Carell Wanted For Foxcatcher

Steve Carell has been offered the lead role in the true crime drama "Foxcatcher" says The Press Association.

Carell would  play Schizophrenic murderer John du Pont, the heir to the DuPont.Chemical fortune who built a wrestling gym called Team Foxcatcher on his Pennsylvania estate. In 1996, he shot and killed his close friend, Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Dave Schultz, at the training centre. After the murder, du Pont locked himself in his mansion for two days while he negotiated with police on the telephone.A motive for the crime was never established, and du Pont himself died last year in a Pennsylvania prison at the age of 72.

E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman wrote the script from which Bennett Miller will call the shots. The trio will also produce

3 Join Efron/Quaid Father/Son Pic

Clancy Brown,  Heather Graham and Kim Dickens have joined the cast of the Untitled Ramin Bahrani Film says The Hollywood Reporter.

Once called "Heartland", the story centers on a farmer and sales seemdman (Dennis Quaid), who tries to deal with his race car-driving son (Zac Efron) who refuses to follow in his footsteps.

Shooting is currently underway in Illinois.

Country Folks

Malin Akerman and Tyler Labine are co-starring in Peter Wellington's indie dark comedy Cottage Country says The Hollywood Reporter.

Labine plays a man planning to propose to Akerman's character at his family cottage.  The plan is upended  though when his slacker brother (Daniel Petronijevic) appears with his free-spirited girlfriend (Lucy Punch).

Jeremy Boxen wrote the script

Production is currently underway in Toronto and Ontario..

Guggenheim Zones Out

Marc Guggenheim, who co-wrote this summer's Green Lantern, will pen the fantasy adventure "Time Zones" reports Heat Vision.

The story is set in a time after an event has caused space-time to fracture, with various segments of the world now replaced by the same area but from a different period in history - China in 300 BC, France during the Revolution, or New York fifty years from now.It's in this environment a man realizes time travel is now a simple matter of geography, so sets about trying to change the past and save the life of his wife with the help of his estranged daughter.

Mark Gordon will co-produce with Guggenheim .

The news comes on top of Guggenheim's recent deal with Disney for an untitled female detective project which he will also be producing

Nelson Duo Get Hate Mail

"Half Nelson" and "Sugar" writer/directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden have begun prep work on the the drama "Hate Mail" says Variety.

The film tells interweaving stories about several New Yorkers who encounter various iterations of hate mail and grapple with the subsequent fallout of their relationships.

Jamie Patricof, Paul Mezey, Ben Browning and Jeremy Kipp Walker will produce.

Magicianland

Woody Harrelson is currently in negotiations to star in the magician heist pic Now You See Me says Variety

Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans remake) directs the film that centers on a FBI unit locked in a game of cat and mouse against a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists, who pull off a series of bank heists during their performances.

Harrelson will play “a mentalist and hypnotist known for his Jedi-style mind tricks.” An incident overseas forces him to flee to the U.S. where he joins the magician group known as the Four Horseman.

Jesse Eisenberg Mélanie Laurent Mark Ruffalo Isla Fisher and Morgan Freeman also star

Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt penned the script.

Star Trek and Transformers writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are set to produce. No production schedule is set yet

Yay! It's a Zombieland reunion for Harrelson and Eisenberg!

Klattenhoff Fights For Pacific Rim

Diego Klattenhoff has landed a role in Guillermo Del Toro’s sci-fi monster epic Pacific Rim reports Variety.

The story is set in 2025, twelve years into a war against alien creatures who reside in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Klattenhoff's role is being kept hush-hush, though we do know he will appear in the opening scene.

Charlie Hunnam, Charlie Day, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi Max Martini. Robert Kazinsky Clifton Collins Jr and Willem Dafoe also star in GdT-directed 2013 release

Travis Beacham penned the screenplay

Thomas Tull Jon Jashni, del Toro. Mary Parent who (just signed on) and Callum Greene will produce.

Production is expected to get underway this fall.

TDKR: Murphy Cameo?

Cillian Murphy might just be making a cameo in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises

Murphy played the role of secondary villain Dr. Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow in "Batman Begins" and came back for a cameo in the early going of "The Dark Knight".

Murphy was seemingly on hand for a scene that was shot at L. A. Union Station this week. Several forum users over at Comic Book Movie claim to have spotted him on set.

Other sites/forums have what they claim to be descriptions of the scene...The scene sounds a bit far fetched if you as me...But Murphy showing up does not.

Christian Bale Tom Hardy Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt Marion Cotillard Josh Pence, Alon Aboutboul and Nestor Carbonell star along with return of the trilogy's ensemble cast such as Morgan Freeman Gary Oldman and Michael Caine

Matthew Modine Tom Conti 11-year-old actress Joey King Daniel Sunjata Diego Klattenhoff Christopher Judge "CSI: Miami" co-star Adam Rodriguez and Burn Gorman take on secondary roles.

Nolan calls action on the DKR from a screenplay he wrote with bro Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Nolan and David S. Goyer

The sequel is set to hit theaters on July 20th, 2012.

Fall Into Stew

Lots of industry news nearly slipped away during September--Thus this latest installment of Cinema Stew...

-A rare cut of Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining", with additional footage that seems to make the supernatural threat more ambiguous, will be screened late next month in New York according to  Bleeding Cool.

-Jaylnn Bailey ("Betty’s Ready") has reportedly been hired to re-write the script for "The Low Self-Esteem of Lizzie Gillespie" at Mandate Pictures and Mr. Mudd reports Variety."The Office" writers Brent Forrester and Mindy Kaling penned the original draft which centers on a woman who only attracts losers, but one day finds herself pursued by an extremely hot guy.

-CBS Films is in negotiations to co-finance "In Bruges" writer/director Martin McDonagh's next project "Seven Psychopaths" reports Variety.

-"A History of Violence" writer Josh Olson will pen "Tabloid", a project being setup as a starring vehicle for Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger at Shangri-La Entertainment says Deadline.

-Benderspink has optioned the rights to Adrian Magson's spy thriller novel "Red Station" says Heat Vision.

-Brad Pitt has been offered the lead role in Doug Liman's film adaptation of the manga "All You Need Is Kill" at Warner Bros. Pictures says Variety.

-Liman will call also action on "Everest", an adaptation of Jeffrey Archer's historical novel "Paths of Glory", says Deadline.

-Sam Trammell ("True Blood") and Zach Gilford ("Friday Night Lights") joined Sarah Siegel-Magness' already filming indie directorial debut "Long Time Gone" reports True Blood Online.

-Just off the success of the recent digital series for Warner Premiere, New Line has hired "Fame" director Kevin Tancharoen to direct a reboot of the "Mortal Kombat" film franchise reports Heat Vision.

-Stuart Paul writes the script while Todd Lincoln is set to direct an adaptation of the comic "The Nye Incidents" reports Heat Vision.

-While many are still wondering if Mel Gibson's long planned Judah Maccabee biopic will go ahead at Warners, someone else has already begun work on a rival project says Risky Biz Blog.

-Niki Caro ("North Country," "Whale Rider") has signed on to write and direct the biopic "Callas" at De Angelis Group says The Hollywood Reporter.

-Warner Bros. Pictures wants Steven Spielberg to direct their upcoming Moses biopic epic "Gods and Kings" reports Deadline. The story chronicles Moses' entire life span from birth to death using the Book of Exodus and other Old Testament biblical stories for reference. Despite the obvious similarity to "The Ten Commandments", this is reportedly NOT a remake of that Cecil B. DeMille classic. Michael Green and Stuart Hazeldine wrote the script which Steve has reportedly read, though no formal offer is on the table and the odds of getting Spielberg are long. Dan Lin and Matti Leshem are producing.

-Chris Columbus ("Percy Jackson," "Mrs. Doubtfire") is in talks to direct the action comedy "The Secret Lives of Road Crews" says Deadline. The story follows a clandestine group of road crew workers who are the last line of defense against a subterranean alien race. Kevin Lund and T.J. Scott wrote the initial script Craig Mazin did a re-write with writers being sought to do another re-write. Hal Lieberman is producing the pic.

-The Guardian reports that producers are serious about perhaps making a franchise out of the remake Tinker Tailor Solder Spy and are expected to make an announcement soon in Paris about development of a sequel.

-Screen Gems is in negotiations to score the remake rights to Gareth Evans' Indonesian action thriller "The Raid" reports Heat Vision.

-20th Century Fox has won the film rights to Isaac Asimov's 1954 novel "The Caves of Steel" reports Deadline Set in the 30th century, the story is set in a time when humans have grown increasingly paranoid of 'spacers', robots who perform slave labor on outer planets.When a reformist "spacer" ambassador is murdered, a detective pairs up with a robot disguised as a human to solve the crime. Henry Hobson will direct from a script adaptation by John Scott III. the duo are currently in pre-production on the teen zombie girl tale "Maggie".

-Sony Pictures has confirmed via Facebook that "Ghostbusters" will be getting a theatrical re-release for a special limited engagement on October 13th, October 20th and October 27th. 500 U.S. cities are getting the film

-Frankie & Alice" writers Marko King, Mary King and Jonathan Watters are re-teaming to pen an American remake of the 2006 Taiwanese supernatural thriller "Silk" reports Heat Vision.

-Rob Zombie confirmed via Horror Movies.ca that Meg Foster ("They Live," "The Osterman Weekend") has joined the cast of his "The Lords of Salem". Foster will play Margaret Morgan, the leader of a secret coven of witches in Salem.

-Here's a 'Friday Night Lights' Movie Update.

-DreamWorks has picked up the film rights to Roald Dahl's book "The BFG" reports Reuters."E.T." writer Melissa Mathison will adapt the classic 1982 children's book about a big friendly giant. Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will produce.

-“Crazy Stupid Love” directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa and re-teaming with Steve Carrell on a new project reports Moviehole.

-Top Model Tyra Banks' young adult novel "Modelland", the first in a potential trilogy, could already be coming  to the big screen says The Hollywood Reporter. Banks was approached by a successful film producer about the rights. The story centers on an awkward teen who gets invited to attend an elite modeling academy.

-Lionsgate has optioned the film rights to the zombie-themed video game "Dead Island" from publisher Deep Silver says The Hollywood Reporter.

-Michael K. Williams ("Boardwalk Empire") and Isaiah Washington ("Grey's Anatomy") are teaming to star in and produce the indie-thriller "The Suspect" says Shadow & Act.

-Spike Lee took to Twitter recently to announce deets about a secret project.

Prometheus Profiles

Damon Lindelof talked to MTV about Michael Fassbender and Charlize Theron's characters that are part of Ridley Scott's sorta-prequel to Alien called Prometheus and given us some basic breakdowns of each.

Theron's Meredith Vickers is "sort of a corporate entity… I feel like Charlize brought a new spin on that old variation. It's a remix …. I don't think she's slimy [think Burke (Paul Reiser) from Aliens“]. She's not the fast-talking, snake-oil face of the company."

He added one comment that immediately raises questions - "'What company is she a face of?' I think is a big part of the fun. As we were developing the script, she had some really cool ideas that made it not the suit you're used to."

Wonder if she's the franchise firm Weyland-Yutani?

Fassbender plays a robot character.- "One of the things that evokes the idea of Blade Runner is, 'What does the movie look like from the robot's point of view?' If you were to ask him, 'What do you think about all of this? What's going on? What do you think about these humans who are around you?,' wouldn't it be cool if we found a way for that robot to answer those questions. When you cast a guy like Fassbender,  going to bring a lot more to it."

Lindelof adds that part of the fun,, will be the who survives and becomes the 'hero' like the '79 pic - "I think the idea of building a really cool ensemble and again presenting the audience with like, ‘Who’s going to be left standing at the end of this movie? Maybe all of them. Probably not,-- part of the fun of what we set out to do."

Noomi Rapace Idris Elba Rafe Spall, Sean Harris, Logan Marshall-Green and Ben Foster Kate Dickie star. With Emun Elliott Patrick Wilson and Benedict Wong also in the cast as well.

Scott is said to have shot both an R rated and a PG-13 rated version of the script.

Lindelof worked with director Scott on the script, which was originally written by Jon Spaihts

The pic in post--has a June 8th, 2012. release date.

Ranger Rides Again....

First we were told that there was renewed optimism over the fate of Disney's "The Lone Ranger"--and then the studio was expected to announce that production on the film wold finally begin in January or February 2012...Now it's official according to THR--The film is back on track!

The fantasy Western, was once budgeted upwards of $250 million, now that will be cut down to $215 million.

To arrive at that figure the creative team involved will reduce their fees: no $20 million for Johnny Depp, no $10 million apiece for producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski as is their norm for films like this

One of several planned train sequences have been nixed, with "a number of CGI-heavy bells and whistles ...eliminated. But what's most surprising of all is that an insider tells the trade "that vendors working on the film, such as special effects houses and even hotels, are being asked to accept reduced guaranteed fees in order to secure the business of the production."

The story of the iconic character's begins among a group of Texas Rangers chasing down a gang of outlaws led by Butch Cavendish. The gang ambushes the Rangers, seemingly killing them all. One survivor (The Social Network's Armie Hammer) is found, however, by an American Indian named Tonto (Depp), who nurses him back to health

The disappointment of the big-budget "Cowboys & Aliens." had given the studio cold feet. The original 2009 script by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio had things like werewolves and other supernatural elements in it--as did Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road)'s re-writes.

The Mouuse House has not announced whether the pic  can still hit theaters by its planned holiday 2012 release date. but I would say probably not...

Vaughn Gets Duaghter In "Watch"

Erin Moriarty (not to be confused with the Erin Moriarty of CBS News with the same name) has joined the cast of Akiva Schaffer's ensemble sci-fi comedy "Neighborhood Watch" says.Variety.

In the  film Vince Vaughn and his "Dodgeball" co-star Ben Stiller play suburban dads who use the guise of a neighborhood watch group for some male-bonding time away from their families. They soon accidentally uncover a plot to destroy the world.

Young Erin play the Daughter of Vaughn's character.

Jonah Hill will play Vaughn’s sidekick, one who constantly embellishes his past to include a rough and dark side. Actress Rosemarie DeWitt will play the wife of Ben Stiller's character. Nicholas Braun Will Forte and Richard Ayoade also star.

Schaffer is directing the project from a script by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

Shawn Levy is set to produce

Production is scheduled to start in Georgia sometime this fall. The pic is scheduled to hit theaters on July 27, 2012

Number Crunch

There may be a quautet of new releases greeting moviegoers this weekend...But that doesn't mean that one of them will be in the top spot come Monday...

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen take 50/50 (reviews) odds in the Cancer dramedy; Daniel Craig and Naomi Watts get more cthan they bargained for when they buy their Dream House: (reviews) Anna Faris asks Chris Evans--Whats Your Number? (reviews) And Alex Kendrick is one of the Courageous
(reviews)

Pamela McClintock of THR:

Four new films enter the market this weekend—led by the critically acclaimed cancer dramedy 50/50—but they will probably be no match for holdovers The Lion King, Dolphin Tale and Moneyball

In particular, no one is counting out the 3D re-release of Lion King, considering the pic has pulled off a surprise upset two weekends in a row, and has now grossed $66.4 million in North America. Moneyball and Dolphin Tale, both debuting last weekend, have grossed $24.2 million and $21.6 million, respectively, through Wednesday.

Lion King is keeping its same theater count this weekend (2,330 locations) on the eve of the Oct. 4 release of the Diamond Blu-Ray edition of the film.

Box office observers believe Lion King, Dolphin Tale and Moneyball will gross somewhere in the $13 million-$15 million range, although Summit Entertainment is bullish that the well-reviewed 50/50, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, has a shot at over-performing and earning a top spot on the box office chart.

Will Reiser penned the script for 50/50, which is loosely based on his own experience with cancer. Jonathan Levine directed, while Bryce Dallas Howard, Anna Kendrick and Anjelica Huston also star.

Fox and New Regency launch Anna Faris and Chris Evans R-rated comedy What’s Your Number? in theaters this weekend, but the movie, directed by Mike Mylod, is expected to do only modest business and open in the $7 million-$8 million range.

Morgan Creek’s horror-thriller pic Dream House, starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts, is projected to land in the same range in its debut.

Universal is distributing Dream House, which is expected to gross in the $7 million-$9 million range. The film was beset with controversy over conflicts between Morgan Creek and director Jim Sheridan, and wasn’t screened for critics.

The weekend’s fourth new film is the faith-based Courageous, from Sherwood Pictures and Sony’s Tri-Star Pictures. The movie, directed by Alex Kendrick, is about four police officers struggling with their faith; Kendrick co-wrote the script with his brother Stephen Kendrick and also stars.

Courageous is expected to open in the $5 million-$6 million range, although Sherwood is optimistic that the film will do more based on $2 million in advance sales. The film is the fourth release from the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., after Fireproof, Facing the Giants and Flywheel.

Fireproof was considered a solid performer, cuming $33.4 million at the domestic box office.

Notable specialty releases opening this weekend include Jeff Nichols’ critically acclaimed Take Shelter, starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. Sony Pictures Classics is launching the pic in three theaters in New York and Los Angeles.

Fox Searchlight opens Kenneth Lonergan’s long-delayed Margaret in two theaters in New York and Los Angeles, and Freestyle Releasing opens Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill’s satirical documentary Sarah Palin: You Betcha! in six theaters in the two cities.

Page Travels East

Ellen Page has joined the cast of Zal Batmanglij‘s thriller drama The East" reports Variety.

The story focuses on a law enforcement agent (Brit Marling) who goes undercover to infiltrate the a. group of eco terrorists.

Page will play Izzy a member who was once romantically involved with the group's leader (True Blood's Alexander Skarsgård).

Marling co-wrote the script with Batmanglij who is also directing.

Courtney Joins Shot As Child Endorses Cruise

Jai Courtney of Spartacus: Blood And Sand has been given a meaty role in the film adaption of "One Shot" reports Deadline.

Based on author Lee Child's Jack Reacher books the story centers on a military policeman-turned-drifter-(Tom Cruise)-In this particular story Reacher investigates a murder that seems like a slam-dunk but turns out to be more complicated than he could have imagined. The crime involves a sniper arrested for murdering five people at a mall.

Courtney plays a highly trained sniper who is motivated to stop Reacher.

Rosamund Pike is cast as a tough lawyer and daughter of the discrict attorney. British actor David Oyelowo also stars as a homicide detective investigating the case. Richard Jenkins will play the district attorney prosecuting the sniper. Robert Duvall will has a small, but pivotal role

The 15 Reacher novels have sold more than 40 million copies.

Christopher McQuarrie wrote the adapted screenplay and will direct the movie. He of course worked with Tom on Valkyrie while Duvall spent "Days Of Thunder" with Cruise

David Ellison and Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Gary Levinsohn and Paula Wagner will produce the pic.

Meanwhile Child has addressed the online backlash against the casting of Cruise as Reacher. The books describe him as 6' 5" tall, 250 pounds, blond-haired, blue-eyed and able to kill a man with a single punch - quite different than the 5'7" brunette Cruise.

Child tells Empire that "Cruise doesn't match the physical description of Reacher in the books... but the movie is not going to match the book anyway. More than that though, which actor does match Reacher physically? What people forget is that Tom Cruise is quite possibly the best actor of his generation."

He adds "If you look at what McQuarrie and Cruise have done before, I think this Reacher will be more clinical – the scapel rather than the sledgehammer. I think fans of the books will go to the movie and be a little weirded out for the first five minutes, but then the question is, what will happen after the first five minutes? If it's as done as well as I hope it will be, I don't think it will be a problem."

And Celeb Buzz has posted the first photos of Cruise on the Shot set:

Bond Back In Istanbul & Craig To Work Soon

He may NOT be going to India after all for Bond 23 but 007 will visit Istanbul for the opening of the sequel.

MI6-HQ.com reports that these scenes will be shot in November. Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay says "The opening scenes are planned to be filmed in Istanbul, but some other places will also be used outside Istanbul for the film."

A number of locations including Sultanahmet Square and along the Bosphorus are being scouted for the Turkish stuff which equates to about 10-15 minutes in the final film. Local Turkish actresses are also being considered for the role of a villain's girlfriend, with model and  Ebru Akel having tried out for the part last month (she did not get it).

Bond spent time there in both"From Russia with Love" and "The World is Not Enough"
Meantime Showbiz 411 talked with star Daniel Craig last week where he told them that he should be starting work on the film within the next few days.

The actor tells MTV that despite being signed for another two Bond films after #23, he's aware his time as Bond cauld end before that- “I’m always of the opinion that tomorrow could be my last day.”

Judi Dench Javier Bardem Ralph Fiennes Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris also star in the sequel

Sam Mendes directs from a script by Patrick Marber John Logan Neal Purvis and Robert Wade

Craig added that the new pic is a return to classic Bond -"We’ve got a great script this time. I’m as excited about this script as I was about the Casino Royale script. I think in Sam [Mendes] we’ve got the perfect director. The cast is coming together now. I can’t wait to get going on it really."

The film will begin shooting near the end of the year for its November 9th, 2012 bow.

Not Lost On McAuliffe

Callan McAuliffe has joined the cast of Paradise Lost reports Variety.

The film takes John Milton's classic 17th century poem "Paradise Lost" story and reimagines it with a family friendly, action-oriented slant that might be shot in 3D.

This film follows the fallen angel Lucifer (Bradley Cooper) who, after being cast out of Heaven, mounts an army that battles the forces of good. Michael (Benjamin Walker) Lucifer's brother and the leader of said good forces.

McAuliffe will play the role of the Archangel Uriel, one of the first seven archangels created by God and the dedicated second-in-command to Michael who leads Heaven's army against Lucifer's rebellion.

Camilla Belle and Diego Boneta will pair up as Adam and Eve  Casey Affleck will play the part of Gabriel, the chief of the angelic guards who watch over Paradise Djimon Hounsou has been cast as the Angel of Death

Alex Proyas is directing the pic. and calls the film a "family saga, about a group of brothers, two in particular, who are on divergent paths, and Lucifer's feelings of betrayal by his father and family that forge his descent into evil."

The film will use performance capture technology to bring the various angels to life in the pic

The script has passed through the hands of several writers, including Stuart Hazeldine, Byron Willinger, Philip de Blasi, Lawrence Kasdan and Ryan Condal

Thomas Tull Vincent Newman and Jon Jashni are producing.

Shooting on 'Paradise' kicks off in January in Sydney ahead of a late 2013 release.

Mara Up For Oldboy?

Rooney Mara is said to be the front-runner for the female lead--renamed Marie-in the remake of Chan-wook Park's 2003 cult classic "Old Boy" reports Twitchfilm.

The older film centered on a man kidnapped and held for 15 years in solitary confinement without explanation. He is eventually released and sets out on a path of revenge.

Mark Protosevich wrote the adapted screenplay from which Spike Lee is calling action.

Josh Brolin has already been cast in the lead. While there's no offer on the table yet--I hope Mara opts in for the film. She's a great choice

Christian Bale is condering the villain role, however he won't make a decision until he finishes work on Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises.

Doug Davison and Roy Lee will produce.

Shooting on the remake is scheduled to kick off in March.

Fuqua For Hunter Killer?

Antoine Fuqua is in final talks to call action on "Hunter Killer" reports Variety.

An adaptation of the as yet unreleased novel "Firing Point" by Don Keith and George Wallace the story follows a Navy Seals team in a submarine sent on a mission to Russia to stop a renegade admiral from launching a coup.

 Jamie Moss, Arne Schmidt and John Kolvenbach wrote the adapted screenplay

Gerard Butler was rumored to play Joe Glass, the captain of the submarine but nothing confirmed yet

"Salt" and "Clear and Present Danger" director Phil Noyce was due to call the shots, but left the picture last month.

Neil Moritz Toby Jaffe and Ryan Kavanaugh will prodce

Production kicks off this Winter.

Cooper Considers Motor City

Dominic Cooper is in talks to star in the revenge thriller "Motor City"says Variety.

The story follows a small time crook who is framed and sent to jail, only to go after those who put him there after he is released. 

Chad St. John’s screenplay is unique in that it only has but one line of dialogue and made it on to Hollywood’s Black List back in 2009, the list of the year’s best unproduced scripts

Chris Evans was previously offered the lead role but has passed Joel Edgerton and Jeremy Renner were also in the running at one time as well

Albert Hughes directs for producers Joel Silver and Andrew Rona. Silver saw Cooper in "The Devil's Double" and put him in the front seat

The pic is not to be confused with "Broken City", another Black List script which Albert's brother Allen Hughes is directing with recently signed star Mark Wahlberg.

Production could begin as early as January 2012

Summit Expores Area 52

Summit Entertainment has acquired the film rights to the comic "Area 52" reports Deadline.

Brian Haberlin's series follows a top-secret Antarcitca warehouse the U.S. government uses to store hideous creatures and mystical weapons. When an aggressive new alien is accidentally hatched, the group of misfits hired to watch over the warehouse must band together to keep these creatures from escaping.

Steven C. Miller was previously attached to direct a few years ago, the studio is now looking for a new director and writers.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura is attached to produce the film vesion of Area 52.

Duchovny Explores The Depths In Phantoms

David Duchovny has signed on to replace Andy Garcia in the indie Cold War-era thriller Phantom says Variety.

Duchovny will portray the leader of the Soviet special forces team aboard the submarine, whose mission is cloaked in mystery.

Ed Harris, William Fichtner, and Natascha McElhone.also star.

Todd Robinson ("Lonely Hearts") will will direct from his own script

John Watson, Pen Densham and Julian Adams will produce.

Production starts next month in Long Beach CA

Ordiinary People

Emma Roberts and AnnaSophia Robb are attached to star in the romance drama "Anything But Ordinary" which is being developed as both a book and film says The Hollywood Reporter.

The story follows a 17-year-old diving champion who suffers a tragic accident during her final Olympic trials. Its considered a miracle when she comes out of  a coma five years later, but she has become a Synesthesia- someone who processes words and numbers through color, the third dimension and sound.

 Sanaa Hamri is attached to direct while Charlie Craig wrote the original story and the screenplay, that Liz W. Garcia and Lisa Barrett polished.

Richard Lewis will produce while Lara Avary will write the book.adaptation.

Christopher Defends Leo In Django

Dennis Christopher, has joined the cast of Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. says Variety

The spaghetti western style film follows a a German dentist-turned bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) and freed slave Django (Jamie Foxx) seek to free Django's wife from her powerful owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio)

Christopher will play Leo Moguy, who serves as lawyer to Candie.

Samuel L. Jackson is now locked to play Stephen, an expert manipulator and house slave of the plantation owner. Gerald McRaney also stars.  Michael K. Williams, Kerry Washington, and Zoë Bell are all circling roles in the pic

The role of Django's wife, Broomhilda remains uncast
Production is slated to kick off in November to meet a December 25, 2012. release date

TES Joins Us & Them

Tom Everett Scott has joined the Andy Fickman directed comedy "Us & Them" says The Hollywood Reporter.

The story from 'City Slickers' scribes Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel sees Billy Crystal and Bette Midler stuck caring for their grandchildren and are baffled by their 21st century lives.

Scott will husband to Marisa Tomei who is daughter to Bette and Billy. Bailey Madison and Joshua Rush play Grandkids

The pic will be produced by Peter Chernin and Dylan Clark

Shooting kicks off this month in Atlanta.

Duvall's 2nd Shot At Cruise

Robert Duvall will have a small, but pivotal role the film adaption of "One Shot" says Variety.

Based on author Lee Child's Jack Reacher books the story centers on a military policeman-turned-drifter-(Tom Cruise)-In this particular story Reacher investigates a murder that seems like a slam-dunk but turns out to be more complicated than he could have imagined. The crime involves a sniper arrested for murdering five people at a mall.

Rosamund Pike is cast as a tough lawyer and daughter of the discrict attorney. British actor David Oyelowo also stars as a homicide detective investigating the case. Richard Jenkins will play the district attorney prosecuting the sniper.

The 15 Reacher novels have sold more than 40 million copies.

Christopher McQuarrie wrote the adapted screenplay and will direct the movie. He of course worked with Tom on Valkyrie while Duvall spent  "Days Of Thunder" with Cruise

David Ellison and Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Gary Levinsohn and Paula Wagner will produce the pic.

After Argo Goodman Takes Flight

John Goodman has joined Robert Zemeckis’ actioner Flight" says Deadline

Denzel Washington is poised to play a pilot that rescues his passengers from a dangerous situation but who turns out not to be as heroic as he appears as his negligence (due to an addiction) was partly responsible for the danger in the first place.

Goodman will play a friend of the pilot who helps him come to terms with his problems

John Gatins wrote the scripted drama,

Kelly Reilly has been cast as female lead Nicole Devlin, a drug addict who is at rock bottom when she meets Washington's commercial airline pilot character.Brian Geraghty Don Cheadle and Bruce Greenwood co-star.

The film set to begin shooting in Atlanta next month.

TDKR: NYC X-Tras & More Cat Pics

Warner Bros has sent out an open casting call for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises (under its code name title "Magnus Rex") which will begin filming in New York City for two weeks starting October 29th.

Male and female extras of all ethnicities over the age of 18 are wanted "to play law enforcement within a city besieged by crime and corruption, specific roles including Guards, Soldiers, and Police Officers."

They're also "seeking physically fit athletes, people with military and/or law enforcement training/experience, weapons training, and/or martial arts training".

The open call will be held this Saturday October 1st. Further details can be found  courtesy of On Location Vacations.

Meanwhile, Life for Films has more photos of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman shooting scenes in Los Angeles.

Christian Bale Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt Marion Cotillard Josh Pence, Alon Aboutboul and Nestor Carbonell star along with return of the trilogy's ensemble cast such as Morgan Freeman Gary Oldman and Michael Caine

Matthew Modine Tom Conti 11-year-old actress Joey King Daniel Sunjata Diego Klattenhoff Christopher Judge "CSI: Miami" co-star Adam Rodriguez and Burn Gorman take on secondary roles.

Nolan calls action on the DKR from a screenplay he wrote with bro Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Nolan and David S. Goyer

The sequel is set to hit theaters on July 20th, 2012.

Sorvino Is The Target Of The Class Project

Mira Sorvino has joined the cast of Stanley M. Brooks' true crime story "The Class Project" says Variety.

Abigail Breslin and Georgie Henley play Canadian sisters who have been at the mercy of their alcoholic mother (Sorvino) and her abusive boyfriends for as far back as they can remember. The duo decides to take matters into their own hands and plot to kill her in order to collect the insurance money.

 Fab Filippo and Adam Till adapted Toronto Star reporter Bob Mitchell's 2008 book The Class Project: How To Kill a Mother

Michael Rotenberg produces the film with Damian Ganczewski and Juliette Hagopian.

Brooks is currently shooting the movie in Winnipeg

"Pitch"-ing Snow

Brittany Snow has joined the cast of  cappella singing comedy "Pitch Perfect" says THR

Based upon author Mickey Rapkin's non-fiction book the story follows a rebellious college student (Anna Kendrick) who discovers she can actually sing and becomes the secret weapon of her university's female a cappella group.

Snow plays Chloe, one of the singers with a hardened personality.

Jason Moore will direct the film from an adapted script by Kay Cannon

Rebel Wilson ("Bridesmaids") also stars in an as yet uspecified role

Actress Elizabeth Banks will produce with her husband, Max Handelman and Paul Brooks