John Malkovich and Mark Ruffalo Join ‘Wild Horse Nine’

Parker Posey is also aboard the new movie from the director of ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ which already has Sam Rockwell starring.

(Left) Mark Ruffalo in 'Poor Things.' Photo by Yorgos Lanthimos. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved. (Right) John Malkovich in 'Burn After Reading'. Photo: Focus Features.

Preview:

John Malkovich and Mark Ruffalo are boarding Martin McDonagh’s new movie.
‘Wild Horse Nine’ also has Sam Rockwell and Parker Posey starring.
The plot is being kept under wraps.

It’s not hard to see why actors flock to work with British-Irish playwright-turned-screenwriter/director Martin McDonagh.

His work has attracted acclaim and awards on stages and screens, and he himself has an Oscar under his belt for live action short ‘Six Shooter.’

Beyond that, several of those who have starred in his films, including ‘In Bruges,’ ‘Seven Psychopaths,’ ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ and 2022’s ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ have either been nominated for, or won, their own Oscars.

One of those to actually take the stage is Sam Rockwell, who won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for ‘Three Billboards,’ has boarded McDonagh’s latest, ‘Wild Horse Nine.’

Wild Horse Nine

Not Yet Rated

Set on an island, but not in Ireland. Further details TBA. Read the Plot

And he’s not alone. While Rockwell would be making his third appearance in a McDonagh movie (he also starred in ‘Seven Psychopaths’), the director is also recruiting some new faces (well, to him): John Malkovich, Mark Ruffalo and Parker Posey.

Deadline brings word of Malkovich and Ruffalo, while Variety reports on Posey.

This actually isn’t the first incarnation of the project, though: it originally launched at the American Film Market in 2021, where Searchlight Pictures (which also worked with the director on ‘Three Billboards’ and ‘Banshees’) picked up the rights to the prestige movie with Rockwell attached to star alongside Oscar Isaac and Christopher Walken.

Isaac and Walken have since moved on, mostly due to scheduling we assume.

What’s the story of ‘Wild Horse Nine’?

95th Oscars® nominee Martin McDonagh arrives at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 13, 2023. The 95th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 12, 2023 live on ABC. Credit/Provider: Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

As with most of McDonagh’s previous movies, the exact plotline is being kept quiet for now. We’d guess that it’ll be his usual blend of quirky characters, smart comedy and memorable emotional turns.

But what we do know is that production kicks off in March in Rapa Nui, the indigenous name for Easter Island, a protected Chilean wildlife area 3,700 kilometers off the country’s coast known for its unrivalled cultural landscape and for being the most remote inhabited island on Earth.

The Rapa Nui National Park continues to maintain a high degree of authenticity, having had minimal intervention since the area’s near-abandonment in the late 19th century.

You just know, then, that the production will have to tiptoe carefully around the area. You hear that, Rockwell? No legendary dancing near the statues!

What else has John Malkovich been working on?

John Malkovich in 'Red 2'. Photo: Lionsgate.

Malkovich will be seen as an oddball, charismatic pop star-turned-cult leader in A24 movie ‘Opus,’ which will be in theaters this coming March and co-stars Ayo Edebiri.

He’s also drawing attention for his brief appearance in the new teaser trailer for Marvel’s ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps.’ His role is under wraps, but the fan theories are coming thick and fast.

In addition to those, he’s part of the cast for action adventure comedy ‘Sacrifice,’ crime mystery ‘In the Hand of Dante’ and animated pic ‘A Winter’s Journey.’

Where else can I see Mark Ruffalo?

Mark Ruffalo in 'Poor Things.' Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Ruffalo, who was last seen in ‘Poor Things’ (where he scored a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination) next has Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi satire ‘Mickey 17,’ featuring Robert Pattinson as a cloned worker in space, due to hit theaters in March.

He’s playing an FBI agent in upcoming Max series ‘Task’ and will reprise his role as Dylan Rhodes in ‘Now You See Me 3.’

What does Sam Rockwell have going on?

(L to R) Mr. Snake (Marc Maron) and Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell) in DreamWorks Animation’s 'The Bad Guys,' directed by Pierre Perifel. © 2021 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Rockwell returned to voice reformed criminal Mr. Wolf in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘The Bad Guys’ spin-off short ‘Little Lies and Alibis,’ which played before ‘Dog Man’ in theaters.

And that was just a prelude to ‘The Bad Guys’ sequel, which lands in August this year.

Also on the animated front, he’ll be heard as the main character in ‘The Adventures of Drunky,’ and has a role in Gore Verbinski’s new action comedy ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,’ in which A man claiming to be from the future arrives at a diner in Los Angeles where he must recruit the precise combination of disgruntled patrons to join him on a one-night quest to save the world from the terminal threat of a rogue artificial intelligence.

The actor also has a variety of other roles in development, including a Merle Haggard biopic and action comedy ‘The Heart.’

What is Parker Posey up to?

Parker Posey stars in director Ari Aster's 'Beau Is Afraid.'

Posey’s next role will be on the small screen rather than in theaters, as she’s part of the cast for Season 3 of ‘The White Lotus,’ which starts on HBO on February 16th.

Movie-wise, she’s worked on ‘The Parenting,’ a new horror comedy about a family renting a countryside house for a vacation, only to discover a poltergeist haunting the place.

When will ‘Wild Horse Nine’ be in theaters?

Searchlight Pictures has yet to reveal a release date for the new movie, and McDonagh is not a director to be rushed. But chances are it could end up in awards contention either this year or next.

Oscar® nominee, Martin McDonagh arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit / Provider: Michael Baker / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.