Independent Film News

Casting News: Ethan Hawke in "Staten Island"

Production Weekly's got a blurb up today that Ethan Hawke, he of Reality Bites and Before Sunrise fame (what has he done recently?), is signed on to the indie drama "Staten Island."

Written by scribe James DeMonaco, the flick "intersects the storylines of three of the borough residents and struggles of getting ahead." DeMonaco, according to the post, is set to direct as well, making it his debut at the helm.

Hawke and DeMonaco collaborated once already, on the shoot-'em-up Assault on Precinct 13 ( I guess that's what Hawke's been doing lately). DeMonaco's been writing for over 10 years; he's currently working on The Kill Pit, a series that revolves around a group of Iraq War veterans who rob a bank and take the patrons as hostages.

Too often independent film gets pigeon-holed as being sappy, touchy-feely and emotional. If anyone can add a dash (or more) of grit and action to the scene, it looks like DeMonaco's the one to do it. Time will tell if his talent for writing the exciting scenes can translate into his directing.