Keira Knightley has beat out Evangeline Lilly and Felicity Jones for the female lead role opposite Chris Pine in the as-yet Untitled Jack Ryan Project at Paramount. Kenneth Branagh is directing and will also play the film’s lead villain role with the film centering on the character of Tom Clancy’s creation, ex-Marine and Moscow-based financial analyst Jack Ryan (Pine), who uncovers a plot by his employer to finance a terrorist attack designed to collapse the U.S. economy. Ryan must race against time to save America and his wife (Knightley). The film is a prequel to Clancy’s Jack Ryan series of books and is expected to begin shooting next month. [THR]
Dean Parisot (Galaxy Quest) is now attached to direct Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure 3 with both Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter attached to reprise their titular roles, returning to the characters who would now be in their forties. The script was written by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon and while MGM still holds the rights, other studios are looking to be brought in to help finance the pic… which leads me to believe Sony is probably on speed dial. [Vulture]
Ender’s Game, the adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s novel, will hit theaters on November 1, 2013 and word is it will be hitting IMAX screens, making for two IMAX releases from Lionsgate in the same month with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire arriving on November 22. [The Wrap]
Speaking of Catching Fire, several more names have been added to the cast including Bruno Gunn (“Prison Break”) as Brutus, Alan Ritchson (“Super Fun Night”) as Gloss and E. Roger Mitchell as Chaff. No, I have no idea who these people are but Lionsgate has made a point to announce every single actor added to this film as if it’s a big deal and who am I to act otherwise?
MGM has hired Nic Pizzolatto (“The Killing”) to write the script for a remake of The Magnificent Seven with Tom Cruise attached to the lead role. [Variety]
Rosamund Pike is set to join Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in Edgar Wright‘s new film The World’s End. The story picks up 20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, as five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hell bent on trying the drinking marathon again. [The Daily Mail]
Some kind of new The Amityville Horror prequel is apparently on its way and it will reportedly include “found footage” from the actual seance that took place during the events that inspired the 1979 original. [THR]
Remember that Deadline]
The movie theater shootout scene in Gangster Squad will reportedly now move to L.A.’s Chinatown with plans to reinvent the scene the week of August 20 with Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Anthony Mackie, Robert Patrick, Troy Garity and Michael Pena all being brought back for the night shoot. The film is still set for a January 11 release. [THR]
Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) is set to star in Dead of Winter for music video and commercials director Anthony Mandler. Steinfeld will play a teen who heads to a remote cabin in the mountains with her father and new stepmother when a dangerous fugitive posing as a park ranger shows up and the trio must put aside the family bonding to fight for survival. [Variety]
Saoirse Ronan is set to play the title role in Mary Queen Of Scots, a Michael Hirst-scripted period drama currently without a director. Mary, a Roman Catholic, was imprisoned for many years on charges of plotting to murder Elizabeth I, a Protestant. Elizabeth eventually had her beheaded in 1587. Back in 2008, Scarlett Johansson was Deadline]
Kristen Stewart has dropped out of Nick Cassavetes‘ Cali with reports she’ll be replaced by Amber Heard. [Variety]
Speaking of Stewart, here is a new Japanese trailer for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.
Finally, did you like How to Train Your Dragon? With How to Train Your Dragon 2 set to hit theaters on June 20, 2014 you won’t actually have to wait that long if you want more from the animated Viking adventures as Cartoon Network has a new animated series set to air in the US on September 4 and the first full episode is now available. Check it out below.
