After not really finding his way doing the blockbuster franchise thing – “Transformers” were hits, but those giant robots stole the show, and “Indiana Jones” didn’t exactly reboot itself – Shia Labeouf seems to be taking a page out of James Franco’s offbeat reinvention playbook and seeking out smaller, much more interesting roles instead. THR reports the actor is in talks with director Lars Van Trier about taking a role in his follow-up to critically acclaimed “Melancholia”, “Nymphomaniac.”

Labeouf won’t be playing the titular “Nymphomaniac”, that mantle belongs to Charlotte Gainsbourg as a woman whose erotic escapades from age 25 to 50 are recounted to her husband, played by Stellan Skarsgard. Von Trier will shoot two versions of the English-language film, an MPAA rating friendly version and a more sexually explicit version. No word yet on who Labeouf would play, while Nicole Kidman has also indicated she would have a supporting role as well. No start date has been set, but filming will take place in Germany.

After breaking out starring opposite giant alien robots in Michael Bay’s “Transformers” trilogy, LaBeouf got high marks in Cannes for his turn as one of three bootlegging brothers in Prohibition-era Virgina in “Lawless” and hopes to repeat the magic when he heads to Venice and Toronto as the star of Robert Redford’s political thriller “The Company You Keep.” He recently wrapped up shooting Europe-set action flick “The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman” opposite Evan Rachel Wood and is attached to reunite with “Lawless” director John Hillcoat’s next feature, cop drama “Triple Nine.”