Just over a week ago, Jessica shared a few far-off, behind-the-fence pics of Ashecliffe, the project formerly known as Shutter Island. There was a shot of Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese, and now, over at Just Jared, there are close-up peeks of Leo, plus cast members Michelle Williams and Mark Ruffalo. If you remember, this is the 1950s drama about a US Marshal who investigates the disappearance of a murderess from a hospital for the criminally insane, a woman who might be hiding on Shutter Island.

JJ pointed out that it looks like Ms. Williams could be pregnant in this picture, which would put a whole sadder spin on her character's story arc. As Patrick pointed out when the actress signed up for the role -- Leo's character (the US Marshal) "is grieving over the recent death of his wife, who was killed in a fire by one of the inhabitants of the facility."

Between this and Incendiary, Williams has a lot of familial death on the way, which is even eerier considering the events of this year. But luckily, she's also got films like Synecdoche, New York to balance things out.

I'll always remember reading a review of Casino where a reviewer said that even a mediocre Martin Scorsese movie is better than the 'best' movie made by any other director. That particular piece of wisdom has always stuck with me whenever I was plunking down my hard earned dollars on a Scorsese film that wasn't necessarily 'my thing' -- cough, Kundun, cough. So with that in mind, you can be sure that I'll be there on opening day for his new thriller, Ashecliffe (formerly Shutter Island). The Boston Herald recently scored some pictures of star Leonardo DiCaprio and Scorsese on the set of the period thriller, with the added bonus of getting to see DiCaprio brandishing some firearms (thankfully, it was for the movie).

The film is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River), and centers on two U.S. marshals who are sent to investigate the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane. Things start to go downhill when a riot on the island has them trapped, and not to mention some events that are outside of the realm of the everyday. Mark Ruffalo joins the cast as DiCaprio's partner, and Michelle Williams also stars as DiCaprio's wife. The film immediately brings Spellbound to mind, and knowing what a Hitchcock fan Scorsese is, I will look forward to seeing Scorsese work in a few of those 'master of suspense' touches.

Ashcliffe is scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 2nd, 2009.

One day after the latest Martin Scorsese/Leonardo DiCaprio film, Shutter Island, got sold to some European territories, they've added even more irresistible cast members. There's already Leo, Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Williams, Mark Ruffalo, and Ben Kingsley. Now The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Max von Sydow, Emily Mortimer, and Jackie Earle Haley have signed on for roles.

Based on Dennis Lehane's novel, the film is a period piece about two U.S. Marshals (DiCaprio and Ruffalo) in 1954 who investigate the disappearance of a murderess from a hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island in Massachusetts. "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." Von Sydow will play a hospital physician, and it looks like Clarkson is not the one who will get to play Rachel Solando -- it will be Mortimer. As for Haley, it looks like he'll be making the most out of his post-Watchmen uber-tough physique (the man is an absolute powerhouse these days) -- he'll be playing an inmate. Production will begin March 6.

Like most people, I'll go see a Martin Scorsese movie no matter what they call it. Empire reports (via The Boston Herald) that Scorsese's latest, Shutter Island, will now be known as Ashecliffe -- and while I wasn't all that attached to the first title, it's not like this one is a vast improvement. The film is based on Dennis Lehane's novel about an investigation at an asylum for the criminally insane. The new title is taken from the name of the mental institution.

DiCaprio stars as Teddy Daniels, a US Marshall sent to investigate the disappearance of a multiple murderer on the remote and fictional location of Shutter Island. Michelle Williams also stars as Dolores Chanal, the wife of DiCaprio's character who is communing with him from beyond the grave (it sounds weird, I know, but the book was pretty 'Gothic' to begin with). Williams has recently halted production on her latest film Blue Valentine due to Heath Ledger's sudden and tragic death. However, there was no mention of whether she is still planning on staying on for Ashecliffe.

Shutter ... I mean Ashcliffe, also stars Mark Ruffalo as DiCaprio's partner, Ben Kingsley, and Patricia Clarkson. Clarkson has always had the uncanny knack of portraying either the kindest or most hateful person you have ever met, so my money is on her portraying the murderess, Rachel Solando. Production is set to begin this March, and Scorsese has already been scouting locations in Nova Scotia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut as the stand in for the island. Ashecliffe is scheduled for release in 2009.

The casting news just keeps piling up for Shutter Island, Martin Scorsese's upcoming adaptation of the Dennis Lehane novel. (Films of Lehane's books have a pretty damn good track record -- see Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone.) Scott told you that Scorsese will be teaming (yet again) with Leonardo DiCaprio, who will play the lead role of U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels. I told you that Mark Ruffalo signed on to play DiCaprio's partner, U.S. Marshall Chuck Aule. Christopher told you that Ben Kingsley is on board as Dr. Cawley, "the chief physician at a Massachusetts hospital for the criminally insane." And now I shall tell you that Michelle Williams is playing DiCaprio's wife in the film.

Variety reports that the drama "revolves around the trip made by Daniels to a remote New England island in 1954 to figure out how a multiple murderess escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane. He is grieving over the recent death of his wife, who was killed in a fire by one of the inhabitants of the facility." I'm about a hundred pages into Shutter Island, and have not yet been made aware of this wife/patient connection, but I do wonder how large a role Williams will have in the film. The only involvement her character has had in the novel so far has been brief flashbacks. I realize I'm setting myself up for meanie readers to spoil the book's secrets in the comments, but please don't! I'm just speculating. Regardless, I'm loving the novel and can't wait for the film...

He's always a great actor, but Ben Kingsley has a habit lately of working with undeserving directors (e.g. Uwe Boll) and appearing in undeserving movies (e.g. A Sound of Thunder). Give him a great director (Spielberg, Glazer) or even a good one (Attenborough, Levinson) and he shines. So, it's an enormous treat to learn he's finally working with Martin Scorsese, appearing in the newly Oscar-winning director's next film, Shutter Island. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Kingsley (or Sir Ben, as he's typically referred to on set) will play Dr. Cawley, the chief physician at a Massachusetts hospital for the criminally insane who must play host to two U.S. marshals played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo. Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone), the plot follows the marshals as they investigate the disappearance of a mental patient/inmate. While on the case, they experience a hurricane, get stuck on the eponymous island thanks to a riot and of course, "encounter a web of deceit."

Best known for being the fourth collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio, Shutter Island will also hopefully be known as the movie in which Sir Ben has a Massachusetts accent. As a cranky "enigmatic" doctor, though, he could be from anywhere (and with Kingsley, I truly mean that literally). Actually, this could be a rare Lehane adaptation where none of the main characters have that Boston-area intonation. Regardless, it should be entertaining to watch Kingsley as a slightly villainous physician who performs illegal brain surgery. Picture a cross between Don Logan, his character from Sexy Beast, Cosmo, his character from Sneakers, and Xavier Fitch, from Species. I would add in his loony psychiatrist character from the upcoming The Wackness, but I've only seen one scene and you likely aren't familiar with any of it. Of course, under the masterful direction of Scorsese, Kingsley will probably give us something fresh, like no character of his we've encountered before. I see a fifth Oscar nomination on the horizon.

Mark Ruffalo probably just sent an expensive bottle of something to his agent -- he's got a plum role in the new Martin Scorsese flick. Ruffalo will co-star with Leonardo DiCaprio in Shutter Island, an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's 2004 novel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ruffalo plays "U.S. Marshal Chuck Aule, who travels with his new partner (DiCaprio) to the eponymous Massachusetts island in 1954. As they investigate the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane, they encounter a web of lies, a hurricane and a deadly inmate riot that leaves them trapped on the island." Oh good Lord, can't wait for this one! But...

Does anyone else wish the Scorsese/DiCaprio collaboration would come to an end? Scorsese is my favorite director, and DiCaprio is a talented actor, but we're not talking about the second coming of DeNiro here. Shouldn't Scorsese share the wealth a bit, spread the love around? I don't think the pairing has gotten stale yet, but why push it until it does? Oh well, anything that keeps Marty from movies about Tibetan monks is okay by me. Laeta Kalogridis (writer of -- uh-oh -- Alexander, Pathfinder and the Bionic Woman pilot) will adapt Lehane's book, which I will be reading on an airplane in about three hours. Lehane is mighty hot in Hollywood these days. He writes for The Wire -- the best show on television, and his books have been turned into Oscar winners (Mystic River) and Oscar hopefuls (this fall's Gone Baby Gone, which was great baby great). Shutter starts shooting this March.

Well, only 24 hours after that nutty George Clooney rumor, it seems Paramount is targeting another actor to lead the live-action G.I. Joe project: Sam Worthington. While he's not a big time A-list name, Worthington is also starring in James Cameron's Avatar, so between that film and this one, he could be eying a spot on the Hot Up-and-Comers List. Variety doesn't say which character Worthington is in talks for, only that he is in talks to star, but they do say that the studio is doing their best to work around his Avatar shooting schedule -- and so, to me, that appears to be the only sticking point. G.I. Joe will begin production on February 13; it will be directed by Stephen Sommers, off a script written by Skip Woods and Stuart Beattie.

The Variety article also goes into much detail regarding the other projects rushing to finalize scripts and production schedules. At Paramount, there's G.I. Joe, another Friday the 13th, Morning Glory and Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island (starring Leonardo DiCaprio). Fox is set to go on Wolverine (with rewrites coming from James Vanderbilt and Scott Silver up until the final minute before a potential strike), as well as The Day the Earth Stood Still remake, starring Keanu Reeves, which currently has a December 18, 2008 release date. The article continues to run through each studio, naming the films gearing up for winter or spring production, so head on over there to get a taste of the most buzzed-about pics heading our way in 2008 and 2009.

They first teamed up to create the Gangs of New York. Then it was a very fine flick about an Aviator. Most recently they were Departed to very fine effect. And now it looks like master director Martin Scorsese and prolific actor Leonardo DiCaprio are about to team up for a fourth film. According to Variety, Marty and Leo will collaborate on Shutter Island, a crime drama based on a novel by Dennis Lehane. (The author also penned Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone, both of which were made into films.)

Variety offers a plot synopsis that reads like this: "Drama is set in 1954, with DiCaprio in final talks to play U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels, who is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island." Screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis (Alexander, Pathfinder) will be on adaptation duty. The Paramount-Columbia co-production looks to begin production in March, and apparently the goal is to shoot somewhere in New England.

All I know is we're getting a new Scorsese movie (relatively) soon. Leo's involvement is just a little good news on the side.