James Cromwell, Jean Reno Join Christian Bale’s ‘The Promise’

LOS ANGELES (Variety) — James Cromwell and Jean Reno have joined Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac in the historical romance “The Promise,” Variety has learned exclusively.

Terry George (“Hotel Rwanda”) is directing from a script he wrote with Robin Swicord, centering on a love triangle in 1922 with a medical student, an American journalist based in Paris and a beautiful and sophisticated woman, portrayed by Charlotte Le Bon. Bale will play the reporter, and Isaac will portray the student, conflicted by old-world traditions.

Cromwell will play an American ambassador who becomes heroic when challenged, while Reno will play a French admiral deeply conflicted in the face of life-threatening danger. The story is set amid the final days of the Ottoman Empire.

Shohreh Aghdashloo and Daniel Gimenez Cacho also star.

Shooting has started in Spain and Portugal and will go into December. Eric Esrailian will produce on behalf of Survival Pictures with Mike Medavoy for Phoenix Pictures, Ralph Winter and William Horberg (“Milk”). Survivial was unveiled as a production company in July by Tracinda Corp., the holding company founded by the late Kirk Kerkorian.

“‘The Promise’ beautifully intertwines heroism and love,” said Esrailian and Medavoy.

Cromwell was most recently seen on AMC’s “Halt and Catch Fire.” Reno starred in the French action film “The Squad.”

Cromwell is represented by Paradigm. Reno is represented by CAA.