Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Lucas Black Gets "Land" & 42

Lucas Black has joined the cast of both Gus Van Sant's "Promised Land, and Brian Helgeland's Jackie Robinson biopic "42" says Deadline.


In 'Promised', actors Matt Damon and John Krasinski wrote the script and will star in the film in which Damon plays a sales executive. Krasinski plays a rival exec. Both of their companies infiltrate a small rural town in order to tap into subterranean resources using the controversial practice of Hydraulic Fracturing, which involves pumping a mixture of sand, water and chemicals into bedrock in order to release natural gas. Soon Damon's character has his whole life called into question.

Black plays a land owner who gets cheated and exploited when his land is leased

Frances McDormand plays Damon's sales partner, while Welliver a local resident open to the presence of the company in the town, as well as her potential love interest. Rosemarie DeWitt plays a "a schoolteacher caught between Damon's and Krasinski's character" and Hal Holbrook plays "an engineer who lives in the town and opposes a corporate takeover being led by Damon". Scoot McNairy joined the pic as someone who opposes the biz types as well. Titus Welliver co stars.

The tone is said to be very Frank Capra-esque.

Krasinski developed the story with author Dave Eggers

The pair and Chris Moore will produce.

Meantime '42', chronicles how the then Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) and Robinson (newcomer Chadwick Boseman) broke baseball's color barrier in 1947.

Helgeland will direct from the script he wrote--after gaining the trust of Robinson's family.

In this pic Black plays shortstop Pee Wee Reese who befriended and stood by Robinson from the moment he joined the team.

Chris Meloni will play Leo Durocher, who was the Dodgers manager and an avid supporter of Robinson who saw him through the racism he encountered from crowds and sometimes frrom his own dugout. Ryan Merriman will play Dixie Walker, the Dodgers right fielder who opposes his new teammate at first but becomes his supporter. Nicole Beharie has been cast as the famed African-American baseballer's wife Rachel Brad Beyer will play Kirby Higbe, the Dodgers pitcher and the main proponent of a petition against playing with Robinson. Toby Huss will play Clyde Sukeforth, a coach who played an integral role in scouting and signing Robinson. T.R. Knight will play Harold Parrott, the Dodgers traveling secretary who has to deal with the repercussions of housing once Robinson joins the team. John C. McGinley will play the role of Red Barber the iconic radio broadcaster for the team.

Thomas Tull will produce the film.

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