Acting icon Robert Duvall has been cast in a mystery role in Tom Cruise’s upcoming thriller One Shot. Variety, who reported the casting, was mum on the nature of the part, stating only that “though it is a small role, insiders say it is significant to Reacher’s story line.”
Based on a novel by Lee Child, the film will star Cruise as a former military police officer named Jack Reacher who is called in to help with the investigation of a string of sniper shootings. Rosamiund Pike will play the defense lawyer of a man accused of the shootings who requests Reacher’s assistance in proving his innocence and finding the real shooter.
Having read an early draft of Christopher McQuarrie‘s screenplay recently, I can think of two possible “small” but “significant” roles that Duvall could be filling. The first is the film’s real villain, a shadowy figure called The Zec. The character is off screen for most of the script but definitely has its presence felt through most of the action. Duval is definitely an actor who would deliver on the anticipation built up his lack of on-screen presence through most of the film. There’s also an aging Marine character by the name of Cash who runs a firing range that would also suit the actor.
