James McAvoy is in advanced negotiations to replace Michael Fassbender as the lead role in Danny Boyle's upcoming "art heist gone wrong" thriller Trance, state Variety. The film is actually a remake of a 2001 British TV movie of the same name which is based on an art-house employees collaboration with a group of criminals to steal a valuable work of art. The crime is a success but the Criminal Leader 'Simon' suffers a knock to the head resulting in mild amnesia and is unable to remember where the art is hidden. Suspicion arises and Simon's cohorts hire a hypnotist to try and pull the secret from his unconscious. [Leonardo DiCaprio anyone?] Fassbender was reported to be previously involved in talks to play the leader of the criminal gang. Production is slated in to begin in London this September, but, due to Boyle's commitments with the 2012 London Olympics, the project will have almost a years hiatus before resuming production and targeting a March 2013 release.
