I am sorry for the rather lackluster news day today. I have been working on putting together my Toronto International Film Festival hub and prepping some Blu-ray reviews for tomorrow, so hopefully things will turn around soon. For now, here are some minor news stories to keep you occupied.
We’ll begin with non-casting news and start with Bryan Cranston (Drive) who was set to star in Ruben Fleischer’s Gangster Squad, but apparently a scheduling conflict with Ben Affleck‘s Argo will prevent him from participating. During press rounds for 30 Minutes or Less Fleischer said, “[We] were hoping he would be able to do Argo and then do our film, but it doesn’t look that way. Everybody wants a piece of Bryan now. He’s the belle of the ball.” [Blackbook via Slashfilm]
Rhys Ifans who will play the villain in The Amazing Spider-Man was recently rumored to have secured a role in James Bond 23, but he squashed that rumor over the weekend when he was asked if he was involved and he simply replied, “No, I’m not.” [MTV]
Neil Burger (Limitless) is in talks to team up with screenwriter Sheldon Turner (Up in the Air) to bring to the screen a new version of the Depression Era outlaws Bonnie and Clyde. The film is expected to be an adaptation of Jeff Guinn’s “Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde“, paints a less romanticized version than the 1967 Arthur Penn-directed film, and will likely feature leads closer to the real age of the outlaws who were gunned down at the age of 22. Warren Beatty was 30 when the original film was released and Faye Dunaway was 26. [Deadline]
20th Century Fox is closing a deal for screen rights to the oral history “ESPN: Those Guys Have All The Fun” written by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales, which used the voices of past and present ESPN personalities and producers to tell the story of the 24/7 sports station. The report insists there is interest from scribes and directors, and the studio and producers will start right away looking for someone to figure out the movie. I can only assume this will be the project to immortalize the idiocy of Chris Berman and the annoying catchphrases of Stuart Scott as the latter single-handedly ruined Sports Center for me. I wonder if that book reveals, though, who was responsible for the “Who’s More Now” segment, which may be one of the worst ideas in television history (along with ever having Bob Ryan on PTI). End rant. [Deadline]
Harrison Ford will be seen in this week’s new release Cowboys and Aliens and it seems he’s sticking close to the western genre as he is attached to play Wyatt Earp in a film adaptation of the 2007 novel “Black Hats: A Novel of Wyatt Earp and Al Capone” which was written by Max Allan Collins (“Road to Perdition”). The story pits Wyatt Earp against Al Capone during the 1920s with Earp being commissioned by Doc Holliday’s widow to go to New York, where Doc’s son owns a speakeasy — which is menaced by a young Al Capone. 300 co-writer Kurt Johnstad will adapt the picture. [Variety]
David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers, The Change-Up) is moving from raunchy comedy to an historical epic with Arthur and Lancelot at Warner Bros. The studio has already set a March 15, 2013 release for the feature which involves Sir Lancelot as a major component. King Arthur is believed to have been a sixth century king who defended Britain against Saxon invaders and Lancelot is portrayed as his most trusted knight. [Variety]
