As always, the wheelers and dealers in Hollywood are inking contracts and getting movies made, and quite a bit of movement has happened over the last week and a bit, so let’s just dive right in…
We reported on Ethan Hawke’s reteaming with “Hamlet” director Michael Almereyda a week ago, and casting news is already trickling in for their upcoming adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline.” The romantic tragedy will be updated to modern day and involve corrupt cops and drug-dealing bikers. Ed Harris, is now on board, taking on the title role of King Cymbeline. And Hawke is keeping busy as it’s also been revealed that he will be mixing it up with Liam Neeson and director Jaume Collet-Serra in “Run All Night.” Joining a cast that also has Joel Kinnaman, “Run All Night” stars Neeson as an aging hit man for the mob who has to take out his former boss. Harris will be playing the syndicate leader who wants revenge for his son’s death. Although, we’re still not sure whether Harris will be playing the boss that Neeson has to take out, or a boss for a rival gang who tasks Neeson with the job. [Deadline/The Wrap]
After the recent success of his independent romance, “The Spectacular Now,” Miles Teller isn’t slowing down to catch his breath. The actor will be joining director Damien Chazelle for “Whiplash,” a feature-length remake of the short of the same name that walked away with the Sundance Short Film Jury Award. The script for “Whiplash” made the 2012 Black List and follows a novice drummer (Teller) who becomes obsessed with joining the best jazz orchestra in the country. He’s fueled by the machinations of his brutal orchestra teacher (set to be played by “Juno” star, J.K. Simmons) in a movie that is apparently, “‘Full Metal Jacket’ at Julliard.” Production is set to start in September for a release sometime next year. [Deadline]
At the beginning of the year, we reported on “Kick-Ass” actress, Chloe Grace Moretz starring in the supernatural thriller, “If I Stay.” Based on a book written by Gayle Forman, the movie follows a teenager (Moretz) in a coma after a car accident and has “The September Issue” director, R.J. Cutler, slated to helm. And things are moving along as “The Killing” actress Mireille Enos has jumped on board the project. She’ll be taking on the role of Moretz’s free-spirited mother “who is fiercely passionate about her family and rock music” in the movie that follows a teenager (Moretz) in a coma after a car accident. [Deadline]
Dominic West has joined director Matthew Warchus for a biopic called “Pride.” The plot will explore an LGBT group “who united to show solidarity with striking miners by holding a Pits and Perverts Ball… and marching in support of the cause in 1985.” The cast also includes British mainstays Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton. “Pride” will start production in September. [Daily Mail]
It’s been two years since star Jason Segel announced he’d be making a comedy about a couple who accidentally loses their sex tape and the film would appropriately be titled “Sex Tape” (we’ll see how long they get to keep it). Back in 2011, Segel had planned to reteam with his “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” director, Nicholas Stoller; he’d also snagged leading lady Reese Witherspoon. Cut to now, both Stoller and Witherspoon are long gone. In their place is “Bad Teacher” director Jake Kasdan and Cameron Diaz. With Sony hoping to start production in the next few months, Kasdan is grabbing other actors he’s worked with previously. Jack Black, who worked with Kasdan on “Orange County,” is joining the project, albeit in a cameo as the CEO of a major porn company. “Hot Tub Time Machine” star Rob Corddry has also hopped on playing a friend of the couple. [Hollywood Reporter/The Wrap]
Lastly, Hollywood keeps daring us to watch the “Poltergeist” remake. First, it nabbed Rosemarie DeWitt, and now, the equally excellent Sam Rockwell has joined the movie about a innocent house in the suburbs that gets visited by a spectral spirit. Gil Kenan (“Monster House“) is helming the flick that boasts a script from David Lindsay-Abaire, but still no word on who will play the kid that can communicate through dimensions. [The Wrap]
