Sam Shepard joins Scott Cooper’s gritty revenge thriller Out of the Furnace

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

Bobby Duvall out, Sammy Shepard in…

Scott Cooper’s gritty ’70s inspired crime-thriller OUT OF THE FURNACE has got itself a hell of a cast so far, toplined by Christian Bale, Casey Affleck and Zoe Saldana (below). All along the thinking was Robert Duvall, Cooper’s friend and mentor, would play the vital role of the men’s uncle in the film. Not to be, as Sam Shepard (above) has indeed signed on for the part instead. Strangely, IMDB has Forrest Whitaker and Billy Bob Thornton attached to the film as well.

OUT OF THE FURNACE is a dark drama set in 1986 Indiana. Bale will play protagonist Slim, a man released after serving years in prison for murder who wants only to follow through on his promise to marry his long-suffering girlfriend. But when he discovers his brother has been murdered after getting involved in a gambling racket, his goals change and he avenges the murder.

I have faith this one will be pretty good. The substantiated cast is already good enough, but if Forrest and Billy Bob are truly involved as well, this could something extra special. You agree?

Production on OUT OF THE FURNACE, a Relativity Media production, begins later this month.