max in Fury Road? Let us know below!