Fassbender in talks for 'Bastards'

Irish actor eyes role in Tarantino film

By ALI JAAFAR

Fassbender

Irish thesp Michael Fassbender is in final negotiations to join the cast of Quentin Tarantino’s "Inglorious Bastards."

Simon Pegg had been in talks for the role (Lt. Archie Hicox), but was forced to ankle after what he described on his website as "insurmountable scheduling difficulties."

Brad Pitt has signed on for the lead role as a Tennessee hillbilly who assembles a team of eight Jewish-American soldiers to take on the Nazis. Also on board are Mike Myers and Eli Roth. Tarantino is courting Nastassja Kinski and B.J. Novak.

Role would arguably be the highest-profile yet for Fassbender, who has begun to draw comparisons to Daniel Day-Lewis for his intense dedication to his work. Thesp emaciated himself to play Bobby Sands in "Hunger," about the IRA terrorist's prison hunger strike.

Fassbender is also attached to play the iconic role of Heathcliff in "Wuthering Heights."

That project, however, has been hit by high-profile departures.

Helmer John Maybury ankled recently after creative disagreements over the script. Natalie Portman, who had been set to play Heathcliff’s ill-fated lover Cathy, left the project in May because of a scheduling clash. Aussie thesp Abbie Cornish has since taken over that role.

Pic producer, U.K.-based Ecosse Films, is seeking a new helmer and hopes to make an announcement in the coming weeks.