1.) When Rupert Wyatt bowed out of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes last week, I knew it wouldn’t be long before a list of potential replacement directors leaked out — especially since Fox’s strict timetable leading up to a May 2014 release was what scared Wyatt off in the first place. Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) is reportedly on the top of a list that also includes J Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed), Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later) Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter), Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage) and Guillermo del Toro.
That’s quite the interesting list of both big names and emerging talents. Coupled with this news was a report that Reeves had given up on the Twilight Zone project he’d been attached to for almost a year, citing “scheduling conflicts.” Smells fishy, right? Warner Bros. has placed an “open director assignment” on The Twilight Zone, so we’ll have to wait and see if anyone else shows interest. Del Toro, aside from sticking out like a sore thumb amongst that group of newer directors, seems a little far fetched given that he’s still in post-production with next summer’s Pacific Rim. [Deadline]
2.) Inglourious Basterds and Rush star Daniel Bruhl has officially joined the cast of A Most Wanted Man, the third feature from former music video director Anton Corbijn (Control, The American). The film’s ridiculous list of acting talent already included Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright and Willem Dafoe. Here’s the official synopsis from the press release via The Playlist:
When a half-Chechen, half-Russian, tortured half-to-death immigrant turns up in Hamburg’s Islamic community, laying claim to his father’s ill gotten fortune, both German and US security agencies take a close interest: as the clock ticks down and the stakes rise, the race is on to establish this most wanted man’s true identity – oppressed victim or destruction-bent extremist?
Poignant, compassionate and thrilling, A Most Wanted Man prickles with tension right through to its last heart-stopping scene. It is a cerebral tale of intrigue that is both contemporary and deeply human, touching on love, rivalry, politics and the world we live in.
3.) Jay Baruchel has confirmed his plans to write a sequel to the hockey comedy Goon, which became a cult hit of sorts when it was released On Demand and in limited theaters earlier this year. You can catch it on Netflix Instant if you need to get caught up. The folks at Collider were kind enough to piece together the series of tweets for us:
GOON 2 will be written by [Jesse Chabot] and myself. Evan Goldberg will be involved as a producer and we will all be working our asses off to make as awesome a flick as possible.
Please know this: GOON is pretty close to sacred for all of us involved and we would only be entertaining the idea of continuing the saga if we were all equally convinced that Doug, Laflamme, Stevesy, the Russians, Rolie, Ogilvy Belchy and Eva were only getting started. We will give them and you guys the epic, violent, heartfelt awesomeness that is not just deserved but required. HIGH. LAND. ERS.
Sorry for the tweet carpet bombing, just wanted to provide context and give appropriate respect to my boy [Jesse Chabot]. And YES [Michael Dowse] is directing.
4.) Bill Murray and Angela Lansbury have officially joined Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. “I’m playing a woman of mystery, it’s a miniscule role,” the “Murder, She Wrote” actress told UK magazine The Gentle Woman. “I’m on the screen probably for less than 5 minutes.” The film will place them alongside the previously confirmed Johnny Depp and Jude Law, while the status of other rumored names like Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe and Adrien Brody is still up in the air. [The Film Stage, Vulture]
5.) Warner Bros. is looking to pair Men in Black helmer Barry Sonnenfeld with Dwayne Johnson for an adaptation of Lore. The graphic novel follows a secret order that defends the world against some not-so-mythological mythological creatures. The project was actually compared to Men in Black back in April, when Warner Bros. reached a seven figure deal to out-bid three other studios and acquire the property as a starring vehicle for The Rock. Doesn’t it seem odd that The Rock has reached a point where studios are shelling out big bucks to acquire properties specifically for him? Aren’t those sorts of deals typically reserved for guys like Tom Cruise and Will Smith? [Deadline]
