Lucky Number Sleven Snags Ben Kingsley

Even I’m starting to wonder. There has been a bunch of discussion on The Movie Blog about Ben Kingsley lately and if he’s gone totally off his rocker with the roles he’s been selecting. I’ve faithfully stood by Ben (You da man Ben!), but this latest news has even me scratching my head. It’s being passed around the net that Kingsley has singed on to appear in “Lucky Number Sleven” playing a Jewish mob boss named “The Rabbi” along side of Josh Hartnett and Lucy Liu.

I’m sorry, no disrespect intended to either Hartnett or Lucy Liu… but neither of them have any business being on screen with Kingsley. Ben! What are you doing?!?! You could command any dramatic role you want! You could play any part. For heavens sake it wasn’t even 2 years ago that you got another Oscar Nomination (House of Sand and Fog). What’s going on?!?! If anyone can shed some light on this for me please do. Cinema Confidential gives us this little synopsis:

According to the trade, “Kingsley will play Shlomo (aka the Rabbi), the head of the biggest crime syndicate in New York. Hartnett’s character is caught in a case of mistaken identity and used by the mob boss as a patsy in a murder conspiracy.”

I’ve got a bad feeling about this.