1.) For those of you playing catch up, we’ve known for a while David O. Russell‘s next film is a currently untitled crime picture that used to be known as American Bullshit. Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner and Amy Adams are already on board, and Louis C.K., who will also appear in Woody Allen‘s next film (Blue Jasmine) is now the latest to join the cast.
The film is based on the true story of a con artist (Bale) and his mistress/partner in crime (Adams), who are forced to work with a federal agent (Cooper) to turn the tables on other con artists, mobsters and politicians. Columbia Pictures is distributing the tentative late 2013 release, though we again have Megan Ellison‘s Annapurna Pictures (The Master, Killing Them Softly, Zero Dark Thirty) to thank as she’s fully financing the project. [THR]
2.) The fifth installment of the Step Up franchise is also in the works, with Summit hiring John Swetnam to pen the script for the returning Step Up Revolution director Scott Speer. The plan is for the film to build up to a big dance-off, which would feature cameos from the leads of the previous Step Up films. The biggest “get” here would obviously be Channing Tatum, though we don’t know at this point if he’ll make an appearance. He could certainly have a greater attachment to the franchise aside from it basically launching his career, having met his wife Jenna Dewan as the two were starring in the first Step Up. [Deadline]
3.) The wheels have been also been put in motion for a fifth Pirates of the Caribbean film, with Disney hiring Jeff Nathanson (Catch Me if You Can). Unfortunately, that’s about all the information we have right now. [Variety]
4.) Pirates star Johnny Depp is also looking to star in the magician flick Mortimer Wintergreen, which he is already attached to produce. The project is seen as a family/young adult adventure that follows a brother/sister who run away from home and cross paths with the titular traveling magician. Wintergreen’s hat possesses magical powers that take the trio on a series of wild adventures. British TV writer Jack Thorne (“Skins”) is adapting Myron Levoy‘s 1987 novel for director Susanna White (Nanny McPhee Returns). [THR]
5.) Contrary to the rumors, the reason behind G.I. Joe: Retaliation‘s nine-month delay was NOT to get Channing Tatum more screen time. “No, that is a complete rumor,” producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura told Crave. “Literally, Channing shot for – if I have it wrong, I’m off by an hour – four hours, five hours? So it wasn’t really about that at all.”
Di Bonaventura says the reshoots lasted a total of three days, while the film also underwent a 3D conversion during the delay. Di Bonaventura didn’t really explain what was accomplished during the reshoots, so I suppose the half of the rumor that adjusted the fate of C-Tates’ Duke to “ambiguous” and open for a return in a third G.I. Joe film might still be in play. I suppose we’ll find out soon enough as the film hits theaters on March 29th.
