Oscar®-Nominee Willem Dafoe Rounds Out Casting On Relativity’s Currently Titled OUT OF THE FURNACE

Relativity Media has closed a deal with two-time Oscar®-nominee Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Shadow of the Vampire) to join the cast of its gritty dramatic thriller currently titled Out of the Furnace.

Dafoe, playing the role of John Petty,  joins the previously announced award-winning cast including Oscar®-winner Christian Bale (The Fighter), Oscar®-nominated Casey Affleck (The Assassination ofJesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Zoe Saldana (Avatar), Oscar®-nominated Sam Shepard (The Right Stuff), Oscar®-nominated Woody Harrelson (The Messenger) and Oscar®-winner Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland). The film, which started shooting on April 13th on location in Braddock, Pennsylvania, is written and directed by critically-acclaimed Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart).

The film is a gripping and gritty dramatic thriller about fate, circumstance, and justice. Russell (Bale) and his younger brother Rodney (Affleck) live in the economically-depressed Rust Belt, and have always dreamed of escaping and finding better lives. But when a cruel twist of fate lands Russell in prison, his brother is lured into one of the most violent and ruthless crime rings in the Northeast – a mistake that will almost cost him everything.  Once released, Russell must choose between his own freedom, or risk it all to seek justice for his brother.

Dafoe can currently be seen in the acclaimed Australian film The Hunter, as well as John Carter and will soon be seen opposite Anton Yelchin in Odd Thomas directed by Stephen Sommers, as well as opposite Michelle Monaghan and Stephen Dorff in Tomorrow You’re Gone, directed by David Jacobson.

Producing are Appian Way’s Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar) and Jennifer Killoran (The Ides of March) alongside Scott Free’s Ridley Scott (The Grey), Tony Scott (Man on Fire) and Michael Costigan (AmericanGangster) as well as Relativity’s CEO Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter).

Relativity Media will release the film theatrically in the U.S. Red Granite, the Los Angeles based film production, finance and international sales company has acquired foreign rights outside of the U.S. and will handle international sales. Red Granite International President Danny Dimbort and Co-President Christian Mercuri will begin shopping the film to buyers in Cannes next month.

Dafoe was represented by ICM and D/F Management in the deal.