Paul Dano joins cast of Steven Spielberg's next directorial venture

American actor Paul Dano has joined the cast of Steven Spielberg's upcoming drama that is loosely based on the Oscar-winning filmmaker's childhood in Arizona.

As per Variety, Dano has joined previously announced cast members Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen in Spielberg's semi-autobiographical film about his family.

Dano will play a character inspired by Spielberg's father, but "with a separate and original voice."

The project is loosely based on Spielberg's childhood in Arizona in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with Williams playing a version of his mother and Rogen portraying a version of his favourite uncle. Each of the characters will have a unique voice separate from the real people who serve as the inspiration.

The rest of the cast will largely be filled with young actors of varying ages, including the role of the boy inspired by Spielberg himself, though that character will not be named Steven.

It's unclear how much Spielberg's direct biography will factor into the story, but students of Spielberg's life know just how critical his late childhood in Arizona was: it's when he first started making Super 8 movies with his friends, and it's when his parents' marriage began to fall apart.

The iconic filmmaker co-wrote the script with Tony Kushner, who previously worked with the director on movies such as 'Munich' and 'Lincoln'.

They are both also producing the film with Kristie Macosko Krieger, backed by Amblin Partners. Production will start in the summer, with a release planned for 2022, likely through Amblin's existing distribution deal with Universal.

'West Side Story' is Spielberg's next film, due on December 10, 2021, after being delayed from its original release date of December 18, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The upcoming movie adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical stars Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler as Tony and Maria. Ariana Debose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Corey Stoll, Brian d'Arcy James, Rita Moreno, and Curtiss Cook are also cast members.

Meanwhile, Dano will next appear as the Riddler in Matt Reeves' 'The Batman', which is due to open on March 4, 2022. Dano made his directorial debut in 2018 with 'Wildlife', an adaptation of the Richard Ford novel, starring Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal, and co-written by Dano and his partner Zoe Kazan.

( With inputs from ANI )