For his role in the upcoming Row K Entertainment film, Dead Man’s Wire, starring alongside Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, and Al Pacino, actor Cary Elwes committed to an extensive research process to bring his character to life.
The film, Dead Man’s Wire, is based on the shocking 1977 Indianapolis hostage crisis involving Tony Kiritsis and mortgage broker Richard Hall. Elwes’s character, Mike Grable, is based on a real person who passed away about nine years ago. This presented a unique opportunity for Elwes to connect directly with his character’s family.
The Role of Family Archives
When watching the film, it takes a moment to realize that it is Cary Elwes on screen. From the costuming and the accent, Elwes does a great job of taking on this character. When asked about his preparation for the role, Elwes stated that he was fortunate enough to meet with Mike Grable’s children, sons, Mike Jr. and Jason, in Indianapolis. The family was incredibly supportive of Elwes portraying their father.
“They opened up their arms and their archives to me,” Elwes shared, detailing the wealth of material the family provided him, tons of footage and audio files of the deceased. Including photograph albums, diaries, and other personal items. Elwes went on to explain that the family “just handed it all over to me and they trusted me with it”.
Building and Fine-Tuning the Performance
The actor, who considers himself “old school” when it comes to preparation, finds the research to be half the fun. “I watch everything. I download it all up here, and then I take it with me. I’m like a walking hard drive of the information that I’ve acquired.”
After building the character in Louisville, Elwes brought his research and choices to director Gus Van Sant, who helped to fine-tune the performance. Van Sant identified specific details to keep, such as certain mannerisms and behavior, and catch phrases, before giving his approval.
Row K Entertainment will release the film in select theaters on January 9, 2026, and wide on January 16, 2026, following an awards qualifying run on December 12, 2025.
