Woody Harrelson offiically set to become Craig Johnson's 'Wilson,' Laura Dern now on board to co-star

The road to bring Daniel Clowes' graphic novel Wilson to the cinema was not without its bumps, but it looks as though the project is finally coming together under Craig Johnson's (The Skeleton Twins) direction. Woody Harrelson officially signed on to lead the film, with Laura Dern also on board to co-star and a summer start date now set.

Although Alexander Payne (Nebraska, The Descendents) was attached to direct the movie version of Clowes' novel since 2010, he hasn't been involved in the director's chair since at least 2013. Johnson came on board back in February, with Harrelson being the number one choice to headline the dark comedy at the time.

Now the True Detective alum is confirmed for the titular, self-loathing main character, with Dern to play his drug-addicted ex-wife whom he must seek out after his father dies, THR reports. Production begins next month in Minnesota.

Although Payne no longer directs, he remains involved as a producer, alongside his Ad Hominem Enterprises partners Jim Taylor and Jim Burke. Sam Raimi and Josh Donen also produce the new movie. Clowes, in addition to being the author behind the source material, wrote the screenplay for Wilson, which makes it the third feature film he's adapted from his own books after 2001's Ghost World — which he received an Oscar nomination for — and 2006's Art School Confidential. This is the first feature screenplay he's written to not be directed by Terry Zwigoff.

Based solely on his last film, Wilson appears an appropriate fit for Johnson. His mix of dark comedy with muted and loud drama matches Clowes' initial tone, and his keen visual palate should also bring out the vibrant colors that stand out in Clowes' texts. Although, in my personal opinion, I still would have loved to have seen what Louis C.K. or Paul Giamatti would do with this character, Harrelson almost certainly should do a fine job with this character, especially under Johnson's mature direction and with Payne and Raimi overseeing the adaptation.

Harrelson is next to be seen in Triple 9, By Way of Helena and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2. He also recently filmed a role in Now You See Me: The Second Act. Dern, meanwhile, returns from her recently Oscar-nominated supporting turn in Wild to be seen in Kelly Reichardt's upcoming untitled picture also starring Michelle Williams and Kristen Stewart. She also keeps herself busy this summer when she later films a role in the McDonalds drama The Founder, alongside recent fellow Oscar nominee Michael Keaton.

Image courtesy of Peter West/ACE/INFphoto.com