Willem Dafoe Joins Adam Sandler in Scott Cooper’s ‘Time Out’ Remake

As reported here, Scott Cooper is directing a remake of Laurent Cantet’s 2001 film “Time Out,” with Adam Sandler set in the lead role. Cameras are supposed to roll on this one next month.

Here come the trades—Deadline, in particular—acknowledging the project’s existence while revealing additional casting, with the ensemble being assembled described as “quite impressive.

First off, you have Willem Dafoe, the great Willem Dafoe, who will star opposite Sandler. Also taking part: Gaby Hoffman, Steve Zahn, F. Murray Abraham and Adam Horovitz.

Dafoe’s inclusion means this is an automatic watch for me. The four-time Oscar nominee is one of the best actors working today, with a filmography that includes “Platoon,” “To Live and Die in L.A.,” “The Last Temptation of Christ,” “Wild at Heart,” “Shadow of the Vampire,” “Antichrist,” “The Florida Project,” and “The Lighthouse.”

“Time Out” was the late Cantet’s best film—yes, even superior to his Palme d’Or–winning “The Class”—and it tackles the story of an unemployed man whose life sinks further and further into trouble as he hides his situation from his family and friends.

“I first encountered Laurent Cantet’s film in 2001, and it’s lived with me ever since,” Cooper tells Deadline in a statement. “I’ve been thinking about revisiting it for years, but now felt like the right moment — we’re living in a time where questions of identity, work, and self-worth have become impossible to ignore.”

Sandler is coming off a well-received supporting role in Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly” and the streaming hit “Happy Gilmore 2.” Over the years, he has repeatedly shown that he is a capable and versatile actor. His performances in “Punch-Drunk Love,” “Uncut Gems,” “The Meyerowitz Stories,” and “Hustle” stand as clear evidence of his talent. He recently declared, “I will make at least 50 more movies before I am dead — and at least 25 of them will be good.” Cooper’s upcoming film is expected to be among the successful ones.

Cooper is coming off this past year’s “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” which had its Oscar hopes deflated last year. His other directing credits include “Crazy Heart,” “Black Mass,” “Hostiles,” “Out of the Furnace,” and “The Pale Blue Eye.”