1.) Hot off the heels of Brad’s A+ reviewed Silver Linings Playbook David O. Russell and Bradley Cooper are already looking to get back at it. Twice. The first project is currently untitled, but was once known as American Bullshit. The crime drama co-stars Jeremy Renner as an FBI agent forced to seek the help of a con-man (Cooper) to set up a sting operation to root out corruption. Amy Adams is also on board as Cooper’s mistress and partner in crime. Russell says the film will shoot in February on the East Coast.
The second project they’ve discussed is American Sniper, which we know a lot less about. But Cooper has acquired the rights, and he and Russell seem to be crushing on each other pretty hard right now. “He is like an athlete who wants to burst out of the blocks and wants to stretch in all these new ways,” Russell says of his muse. [THR]
2.) Jude Law has confirmed that he’s part of the ensemble set to appear in Wes Anderson‘s Moonrise Kingdom follow-up, The Grand Budapest Hotel. Law also mentioned filming would start in January. And who else is in the film? “It will be the usual team [of actors],” Law said. “I have heard Johnny Depp is indeed playing a key role in it. I think my role is fleeting, but I’m very excited to be a part of that Wes Anderson family.” As far as specifics, Anderson has said the film would reunite him with Owen Wilson. Names like Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe and Adrien Brody have also been rumored, but they’ll remain just that until we receive further confirmation. [MTV]
3.) With Titanic now out on Blu-ray, some of the bonus features have made their way online. One such extra is one of Kate Winslet‘s screen tests, where she reads opposite Jeremy Sisto of Clueless fame, who plays the role of Jack. Check out the video below and see for yourself why Winslet won the part and, well, why Sisto didn’t.
4.) Italian director Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love) is developing an adaptation of James Ellroy‘s book The Big Nowhere, a prequel of sorts to L.A. Confidential. The story is set in 1950s L.A. and intertwines some of the storylines and characters we saw in L.A. Confidential, including corrupt police chief Dudley Smith (James Cromwell‘s character from L.A. Confidential). [First Showing]
5.) I’m going to leave you today with a cool little short film called The Gate, which is one part Splice, one part District 9 and one part public service announcement as it centers on London residents who undergo drastic mutations after taking medication they purchased from an unregulated online drugstore. It was just picked up for a feature version with original director Matt Westrup set to return and Mitchell Akselgard hired to write the script. [Variety]
