Jesse Eisenberg To Play Iconic Forest Monster
Jesse Eisenberg may never return to the role of Lex Luthor, but he is soon to play a different kind of monster.
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There are literally dozens of movies that center around the legend known as Sasquatch or Bigfoot. While most of the films are more small-budget B-movies, some relatively big names have attached themselves to films about the legendary monster. Lance Hendrickson is most known for his role as the android in Alien and again in Aliens, but he has surprisingly appeared in four movies about the beast. His first was in 2002’s Untold, the most recent being 2018’s Big Legend. John Lithgow, known for his comedic prowess, appeared in the family-friendly Harry and the Hendersons, chronicling a family attempting to adopt the creature and avoid a hunter. Even legendary Sam Elliot appeared in The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot. This last film took a more dramatic tone surrounding the legend. Now, Jesse Eisenberg is taking on the role and seems excited about it.
During the Sarajevo Film Festival, Jesse Eisenberg answered questions about many of his projects. More than most, the one under the limelight was his directorial debut, When You Finish Saving the World. The film creates a satirical take on activism and generational conflict. They also asked multiple times about his love of the city of Sarajevo and his thoughts on possibly returning to the role of Lex Luthor. However, he showed the most excitement when he revealed he would be suiting up as Sasquatch in a new film directed by David and Nathan Zellner, Variety reports. He confessed there would be no CGI, but rather full make-up, full body hair, and no lines. We assume that his part would be relegated to grunts and growls instead of any dialogue, which fits the character.
If you have been under a rock for the past 70 years, Bigfoot is a seven-foot gorilla-type creature believed to be the in-between of gorillas and humans. They are a mixture between some myths and folklore of Native American tribes and the reported sightings of western settlers in the 1800s. Most of the sightings reported involve the giant beast scaring campers, hikers, and loggers in the Pacific Northwest. There have even been photos and grainy videos recording the monster, although the low quality of that documentation does nothing but add to the allure of the legends. One legend tells of the monster appearing in times of danger, warning man to change their ways. This was the part of the legend adopted by the Western Air Defense Sector when it took Bigfoot as its mascot. They are rarely seen and rarely heard, but they are vigilant in watching the skies and warning others. Since Jesse Eisenberg spoke of full-body hair, we can assume this isn’t the version of Bigfoot he will portray.
The most significant departure this film has from others with big names is that they are hiding the big name under a gorilla suit. Jesse Eisenberg is a face that people will recognize, so for him to take on a role where he will neither be seen nor heard, you can bet this is more than just a paycheck. But this could be an actual passion project for him. Also curious, Bigfoot of legend is seven feet tall or taller, Eisenberg had a hard time stacking up against Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in the DCEU, so it will be interesting to see how they play that.
