In the Works: Michael Fassbender Starring In and Producing Western ‘Slow West,’ Now Filming in New Zealand

Details have been revealed for a film, currently in production, starring and produced by Michael Fassbender. It is the actor’s first film as a producer. “Slow West,” a Western helmed by feature newcomer John Maclean, also stars Ben Mendelsohn (“Animal Kingdom”), Kodi Smit-McPhee (“Let Me In”) and Caren Postorius (Aussie TV series “Offspring”), and is shooting in New Zealand and Scotland.

Set in Colorado and the Scottish Highlands (with NZ doubling for CO, apparently), the film takes place in the 19th century, as a teen (McPhee) journeys across the American West in search of a young woman he loves, and meets up with a mysterious fellow traveler named Silas (Fassbender).

Cinematographer Robbie Ryan (“Philomena,” Andrea Arnold’s gorgeous “Wuthering Heights”) is lensing. Maclean directed the lauded short film, 2012’s “Pitch Black Heist,” where Fassbender also starred.

Producing alongside Fassbender are Iain Canning and Emile Sherman (“The King’s Speech” and “Shame”). 

Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave,” starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as a black man kidnapped into slavery in the years before the Civil War, and Michael Fassbender as his cruel and constantly drunk slave master Edwin Epps, hit theaters this past weekend to a strong per-screen average. Despite Oscar buzz for Fassbender’s performance, he is opting out of the strenuous awards-season campaigning. Fassbender also headlines Ridley Scott’s “The Counselor,” from a Cormac McCarthy original screenplay, which has its theatrical release October 25.