Jake, Benedict in talks for The Current War

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal and Benedict Cumberbatch are in talks to play George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison in Weinstein Company’s The Current War. 

Filmmaker Alfonso Gomez-<g data-gr-id="12">Rejon</g> of <g data-gr-id="14">Me and Earl</g> and the Dying Girl <g data-gr-id="13">fame,</g> is in talks to direct the Edison- Westinghouse-feud film, written by Michael Mitnick, reported Variety.

The movie takes place in the late 1880s and revolves around power titans Edison and Westinghouse’s battle over the supply of electricity.

Edison championed the use of a direct current for electric power distribution over an alternating current, which was backed by several European companies and Westinghouse Electric.

Timur Bekmambetov, who was originally eyed to direct the movie, will produce alongside Film Rites’ Steve Zaillian and Garrett Basch.