Posted on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 by Angie Han
The theme of this Casting Bits seems to be “rising stars,” as All My Children‘s Ambyr Childers stakes out a spot in an all-star cast, War Horse star Jeremy Irvine leads a movie starring Britain’s finest, and Thor actress Jaimie Alexander signs on to co-star with the Governator himself. Read more after the jump.
Posted on Monday, October 3rd, 2011 by Angie Han
Zach Gilford, best known as sensitive QB Matt Saracen on Friday Night Lights, will be starring opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Last Stand. Described as “a combination of Die Hard and High Noon,” the action film revolves around a border town sheriff (Schwarzenegger) who finds himself tasked with stopping a drug kingpin from crossing the U.S. border. Gilford will play one of the cops working under Schwarzenegger’s character.
The Last Stand marks the English-language debut of South Korean filmmaker Kim Ji-woon (I Saw the Devil), as well as Schwarzenegger’s return to acting. Given the kind of work that Schwarzenegger and Gilford have each done in the past, I’m having a little trouble imagining them starring next to each other. But Gilford’s a wonderful actor who deserves to get way more work than he does, so I’m just happy to see him pick up a higher-profile gig for once. The Last Stand is due out January 18, 2013. [Deadline]
After the jump, pop star Pink tries her hand at acting, while actor Derek Luke gives music a shot.
Posted on Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 by Angie Han
Good things keep coming for the stars of Animal Kingdom, as Jacki Weaver lands a role in David O. Russell‘s The Silver Linings Playbook. Weaver will play Bradley Cooper‘s mother in the film, based on Matthew Quick‘s novel about a former high school teacher (Cooper) who’s just been released from a four-year stint at a mental institution into the care of his mother. Upon his release, the protagonist initially tries to win back his ex-wife but eventually falls into a romance with an eccentric young widow (Jennifer Lawrence).
Also signed on for the project is Robert De Niro in an unnamed part. Chris Tucker was said to be in talks for the part of Cooper’s pal from the institution, but the latest reports don’t mention him, so I’m guessing he’s out. The Silver Linings Playbook is set to begin shooting this fall. [The Hollywood Reporter]
After the jump, Paul Bettany and Brian Cox team up for a film adapted from a BAFTA-nominated BBC series, and True Blood star Sam Trammell helps Virginia Madsen cope with her troubles.
Adam Salky‘s feature directorial debut Dare premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. The movie is based on Salky’s 2005 short film which was met with acclaim at film festivals. The feature length version stars Emmy Rossum in a story about what happens when “a pompous actor tells good girl Alexa (Rossum) that she hasn’t lived, she embarks on a bold journey that takes her to mysterious bad boy Johnny (Zach Gilford). Envious, her shy best friend Ben (Ashley Springer) also dares to pursue Johnny, complicating Alexa’s romance and pushing the boundaries among the three friends.” Watch the trailer embedded after the jump.
There is a lack of interesting movie news today, so I’m posting a second Video of the Day.
What if Hollywood decided to remake Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as a horror film? Directed by Human Giant and Crank Yankers writer Eric Appel (who also did the Kevin Bacon reality prank show short BACON’D!, Clothes from the Future and Lex Luthor Needs a Bail Out) comes a horror thriller about a bunch of kids who find the Golden Ticket and win a horrifying trip to a factory of death. Gobstopper stars Christopher Lloyd as Wonka, Martha MacIsaac (Last House on the Left), Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights), Paul Rust (Semi-Pro), Nicky Whelan (Neighbours), Paul Scheer (Human Giant), Wee Man (Jackass) and Little Jon. Watch the fake trailer after the jump. Thanks to /Film reader Dan E for the tip.
