Max von Sydow, Emily Mortimer and Jackie Earle Haley have signed on to join Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams and Patricia Clarkson in Martin Scorsese’s mystery drama Shutter Island for Paramount Pictures.

The film, adapted by Laeta Kalogridis from Dennis Lehane’s 2004 novel, revolves around two U.S. marshals (DiCaprio and Ruffalo) who travel to a Massachusetts island to investigate the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane. Chaos ensues for the two as they encounter a web of deceit, a hurricane and a deadly inmate riot that leaves them trapped on the island.

Sydow will portray one of the hospital’s physicians, Mortimer will play the role of Rachel, an escaped hospital patient and Haley will star as an inmate, reports the Hollywood Reporter.

Phoenix Pictures, Scorsese’s Sikelia Prods. and DiCaprio’s Appian Way are producing the pic with Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, Brad Fischer and Scorsese serving as producers.

Kalogridis, Lehane and Louis Phillips are executive producers of the film.

Paramount Vantage sold the project to several major European territories including Germany (TeleMunchen) and Italy (Medusa).

TeleMunchen picked up the films distribution rights for 12 million dollars while Medusa paid 10 million dollars.

Production is scheduled begin on March 6. (ANI)

News about Martin Scorsese’s upcoming adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s mystery novel “Shutter Island.” The film, that will star Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams and Ben Kingsley and begins filming this March in Massachusetts. But apparently the film won’t be titled Shutter Island any longer. According to The Boston Herald the 1950s-era film noir is now titled ASHECLIFFE, the name of the mental hospital in the movie.

However, in screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis’ script, there’s lots of flashbacks to a World War II concentration camp. Hence, the casting call on Jan. 26 for background extras to play malnourished camp prisoners and military or law-enforcement types to portray the guards.

Source: The Boston Herald

Starring alongside Leo in Marty’s latest
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio have been planning a trip to Shutter Island for some time now – and today, they asked Mark Ruffalo to join them.

No, we haven’t stumbled upon the trio’s holiday plans – DiCaprio and Scorsese may be creatively tight, but we doubt very much that they’d holiday together and even if they did, they wouldn’t choose a remote island just outside of Boston as their destination.

No, instead, Shutter Island is the name of the next DiCaprio/Scorsese movie - based on the Dennis Lehane novel - in which Li’l Leo will play Teddy Daniels, a US Marshal who travels to the titular isle to track down Rachel Solando, a bonkers loony murderess who’s escaped from an asylum on the island. Only when he gets there, he finds more than he bargained for, in the shape of an incoming hurricane that causes the asylum’s remaining patients to riot – and all the while, Solando is out there, and something is not quite right at the hospital…

Ruffalo, a fine actor who can now add Scorsese to his list of A-List Directors I’ve Worked With Excel spreadsheet (a list that includes David Fincher, John Woo, Ang Lee, Michael Mann and, erm, Gary Winick), will play DiCaprio’s new partner, Chuck Aule. And the casting of such a prestigious actor indicates, and quite rightly, that Chuck is much more than your average second banana partner role. We can’t go into details, sadly - spoilers abound!

Heck of a cast Marty’s assembling, though the Solando part has yet to be filled. With shooting beginning in March, we’re guessing that an announcement will be made sooner, rather than later.

Paramount and Columbia are splitting the costs on this one, while Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, Brad Fischer and Scorsese will all produce.

So far, each new Scorsese/DiCaprio picture has been better than the last, with The Departed representing their pinnacle thus far. Shutter Island could be their best yet.