According to Movietele (Italy) (translated via Google):

In Morocco, Tuesday, October 29, filming of  Waiting for the Barbarians  by Colombian director and screenwriter Ciro Guerra (which in 2015 directed Elbrazo de la Serpiente , Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film), begins.

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The cast consists of Mark Rylance, Johnny Depp, Robert Pattinson and Gana Bayarsaikhan. 

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Andrea Iervolino said: 

“I am very happy to produce this film, with such an extraordinary director and cast Ciro (editor’s note: Guerra) is a visionary and very intense director in every shot and it will be really interesting to watch him direct actors like Mark, Robert and Johnny: I’ve had the opportunity to meet Johnny before and he has the ability to contextualize everything he does in a unique way and he is lightened by the conventional film industry formulas that dictate the rules of projects that are traditionally made “ .

Monika Bacardi commented: 

“Producing this film makes me very proud: being able to put together a cast of these proportions is an important milestone for our film journey, and then directed by an extraordinary director like Ciro, whose job is absolutely inspiring for all of us The expectations for this project are very high and I can not wait to see the results “.

Depp added: 
“In this era of democratic entertainment, I admire Andrea’s ethical imagination and I look forward to collaborating with him independently, farsighted and that will adapt to the principles of our respective entities”.

So it looks certain that Joe Alwyn is no longer in the cast.  I did notice his name was removed from IMDbPro this week.  And Monika Bacardi isn’t wrong – the expectations are quite high – well at least mine are.  

Thanks to @itfansofdepp for the heads up

We tweeted on 17 September a snippet of Mark Rylance confirming Johnny Depp’s involvement, however, The Playlist spoke with Depp at the Zurich Film Festival where another of his films is screening and this is what he had to say about #WaitingfortheBarbarians:

There’s a film I’m getting ready to go do, based on Nobel Prize-winning author J.M. Coetzee’s book, [“Waiting for the Barbarians”] with Ciro Guerra — a great director — and Mark Rylance,” he explained. “Mark Rylance is really truly a genius. Here’s what’s amazing about Mark Rylance. He’s considered — and is — probably the greatest living Shakespearean actor today, and he refuses to acknowledge that. He makes sort of fun of it. So, it’s Mark Rylance, myself, Robert Pattinson. Super excited, we’re going to shoot that in Morocco towards the end of October.

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No concrete details of the film have emerged other than the trio that will star and the book that it’s based on, but with filming set for the end of this month, more details and the official word should arrive soon.

I’m looking forward to Rob’s portrayal of Officer Mandel – he does mean so well.

Robert Pattinson will start filming Waiting for the Barbarians in October 2018

LoSéTodo interviewed Ciro Guerra about Waiting for the Barbarians and although I don’t think we found out anything we didn’t already know it’s good to see confirmation that the film is fully funded and will start shooting in October 2018.  Is Johnny Depp officially confirmed?  I thought that was what we were going to find out but I’m still none the wiser (*Update:  Looks like Depp is confirmed – see Cyn’s tweet below). In any event, thanks to Jess and Team Rob’s for the translations below:

Ciro Guerra afirmó en #LoSéTodo que ya realizó la pre-producción de la película 🎥 ‘Esperando a los barbados’ junto a @johnnydeepofficial y @official_robertpattinson #película#Esperandoalosbarbados #RobertPattinson#JohnnyDepp #Cine #Entrevista con @ankarlucia #LoSéTodoColombia #Actualidad @rpfans @johnnydepponly

A post shared by Lo Sé Todo Colombia (@losetodocol) on Aug 3, 2018 at 1:15pm PDT

Google translate for above:  “Ciro Guerra affirmed in # LoSéTodo that he already made the pre-production of the film 🎥 ‘Esperando a los barbados’ together with@johnnydeepofficialY @official_robertpattinson”

Robert Pattinson to play Warrant Officer Mandel in Waiting for the Barbarians

 

Waiting for the Barbarians is certainly keeping us on our toes with regard to Rob’s role – first he was Colonel Joll, then Lieutenant, but now, according to IMDbPro, Rob is playing Mandel.  The role of Lieutenant is being played by Joe Alwyn. No word on Johnny Depp as yet.

For those who have read the book (like me), you will recall that Warrant Officer Mandel is sent to replace Mark Rylance’s character, The Magistrate, and oversees him during his imprisonment.  Both Colonel Joll and Mandel are the villains from memory.  Bring on bad ass Mandel.  I’ve updated the Film Page with more information about Rob’s character.

UPDATED:

The Hollywood Reporter posted an article this evening exclusively confirming Mark Rylance’s involvement as The Magistrate in the film.  I thought we already had the confirmation, but it’s good to see he is playing the role and not Johnny Depp as some thought.

Robert Pattinson’s #WaitingfortheBarbarians slated to being filming this fall

According to Variety:

Andrea Iervolino’s blockchain-based social entertainment platform TaTaTu is backing the feature film adaptation of J.M. Coetzee’s novel “Waiting for the Barbarians,” Variety has learned exclusively.

TaTaTu joins Iervolino and Monika Bacardi’s Ambi Media Group as co-financer and producer of the film. Michael Fitzgerald and Olga Segura are also producing.

“Waiting for the Barbarians” centers on the crisis of conscience of a magistrate from a small colonial town. After he witnesses the cruel treatment of prisoners of war, he begins to question imperialism. Principal photography is slated to begin this fall in Europe and North Africa.

via IMDbPro

You may recall our post earlier this year confirming AMBI Media fully funding the film.

Robert Pattinson should be filming Ciro Guerra’s Waiting for the Barbarians at the end of 2018

Rob’s IMDbPro page is now showing Waiting for the Barbarians in pre-production as at 22 June 2018.  Previously you may recall it was shown as “optioned” as at 5 June 2017, so this is great news.  Rob has mentioned a few times this year that he should be filming this towards the end of the year, so fingers crossed.  The Lighthouse, King and WFTB – plus The Souvenir Part 2.  He’s been pretty busy this year.