Speaking at LFF, Alexander Payne confirms next two projects

Alexander Payne confirmed his next two films while speaking at a BFI London Film Festival masterclass on Friday evening.

The director confirmed that his next film would be a father and son road-trip [written by Bill Nelson] from Montana to Nebraska, currently called Nebraska, followed by an adaptation of a Daniel Clowes graphic novel, adapted by Clowes, called Wilson, about a misanthrope living in Oakland, California.

“I’m so grateful because I have the next two projects lined up. Hopefully in May I’ll start shooting a small comedy, a father-son roadtrip from Montana to Nebraska that gets sidetracked by a small town in Nebraska where the father grew up,” confirmed Payne.

For the first time in his career, Payne will not be writing his own screenplays. Payne said the script he had been working on for two years with longtime collaborator Jim Taylor is being shelved for the time being.

A number of leading actors have been linked to the road movie project, but Payne did not disclose cast members. However, the Oscar winner did confirm that he will again work with cinematographer Phedon Papamichael (who worked on both The Descendants and Sideways).

The director also revealed that he has won his battle with producers Paramount to shoot the film in black and white.

With seven years between Sideways and The Descandant, currently playing at he LFF, Payne was enthusiastic about directing three films in relatively quick succession: “I’m very hungry to shoot and shoot and shoot right now.”