Probably in an attempt to get everyone to stop talking about his falling out with Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone has spilled the beans on a few more additions to his “Expendables 3.” Officially joining Jackie Chan, Wesley Snipes, Milla Jovovich and recent additions Harrison Ford and, uh, Kellan Lutz, are a pair of names who’ve been rumored for a while, in the shape of Mel Gibson and Antonio Banderas. The still-somewhat-disgraced Gibson will play the adversary in the film (as he does in the upcoming “Machete Kills“), while there’s no firm word if Banderas will be on the side of the angels or the devils. Shooting is apparently getting underway any day now, so expect to see this in theaters this time next year. [Coming Soon]
In less testosterone-y news, one of our favorite breakout actresses of the last few years is Swedish star Alicia Vikander, who so impressed in “Anna Karenina” and “A Royal Affair” last year. The actress has a lot on her plate already, including “The Seventh Son,” “The Fifth Estate,” “Ex Machina” and “Tulip Fever,” but has signed on to another period drama, in the shape of “Ali & Nino.” To be directed by “Senna” helmer Asif Kapadia, and written by Christopher Hampton (“Dangerous Liaisons“), it’s an adaptation of Kurban Said‘s 1937 novel about the romance between a Georgian princess and a Muslim prince. Shooting is intended to get underway next year. [Screen Daily]
Meanwhile, Milla Jovovich, who’s among that “Expendables 3” cast, has found some rather more highbrow stuff, as she’s signed on to Michael Almeredya‘s Shakespeare adaptation “Cymbeline.” The film reunites the director with his “Hamlet” star Ethan Hawke for another Shakespeare modernization, one that this time takes on one of the great writer’s most tricksy and difficult plays. Set in a world of biker gangs and corrupt cops, the project sees Ed Harris as the title character, with Jovovich as his Queen and “Gossip Girl“‘s Penn Badgley as Posthumus. Shooting starts on August 19th. [Deadline]
Finally, we’ve been excited by the news that “A Thousand Acres” helmer Jocelyn Moorhouse is developing her first film for 16 years, and that Kate Winslet was going to star. But we’re even more enthused that Judy Davis has also joined Winslet in the film, entitled “The Dressmaker.” The film stars Winslet as the titular costumer, who comes to a small Australian town in the 1950s seeking revenge, and it appears that Davis will play her mother. Awesome. [Screen Daily]
