sacha_baron_cohen-ccEXCLUSIVE: Director Martin Scorsese is in talks with Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingsley to star in The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the director’s next film. Graham King’s GK Films is financing and still working out distribution. King is considered likely to run the film through the overall distribution deal he made with the Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions deal he made last year. The film is based on Brian Selznick’s childrens book, about the 12-year old title character, an orphan who lives in the walls of a Paris train station in 1930. 388px-Sir_Ben_Kingsley_by_David_ShankboneI’m told that Baron Cohen will play the role of the station inspector. Kingsley, who just worked with Scorsese on  Shutter Island. will play George Melies, the famous silent filmmaker who plays a pivotal role in the film. The book was originally acquired for Scorsese and King by Warner Bros right after The Departed rained Oscars. John Logan wrote the script, but Scorsese stepped out. Ice Age‘s Chris Wedge jumped in, but exited to make another movie. Warner Bros put the pic into turnaround, but after Scorsese’s plan to film Silence didn’t come together, he rejoined the project.

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