Cate Blanchett & Bill Murray Join Monuments Men

Earlier this year George Clooney signed up to direct and star in Monuments Men, which at the time Sony was due to fully finance. However Sony has apparently realised that with Ghostbusters 3 now due to shoot next year, it’s rather over-committed on projects and so has gone to Fox and gotten them to split costs on the $50 million movie with them.

Fox initially hoped to buy the project outright, but despite their financial constraints, Sony was keen to hold onto half of the film.The movie will be based on the nonfiction book, The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel, tells the story of the US government’s efforts to retrieve artwork stolen by the Nazis and the art experts whose skills were put to use in the campaign. The title comes from the name given to the American and British art historians and museum curators who helped the military track down the stolen pieces.

THR also reports that Cate Blanchett is attached as the female lead, and Bill Murray is said to be involved as well. Unfortunately there’s no news on what roles they might be playing. Jean Dujardin recently entered negotiations to star in the movie too.