1.) Greek bloggers have been reporting sightings of Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater, leading to speculation they’re on location filming the follow-up to Before Sunset. One source adds the rumored title is Before Midnight. Oddly, Julie Delpy hasn’t been mentioned in any of the sightings. So while I remain skeptical, Hawke has said in recent interviews “the biggest change between this one and the last one is the Internet.” So maybe Delpy will spend part, or all, of the movie on another location while she and Hawke communicate via Skype. [via The Playlist]
2.) Warner Bros. have confirmed the principal cast for their 3D animated LEGO movie. Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Pratt and Morgan Freeman will voice key roles in the film, directed by Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street helmers Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Pratt will voice the lead character Emmett, an ordinary LEGO guy who is mistaken as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He then embarks on a quest to stop an evil tyrant, which he is obviously not prepared for. Freeman and Banks are two of Emmet’s fellow travelers, while Arnett will voice LEGO Batman. The film is said to feature some of the most popular LEGO figures, while also introducing new characters, thus forcing every family to stop at Toys R Us on their way home from the theater. Channing Tatum was at one point approached to play LEGO Superman. That casting hasn’t been confirmed yet, which is surprising given C-Tates’ connection to the directors. [/Film]
3.) Get ready for a weekly 1-hour commercial for The Avengers 2 as ABC has officially given the green light to “S.H.I.E.L.D”, which will focus on the top secret defense organization featured in The Avengers and the rest of the Marvel movie universe. Joss Whedon will write the pilot with his brother, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen (“Dollhouse”). There’s also a chance Whedon could direct the pilot. The news makes me wonder of this had been planned all along when Colbie Smolders joined the agency for The Avengers. “How I Met Your Mother” might soon come to a close, and we all know Samuel L. Jackson isn’t going to be a regular on the show, so perhaps she could be the anchor? We all know Whedon’s history with small-screen heroines. [Deadline]
4.) Is Sony planning a movie that would focus on the war of video game consoles between Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo? It would certainly appear that way, as consolewarmovie.com and nearly 20 variations of the phrase were recently registered by Sony Pictures Entertainment. I’m sure there’s an interesting business story there somewhere, so who’s to say Console Wars couldn’t be the Social Network of video games? [Fusible]
5.) Summit/Lionsgate have entered talks with Safe House director Daniel Espinosa in regards to directing an adaptation of Tom Rob Smith‘s novel Child 44. The murder mystery centers on a disgraced Soviet lawman assigned to investigate a series of grisly child murders. The book itself is the first of a trilogy based on the real-life Ukranian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, who murdered 52 people. Ridley Scott was attached to direct a few years ago when it was set up at Fox and he’s stuck around as a producer through Scott Free. [Deadline]
