Return to Sender Rounds Out Call Sheet

THR reports Camryn Manheim, Rumer Willis and Illeana Douglas have joined the thriller Return to Sender.

The film centers around a self-controlled small-town nurse (Rosamund Pike) who agrees to go on a blind date with a mysterious man (Shiloh Fernandez). She discovers that he is not who he says he is and is left to pick up the pieces after the traumatic night.

Manheim and Willis are playing Pike’s co-workers.

Nick Nolte will play Pike's father. Keir O'Donnell, Stephen Louis Grush, Ian Barford, Alexi Wasser, and Scout Taylor-Compton also star.

Fouad Mikati (Operation: Endgame) is directing using a script by newcomer Patricia Beauchamp and Joe Gossett Gossett wrote Ryan Phillippe's directorial debut Shreveport.

Holly Wiersma and Candice Abela are producing

Logan Levy is executive producing.

Production is currently under way in New Orleans.

Gillan Goes Bad In Gunn's "Guardians"

Former Doctor Who star Karen Gillan has landed a villian role in James Gunn's Marvel superhero movie "Guardians Of The Galaxy" says THR.

The Guardians of the Galaxy comic book follows a US pilot who ends up in space during a universal conflict, then is forced to go on the run with a band of futuristic alien ex-cons.

Chris Pratt will play Peter Quill/Star-Lord-The character is an interplanetary policeman and the Guardians leader who is born of a human mother and alien father.

WWE superstar Dave Bautista plays Drax the Destroyer who born as the human Arthur Douglas, whose family was attacked and murdered by the villainous Thanos (seen in the credt post-script of The Avengers). Arthur's spirit was then placed into a powerful new body by Kronos, which resulted in Drax the Destroyer's creation. The superhero's powers include incredible strength and the ability to emit energy blasts from his hands.

Zoe Saldana is Gamora a "green-skinned humanoid who is the last of a species that was exterminated by a race known as the Badoon" who also "happens to be a skilled assassin."

"The Walking Dead" fave Michael Rooker plays Yondu Udonta who first appeared in a 1969. He hails from the Zatoan tribe on Centauri IV, the first planet to be colonized outside of the Sun's solar system in the 29th Century. Yondu does not possess any super-human abilities, but he is a skilled hunter with a bow and arrow, and has a mystical "sixth sense" that gives him limited empathic abilities with other life forms. He is one of the founding members of the group.

The lovely Ophelia Lovibond plays "The Collector" who "gathers artefacts and beings in the hopes of saving them from a foretold galactic annihilation."

John C. Reilly has been offered the role of Rhomann Dey in the film who is said to be "Agent Coulson of the 'Guardians' movies," a human agent who serves as a go-between with S.H.I.E.L.D. This is quite different from the comic character, described as an alien centurion in the Nova Corps. There's were reports that the studio was interested in either Hugh Laurie, Alan Rickman or Ken Watanabe to play the role of a colleague of the Dey's.

Glenn Close is "playing a leadership role in Nova Corp, the intergalactic space patrol. ... Close’s role would be the closest thing to the one that Samuel L. Jackson plays in Avengers movie."

Sadly like Lee Pace we know nothing about the villain characters that he and Gillan will play

Screenwriter Chris McCoy was hired to rewrite the Nicole Perlman’s original script.

Production starts late June in London The film arrives August 1, 2014.

Linn Is A Man Of The Law In A Million Ways

"CSI: Miami" co-star Rex Linn has joined the cast of Seth MacFarlane's "Blazing Saddles"-style western comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West says THR.

MacFarlane will direct and star in the film from a script he and his "Ted" collaborators Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild wrote,

Using MacFarlane’s signature adult humor, the script deals with just how dangerous and painful life really was in the late 1800s. The story follows a farmer (MacFarlane) who wimps out of a gunfight, causing his girlfriend (Amanda Seyfried) to leave him. He enlists the help of an outlaw's wife (played by Charlize Theron) to help him shoot, only to find himself falling for her. But trouble comes calling when her violent hubby (Liam Neeson) returns. Giovanni Ribisi (Ted) is also on board the comedy playing Seth's equally-spineless best friend.

Sarah Silverman plays the town’s well-worn prostitute, who engages in all sorts of lewd activities but refuses to have sex with her fiancé (Ribisi), believing that as Christians the couple should wait until marriage before lying down together.

Linn will play a small-town sheriff.

"Ted" producer Scott Stuber is set to reteam for the film Jason Clark and MacFarlane will also produce the film.

The flick is currently shooting in New Mexico. 

Waterston Steps Into Theron's "Vice" Role

Katherine Waterston ("Taking Woodstock," "Michael Clayton") has joined the cast of Paul Thomas Anderson's adaptation of author Thomas Pynchon's novel "Inherent Vice" says Deadline.

In 1969 Los Angeles, Joaquin Phoenix will play a stoner detective named Doc Sportello, whose ex-girlfriend (Waterston) Shasta, sets things in motion. Now a straight-laced partner to a real estate mogul, she enlists Doc's help to protect the mogul from his murderous wife and her young boytoy.

Charlize Theron was tipped for the part but is busy shooting Seth MacFarlane's "Blazing Saddles"-style western comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West.  Robert Downey Jr. had been attached to the lead role

Martin Short Owen Wilson Jena Malone Reese Witherspoon Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro co star. Sean Penn is up to take a role as well.

Anderson wrote the adapted screenplay

Anderson, Megan Ellison, John Lesher and JoAnne Sellar will produce the film .

PTA has been talking about making Vice since 2010, but went off to make The Master instead. Word is PTA is looking to make Vice into a comedy in the vein of Cheech and Chong meets The Big Lebowski or Boogie Nights.

Production hopes to begin this summer.

4 Names Join Expendables 3

Jackie Chan, Wesley Snipes, Nicolas Cage and Milla Jovovich are all said to be in "advanced negotiations" to join "The Expendables 3" says Deadline.

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer broke the news to analysts in a meeting this morning. Snipes Cage and Chan were on  producer Avi Lerner's initial wish-list with, Clint Eastwood and Harrison Ford.
Sylvester Stallone and most of his pals from the last two flicks in the series will be back in the line up.

The movie will be directed by Patrick Hughes (Red Hill), and it's scheduled to start production in August

There's also an all-female riff on the premise in the works as well Katee Sackhoff ("Battlestar Galactica")  and former MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano ("Haywire") are set to star.

Greutert And Blum Share "Visions"

Variety reports "Saw 3D" director Kevin Greutert and "Sinister" producer Jason Blum are working together on the thriller "Visions"

Lucas Sussman wrote the spec script about a pregnant woman moving to the wine country to be with her husband at their vineyard — a move which triggers terrifying visions.

The story is said to be in the tradition of "The Others" and "What Lies Beneath".

Production hopes to begin this Fall.

Whitaker May Travel To "Memphis" As MLK

Forest Whitaker is is in talks to star as Martin Luther King Jr. in the Paul Greengrass directed indie biopic "Memphis" says The Wrap.

Chronicling the days leading up to Dr. King's assassination in Tennessee--April 1968, The film drops in as his marriage was crumbling, his vocal opposition to the Vietnam War had cost him his relationship with President Lyndon B. Johnson, and his recent interests put him on the fringes of the rising Black Power movement.

Greengrass wrote "Memphis" based on his own original research. He reportedly intends to film the movie in his familiar "documentary-style" like he did for "United 93" and this year's Somali pirate drama "Captain Phillips" with Tom Hanks.

The project is looking likely to be Greengrass' next movie which Scott Rudin will produce.

Leo Will Handle "The Equalizer"

Melissa Leo is in negotiations to star opposite Denzel Washington in Antoine Fuqua's big screen reboot of the 80's TV series "The Equalizer" says Deadline.

 

Edward Woodward starred in the 85-89 series about Robert McCall, a former operative of a covert intelligence organisation who seeks redemption for his dark past via offering his services to those being persecuted and in need of help. McCall brings justice to various baddies, killers, drug dealers, rapists on the streets of New York City. He also performed assignments for the head of his former organisation and dealt with his estranged son.

In the movie version, Washington's McCall is living a quiet life while working at a Home Depot, when one of his acts of kindness toward a prostitute (Chloe Moretz) gets him snared with the Russian mob. Marton Csokas will play a ruthless fixer working for the Russians.

Leo will play McCall’s former counter-terrorism handler who provides him with intelligence about who he is facing when he runs up against a new adversary.

The role for Moretz was originally written for a twentysomething. However, Moretz seemjngly left Washington and studio execs very impressed during a chemistry reading with Denzel. As a result, the prostitute character is being redrawn with her in mind. Now, it's expected to be closer to something like Jodie Foster's star turn in "Taxi Driver".

Fuqua took the big chair after Rise of the Planet of the Apes helmer Rupert Wyatt left due to scheduling issues. Wyatt came on to the pic after "Drive" director Nicolas Winding Refn left the pic after the deal between Sony Pictures and Refn fell apart at the last minute back in January. Fuqua's next pic is supposed to be the boxing film "Southpaw" which is to begin production at the end of the Summer with casting talk underway.

Budgeted at a lean $50 million, the project is being seen as a potential franchise launcher. Winding Refn beat out the likes of Pierre Morel ("Taken"), Gavin O'Connor ("Warrior") and Gareth Evans ("The Raid") for the gig.

The film was scripted by Richard Wenk, whose credits include the actioners 16 Blocks, with Bruce Willis, and the recent Mechanic remake starring Jason Statham and Ben Foster, and The Expendables 2.

Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch, Alex Siskin, Mace Neufeld, Tony Eldridge, Michael Sloan (the show’s original co-creator), and Washington are gonna produce

Production begins mid-June in Boston.

Two Mothers Becomes Adore

Exclusive Media announced that the steamy Aussie drama "Two Mothers" has scored a new title - "Adore" says Deadline.

An adaptation of the 2003 novel by award-winning author Doris Lessing, the story follows two childhood friends and neighbors (Naomi Watts, Robin Wright) who each fall in love with the other’s teenage son (James Frecheville, Xavier Samuel). While they are all aware that the relationships will not work and are doomed, they enjoy them all the same.

Ben Mendelsohn, Sophie Lowe, Jessica Tovey and Gary Sweet also star.

French director Anne Fontaine ("Coco Before Chanel") helms the film from an adapted script by Christopher Hampton ("Atonement").

Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year to mixed reviews, the film is being given a limited theatrical and VOD release in the United States on September 6th.

Rambin Spends "Seven Minutes"; Meets "Walter"

Deadline reports that Leven Rambin ("Chasing Mavericks," "The Hunger Games") has joined a pair of indie dramas where she will play the love interest for the male lead.

First up in what will mark the writing-directing debut of storyboard artist Jay Martin is "Seven Minutes" about a young athlete (Luke Mitchell) whose serious injury leads him to reconsider what's important to him

Rick Rosenthal Jacob Mosler and Jacob Aaron Estes are gonna produce

After that Rambin heads to Anna Mastro's "Walter" about a guy (Andrew J. West) who believes he’s the son of God and thinks he is destined to decide the fate of everyone he encounters.

The film is a feature length adaptation of  the 2010 short. Writer Paul Shoulberg is expanding his original script.

Bobin Eyed For "Alice 2"

James Bobin ("The Muppets") is in talks to direct the sequel Alice in Wonderland 2  says  Heat Vision.

Everything's in in the early stages, especially since Bobin is currently shooting The Muppets... Again! for the studio. Bobin will meet with producers Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd and Jennifer Todd about the pic soon.


The first film's scribe Linda Woolverton is already set to write the script for the sequel. It is unclear at this stage whether Johnny Depp and Mia Wasikowska will return.

Tim Burton's 2010 version of "Alice in Wonderland" earned more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office

Columbus Plans "Pixels" Attack

Heat Vision reports that Chris Columbus is in talks to direct the feature length adaptation of French filmmaker Patrick Jean's 2010 short film "Pixels".

The original short, features 1980s video game characters like Donkey Kong, Tetris, Space Invaders, Frogger and Pac-Man attacking New York City and turning everything they hit into pixels - with the entire planet being pixeled.

The goal is to make film into a Ghostbusters-style action comedy in which characters come out of a video game to wreak havoc in the real world.

Tim Herlihy (Bedtime Stories) worked on the script that was rewritten by Timothy Dowling (Role Models, This Means War)

Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, Benjamin Darras, Johnny Alves and Matias Boucard are producing.

Here's the short...

Unsettling "Prisoners" Peek

The first trailer for the long gestating thriller "Prisoners" is pretty tense folks....

Aaron Guzikowski's lauded script centers on a small-town carpenter named Keller (Hugh Jackman) whose young daughter and best friend are kidnapped. After the cops fail to find them, Keller takes the law into his own hands, but in the process runs up against the big city detective (Jake Gyllenhaal) assigned to the case and butts heads with Keller.

Melissa Leo, Viola Davis, Maria Bello Terrence Howard and Paul Dano also star.

Incendies helmer Denis Villeneuve called action on the film.

This one's been around for quite some time ...Over the years directors like Antoine Fuqua and Bryan Singer, and actors like Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg Leonardo DiCaprio and even Jackman have all been attached at one point in in time. All of them dropped out for various reasons.

Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Kira Davis and Adam Kolbrenner produced the motion picture.

Doug Ellin Lands "Bad Santa 2"

"Entourage" creator Doug Ellin has signed to rewrite and possibly direct "Bad Santa 2" says Deadline.

Hot Tub Time Machine director Steve Pink, was circling the sequel last year, but apparently that is no longer the case.

"Bad Santa" star Billy Bob Thornton wants to shoot the film in the fall, but details have to be ironed out first.

The first R-rated film centred around Willie Stokes (Thornton) and his partner Marcus (Tony Cox), who pull off a yearly Christmas con.

Glenn Ficarra and John Requa penned the original, both they and director Terry Zwigoff won't be involved at all

Ellin, who recently turned in his script for the "Entourage" movie, will re-write an earlier script penned by Johnny Rosenthal.

Geyer Kosinski is producing the film.

Bumblebee's Look In Transformers 4.

We recently got a look at two new autobot cars as well as the new look for the truck that "hides" Optimus Prime from Transformers 4.

Now it's the new Bumblebee design on display. The new one is described as a highly modified, vintage 1967 Camaro SS.

The new film follows a high school student, and daughter (Nicola Peltz) of Mark Wahlberg's character, and her race car driver boyfriend--Jack Reynor--who is expected to be signed for three-picture deal.

Stanley Tucci has joined the cast along with a mysterious young actor who hasn't been identified yet. former Frasier star Kelsey Grammer has been cast as the human bad guy---counter intelligence officer Harold Attinger. British actress Sophia Myles ("Moonlight," "Thunderbirds") will play a scientist in the film Comedian-turned-actor T.J. Miller will play Wahlberg's pal in the movie. "Resident Evil: Retribution" co-star Li Bingbing also stars. Josh Duhamel recently said that they are trying to ensure an appearance for his military hero character, Major Lennox in the film.

Director Michael Bay has confirmed that the next film is set four years after the events in Chicago as seen in the third film--Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Ehren Kruger is writing the script for the fourth film which starts production soon and hits theaters on June 27th, 2014

Box Office Preview: Before & After "Fast 6"

It seems that Will Smith and son Jaden Smith will not be able to resue M. Night Shyamalan's ever faltering career with After Earth (reviews).

Jesse Eisenberg Morgan Freeman Sir Michael Caine Mark Ruffalo Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson Dave Franco Common and Mélanie Laurent might fare a bit better in the magic infused caper flick Now You See Me (reviews).

Niether film is expected to topple current champ "Fast & Furious 6" (reviews) at the box office.

Pamela McClintock of THR:

M. Night Shyamalan's After Earth could be headed for one of the lowest summer openings for a Will Smith film as it faces tough competition from box office hit Fast and Furious 6, which is poised to stay at No. 1 in its second weekend with a gross of $50 million or more.

The sci-fi epic -- a passion project for Smith and based on his original story -- is more of a starring vehicle for Jaden Smith, the actor's son, with Smith's character sitting out of much of the action. Smith's Overbrook Films produced the father-son adventure for Sony.

Based on pre-release tracking, After Earth is pacing to gross $35 million to $40 million, in line with the debut of Tom Cruise sci-fi adventure Oblivion earlier this year. Sony believes this would be a great result, considering After Earth is an original title, as was Oblivion.

After Earth, costing $130 million to produce, opens in a much more crowded corridor, and a domestic debut of $35 million to $40 million would come in well below the usual opening for a summer film starring Smith. Last year, Men in Black 3 opened to $54.6 million, while Hancock scored a $62.6 million debut in summer 2008. Nor would it match the $55.7 million dollar opening of Karate Kid, also starring Jaden Smith, in June 2010.

So far, the film has so far received dismal reviews (Sony held off screening After Earth for critics until late Wednesday in order to not reveal too much of the plot).

Sony is hoping to lure families because of After Earth's storyline, which revolves around a distant father and his son crash-landing on a deserted Earth. When the father is left injured, the son must set out on his own to find a rescue beacon that was lost when their space ship crashed.

After Earth, rated PG-13, is tracking well with families and African Americans.

The movie begins opening in earnest overseas over the course of the next two weeks. Smith remains a mega-star internationally.

The weekend's other new offering is magician heist pic Now You See Me, from Summit Entertainment. Directed by Louis Leterrier, the indie pic's ensemble cast includes Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco.

Now You See Me is expected to open in the $15 million to $17 million range, but some box office observers believe the film could surprise and cross $20 million. On Thursday, online ticketing service Fandango was selling more tickets for Now You See Me than for After Earth.

New offering at the specialty box office include Zal Batmangli's The East, which Fox Searchlight opens in four theaters, and The Kings of Summer, from CBS Films.

TLR Has Plans For "Teachers Day" Do You?

The upcoming horror-slasher-comedy Teachers' Day is starting to generate some buzz....

The story involves a Napoleon Bonaparte obsessed high school educator, Ty Anderson (Bruce Kade), whose minor online communication with a teasing student finds him immediately terminated from school grounds, which snaps him into a psychotic killing spree, terrorizing his former female students at their slumber party.

Kris Black, Art Roberts, Dawna Lee Heising, Paul Tirado, Courtney Rood, and Anthony Del Negro also star.

Writer/Director Jared Masters came up with this 80′s style homage

The pic has a Friday, December 13, 2013, release date

Here's the film's first trailer:



I plan to chat with Masters about this sprawling epic and more sometime in June!! Stay Tuned...

For Cheyenne Jackson "Love Is Strange"

Actor/singer Cheyenne Jackson has joined Ira Sachs-directed indie drama "Love Is Strange" says Deadline.

Much like his acclaimed semi-autobiographical drama "Keep the Lights On," the story explores the romantic ups and downs of a gay relationship--except that "Strange" deals with an older, married couple (Michael Gambon and Alfred Molina). The pair play longtime partners forced to live separately after their New York City wedding.

Kelly Reilly ("Flight) and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tracy Letts play a married Park Slope couple whose relationship is turned upside down when their elderly uncle (Gambon) is forced to move in with them. Meantime Jorge (Molina) moves in with Ted (Jackson) and his partner Nahlin, who are both police officers

Sachs and his 'Lights' co-writer Mauricio Zacharias wrote the script.

Sachs, Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen and Jay Van Hoy will produce.

Production starts this Summer.

Hall Finds Work In "July"

Deadline reports that Michael C. Hall will star in Stake Land and "We Are What We Are" director Jim Mickle's thriller "Cold in July".

Nick Damici and Mickle are writing the adapted script of author Joe R. Lansdale's 1989 cult novel about a man (Hall) who, after killing an armed burglar in his living room in self-defense, finds his own son the target of the burglar's father who wants eye-for-an-eye style revenge.

Linda Moran and Rene Bastian will produce the film

Production begins in July.

Till, Others Pull Some "Strings"

Variety reports that Lucas Till, Maria Bello and Tom Everett Scott will star in the indie drama “Strings.”

The story follows a talented DJ (Till) who sets out to find himself on a trip to his father’s house in North Dakota. Along the way, he meets a girl who will change his life.

Oscar Torres wrote the script from which Daniel Duran will direct.

Duran Torres and Danny Rodriguez will produce the pic.

Swanberg Shoots Secret Holiday Flick

Indiewire reports that Lena Dunham, Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey and Mark Webber star in "Drinking Buddies" director Joe Swanberg's tentatively called "Happy Christmas".

Swanberg (pictured) reportedly shot the film on the sly this past December, which focuses on a family and is set during the holidays.

Swanberg reportedly shot the film on Super 16mm film with the help of "Beasts of the Southern Wild" cinematographer Ben Richardson.

Swanberg's "All the Light in the Sky" is scheduled for release this Fall.

"Our Home Has Come Under Attack" Percy 2 Peek

The second trailer for the upcoming sequel "Percy Jackson And The Sea of Monsters" has arrived..

Thor Freudenthal helms this follow-up to 2010's The Lightning Thief with Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario and Brandon T. Jackson reprising their roles.

The film series follow an ordinary boy who discovers that he is the son of the Greek god Poseidon. In the 2nd book by author Rick Riordan Percy and his group of friends set out to find the mythical Golden Fleece and free a friend who has been captured.

Just as Nathan Fillion replaces Dylan Neal from the first film as Hermes, the father of antagonist Luke (Jake Abel) in the sequel--Anthony Head replaces Pierce Brosnan who played Chiron last time out. Mary Birdsong, Yvette Nicole Brown and Missi Pyle will play The Fates, the sisterly trio of mythological goddesses who determine the destiny of all. The Hunger Games co-star Leven Rambin has been cast as Clarisse, daughter of Ares and a skilled warrior in the sequel Douglas Smith also stars

Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski ("Ed Wood," "Agent Cody Banks") wrote the script using elements from other books in the series as well.

Chris Columbus (who directed the first film) and Karen Rosenfelt will produce the pic

The film's set to release on August 7th 2013.

As I have said before-I enjoyed the first film and thought it was much more fun than Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone which I had hard time getting through--never mind the sequels....



I know I'm not even close to being in the film's target demo but I really hope the sequel is as good as this preview suggests. And ya gotta love genre fave Fillion!!

Grumpy Cat Movie Star!

The Webby Award winner for Meme of the Year, Grumpy Cat™ is getting a film adaptation reports Deadline.

 

Producers Todd Garner and Sean Robins are putting a package together for the as yet Untitled Grumpy Cat Film. The thinking is the pic will be a Garfield-style feature about the frowning feline internet sensation. Grumpy Cat (aka. Tardar Sauce) will be given the power of speech in the family film

The official Grumpy Cat YouTube channel has over 120,000 subscribers and over 20 million views. Grumpy Cat merchandise sells at  major retail stores.

From Bane To Rocketman?

HitFix reports that Tom Hardy could star in the Elton John biopic "Rocketman".

 

 

Say what now?

 

Drew Mcweeny's sources suggest that the project is out to Hardy right now. "That doesn't mean they've made him a formal offer yet, or even that he's interested, but it's an intriguing possibility."

 

There's denials all around...Hardy is also booked solid...

 

The film is a "biographical musical fantasy", that follows a musician trying to navigate through the rough patches in his life. It will incorporate elements of John's life - being a child piano prodigy at age 11, the rebellion against his strict upbringing, and teaming up with songwriter Bernie Taupin .

There will also be choreographed musical numbers set to his hit songs

"Billy Elliot" writer Lee Hall penned the screenplay from which director Michael Gracey will call action

Reports had James McAvoy as the favorite to land the lead role at one point. John said publicly that he thinks Justin Timberlake would do a great job playing him. As do I--Hardy is great but JT seems a better fit.

John, Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish will produce the pic.

This marks the third biopic Gracey is attached to following the P. T. Barnum film "The Greatest Showman on Earth" with Hugh Jackman attached, and the Jim Henson movie pic "The Muppet Man".

Arnie Updates Sequel Roster

Metro UK caught up with Arnold Schwarzenegger who offered a very quick update on the status of  the three sequels he has on his plate--.all three of which remain in the scripting stage:

"We’re writing [Terminator 5] now. There are three projects being written that involve me. One is Terminator 5, the other is [The Legend of Conan] movie that Universal is doing. Then there’s the sequel to Twins, which is called Triplets. We’ll all look quite different in that. The third triplet is Eddie Murphy, so figure that one out."

Depp Skips Out On "Black Mass"

THR says Johnny Depp has opted out of starring in the crime biopic "Black Mass" over a salary dispute.

Depp was to have been paid his usual rate of $20 million, according to sources, but with sales of the project at 2013 Cannes Film Festival on the soft side, producers were looking to scale down the budget, in the high $60 million range. Depp was asked to take half, according to sources, and the actor and his reps refused. The situation came to a head yesterday.

The story follows South Boston criminal James "Whitey" Bulger, who was betrayed by the FBI after he became an informant to bring down a rival crime family. Bulger was captured in June 2011 in Santa Monica following a 16-year manhunt.

Australian actor Joel Edgerton was recently set to co-star as FBI agent John Connolly. No word if he'll be able to stay on if and until a replacement is found.

The film is based on the book by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill.

Mark Mallouk penned the first draft of the adapted the screenplay, before Russell Gewirtz took over. Barry Levinson's set to call action.

Brian Oliver, Tyler Thompson, Nigel Sinclair, Tobin Armbrust, John Lesher and Christi Dembrowski will produce. 

"Kon-Tiki" duo Will Steer "Pirates 5"

Deadline reports that  duo Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg are set to helm "Pirates Of The Caribbean 5".

They beat out "Snow White And The Huntsman" helmer Rupert Sanders and Fredrik Bond ("The Necessary Death Of Charlie Countryman").

After Gore Verbinski directed the first three Pirates films in the series and then Rob Marshall stepped in to helm Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 

Disney, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and star Johnny Depp had a hand in deciding together who got the gig.

The duo will will prep the movie for a late 2013 or early January start. Jeff Nathanson (Men in Black 3) recently polished the script for the studio

Given what happened here--Legendary Pictures supernatural thriller Spectral is left without a helmer... The studio has turned to commercials helmer and up-and-coming feature director Nic Mathieu to take the job says Variety . The picture is described as a "supernatural Black Hawk Down"

Close Call For Gunn's "Guardians"

Deadline reports that Glenn Close has joined James Gunn's Marvel superhero movie "Guardians Of The Galaxy".

The Guardians of the Galaxy comic book follows a US pilot who ends up in space during a universal conflict, then is forced to go on the run with a band of futuristic alien ex-cons.

Chris Pratt will play Peter Quill/Star-Lord-The character is an interplanetary policeman and the Guardians leader who is born of a human mother and alien father.

WWE superstar Dave Bautista plays Drax the Destroyer who born as the human Arthur Douglas, whose family was attacked and murdered by the villainous Thanos (seen in the credt post-script of The Avengers). Arthur's spirit was then placed into a powerful new body by Kronos, which resulted in Drax the Destroyer's creation. The superhero's powers include incredible strength and the ability to emit energy blasts from his hands.

Zoe Saldana is Gamora a "green-skinned humanoid who is the last of a species that was exterminated by a race known as the Badoon" who also "happens to be a skilled assassin."

"The Walking Dead" fave Michael Rooker plays Yondu Udonta who first appeared in a 1969. He hails from the Zatoan tribe on Centauri IV, the first planet to be colonized outside of the Sun's solar system in the 29th Century. Yondu does not possess any super-human abilities, but he is a skilled hunter with a bow and arrow, and has a mystical "sixth sense" that gives him limited empathic abilities with other life forms. He is one of the founding members of the group.

The lovely Ophelia Lovibond plays "The Collector" who "gathers artefacts and beings in the hopes of saving them from a foretold galactic annihilation."

John C. Reilly has been offered the role of Rhomann Dey in the film who is said to be "Agent Coulson of the 'Guardians' movies," a human agent who serves as a go-between with S.H.I.E.L.D. This is quite different from the comic character, described as an alien centurion in the Nova Corps.  There's were reports that the studio was interested in either Hugh Laurie, Alan Rickman or Ken Watanabe to play the role of a colleague of the Dey's.

Close "is playing a leadership role in Nova Corp, the intergalactic space patrol. ... Close’s role would be the closest thing to the one that Samuel L. Jackson plays in Avengers movie."

Lee Pace is tipped to play the as yet unknown villain

Screenwriter Chris McCoy was hired to rewrite the Nicole Perlman’s original script.

Production starts late June in London The film arrives August 1, 2014.

Huston Looks Upon A Pair Of "Big Eyes"

Danny Huston is in talks to join the cast of Tim Burton's comedic drama biopic "Big Eyes" says THR

The film will tell the story of Margaret and Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams), the artists whose work, especially paintings of doe-eyed children, became a pop-culture phenomenon in the 1950s and 1960s. However their home life was anything but perfect. Margaret was the artist but her husband took all the credit. During the their divorce they fought over the rights to their work with Margaret eventually winning the dispute- painting a picture in federal court to prove she was the one responsible for the work.

Huston will play a burnt-out, heavy-drinking gossip reporter.

Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski wrote the script and will produce with Burton and Lynette Howell.

At one point, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Reynolds were going to star with Alexander and Karaszewski at the helm

The film will shoot this summer.

Brolin Joins "Vice" Squad

Josh Brolin has joined the cast of Paul Thomas Anderson's adaptation of author Thomas Pynchon's novel "Inherent Vice" says Deadline.

In 1969 Los Angeles, Joaquin Phoenix will play a stoner detective named Doc Sportello, whose ex-girlfriend (Charlize Theron), sets things in motion when she comes to Doc with a story about her billionaire land developer boyfriend being kidnapped.

No details have been revealed about Brolin's role.

Martin Short Owen Wilson Jena Malone Reese Witherspoon and Benicio Del Toro co star. Sean Penn is tipped to take a role as well.

Anderson wrote the adapted screenplay

Anderson, Megan Ellison, John Lesher and JoAnne Sellar will produce the film .

Robert Downey Jr. had been attached to the lead role

PTA has been talking about making Vice since 2010, but went off to make The Master instead. Word is PTA is looking to make Vice into a comedy in the vein of Cheech and Chong meets The Big Lebowski or Boogie Nights.

Production hopes to begin this summer.

Schwentke Spends "The Finest Hours"

Robert Schwentke is in talks to direct the true story Coast Guard drama "The Finest Hours" says THR.

Based on the non-fiction book by Casey Sherman and Michael Tougias, the story chronicles a daring rescue by the Coast Guard of 84 men off Cape Cod in 1952. At the time two oil tankers collided and were torn in half by waves during a fierce blizzard.

"The Fighter" scribes Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson are writing the adapted script

Jim Whitaker and Dorothy Aufiero will produce.

At last report,  Boardwalk Empire ep helmer Tim Van Patten  was in line to helm this as his first big screen gig.

Blades Will Manage The "Hands Of Stone"

Panamanian singer and actor Rubén Blades will join writer/director Jonathan Jakubowicz's boxing biopic drama "Hands Of Stone" says Variety.

Set during boxing’s Golden Era, Edgar Ramirez will play Panamanian champ Roberto Durán. Robert De Niro will play his trainer Ray Arcel in a story that focuses on how each man changed the life of the other, and on the incredible bouts he had with Sugar Ray Leonard-culminating in the famed fight where Duran quit in the ring crying out 'No Mas'.

 Blades will portray Duran’s manager Carlos Eleta.

Jay Weisleder and Jakubowicz will produce the film

Production begins in September in Panama.

Bon Voyage Jason Christopher....

In five very short days Nobody Gets Out Alive director Jason Christopher will be making the BIG MOVE out to LA to continue his career...!!

And of course--like it not I have a few things I want to say....

When I met Jay shortly after my initial chat with Deven Lobascio about their film plans, and how TLR would fit in, we immediately hit it off. Jay has the film bug in a big way and it drives him to always want to do good work At the end of our first encounter I invited the dynamic duo to post on the blog anytime they wanted. Over the last few years Jay penned many posts here--Yes to promote his work--but also talk about his favorite flicks as well. His musings always garner an above average amount of page views and solid feedback.

Jay and I share a few key things in common:

A love of horror films and its genre history.
Each of us have a deceased parent from which spring many movie memories
A healthy sense of humor.
A keen interest in the process of film making.

I am super stoked that he is taking the plunge of course but it's still kinda bittersweet for me knowing that he will not be "Right Around The Corner" I will miss him. I truly feel like a younger sibling is leaving the nest. I hope he remembers that I am here to listen and offer counsel if need be. Fortunately he has a very supportive  family to cheer him on as well. He will be fine....

It has been an absolute pleasure to help him in the very small way that I have these past few years.--that said though--both he Deven helped me too in a very personal way that I will never be able to repay....

Jay please be careful out there. I wish you nothing but the best as you take this step. May the wind be ever and always at your back--And I swear on all that is holy that if you get into any serious trouble out there I will get on a plane and KICK YOUR ASS! You don't want that to happen...SERIOUSLY!!

You have a lot to offer the industry---be smart about your decisions--work hard and things will happen--never expect things to happen or that things will get handed to you--othewise the sharks will eat you up. Your talent is your best asset...use it....

Take care brother--With love and respect

The Pest

Bond 24: Producers Will Wait For Mendes!!!

Deadline reports that despite the fact that "Skyfall" helmer Sam Mendes had confirmed he's opted out of directing "Bond 24"--his name is still on the list of potententials.

Nicolas Winding Refn Ang Lee, Tom Hooper, David Yates and Shane Black were also mentioned. Christopher Nolan was approached to direct. But he is committed to "Interstellar"

In fact, the site says that talks have begun between Sam's reps and James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. They are willing to wait for the helmer to complete work on his UK and Broadway release of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Musical.

Star Daniel Craig’s excellent working relationshp with Sam also can not be denied and factors in.

Skyfall is the biggest movie in the James Bond franchise, thus far, grossing $1.1 billion worldwide.

John Logan is back to write the next one.