Digging Bones And Telling Lies

Two flicks on the roster for release in 2008--are making casting news today. Pamela McClintock and Michael Fleming report on both projects in Variety.

First up: Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Lovely Bones adds an Oscar nominee from the class of 2006...

Ryan Gosling is set to star opposite Rachel Weisz in Peter Jackson's feature adaptation of Alice Sebold's bestselling novel "The Lovely Bones" for DreamWorks.

Jackson will begin lensing in October in Pennsylvania and New Zealand. Film will be distributed worldwide by Paramount.

Story revolves around a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family -- and her killer -- from heaven. Girl must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.

Gosling will play the girl's father, Weisz the mother...

Gosling (pictured) was excellent in Half Nelson. And while I have not read the book, on which the film is based, he and Weisz seem like they would be a good match given the material.

And then there's Body of Lies:

Russell Crowe will join Leonardo DiCaprio in "Body of Lies," the William Monahan-scripted adaptation of the David Ignatius novel that Ridley Scott will direct for Warner Bros.

...pic shoots in the fall.

Crowe will play Ed Hoffman, the manipulative CIA boss who teams with operative Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) to trap a dangerous Al Qaeda leader by planting a false rumor that the bomber is in cahoots with the Americans. Crowe has been working steadily with Scott since "Gladiator," teaming on "A Good Year," the recently completed "American Gangster" and the upcoming "Nottingham," a Universal and Imagine drama that will go into production early next year.

Crowe has been courted to play the CIA boss since DiCaprio signed on in April. He's awaiting a polish by "American Gangster" scribe Steve Zaillian before formally committing...

Crowe working again with Scott is a no brainer. It will be interesting to see what happens with DiCaprio added to the formula...