Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones and James Spader are in talks to star in Steven Spielberg’s biopic of Abraham Lincoln. Spielberg has Lee Jones pencilled in for the role of Thaddeus Stevens, a Pennsylvanian Republican congressman who was instrumental in the abolition of slavery, while ‘Inception’ star Gordon-Levitt is being considered for the portrayal of Lincoln’s son Robert Todd in the film, simply titled Lincoln.

These high-profile stars would join an already impressive line-up, with Daniel-Day Lewis confirmed as the eponymous President, and Sally Field on board as wife Mary Todd Lincoln. As we at FilmShaft reported last year upon Day-Lewis’ confirmation for the role, the film will focus on ‘the political collision of Lincoln and the powerful men of his cabinet on the road to abolition and the end of the Civil War’. Other actors reported to be in negotiations with Spielberg include Tim Blake Nelson, Joseph Cross, David Costabile, Jeremy Strong, John Hawkes and Bruce McGill.

It has also been confirmed that filming for Lincoln will take place in Virginia, which has garnered a positive response from state and local officials ‘elated’ with the director’s choice. Filming will take place at a number of historic locations in Petersburg and Richmond. Spielberg previously chose the state to film portions of ‘War of the Worlds’ and ‘Minority Report’, and Virginia was also Tom Hooper’s choice as predominant locale for HBO’s period dramatisation ‘John Adams’.

Spielberg is set to begin shooting this autumn, with plans set in place for a late 2012 release.

Sources: Total Film, Yahoo.