1.) It has been widely believed since July that Johnny Depp would star in Wes Anderson‘s next film, The Grand Budapest Hotel. Well, Anderson himself has now debunked that rumor, telling The Huffington Post, “Johnny is somebody I would love to work with at some point, but he’s not going to be in this movie.” It sounds like the film has indeed been cast, but Anderson isn’t prepared to make the announcement yet. He did at least concede that Bill Murray hasn’t been lying about having a role and, unless other casting news has been false as well, so does Jude Law and Angela Lansbury.
2.) Yet another Abraham Lincoln movie is beginning to come together, with this one focusing on Lincoln’s youth and those who influenced him growing up. The Green Blade Rises will be produced by Terrence Malick and mark the directorial debut of A.J. Edwards, who worked as an editor on Malick’s last three films. Wes Bentley (The Hunger Games will play Abe’s first teacher, with Jason Clarke (Lawless) and Brit Marling (Another Earth playing his parents. Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds) will play Abe’s stepmother, who came into the picture after his mother died when Lincoln was just 9 years old. [Deadline]
3.) Mike Tyson, Audrina Patridge and Kendra Wilkinson are the latest to join the talented cast of Scary Movie 5. Ugh. Sorry, slow news day. It hits theaters on April 19, 2013, with Black Swan being the central spoof this time around. [Blackfilm]
4.) Hey, speaking of Black Swan, Fox Searchlight is courting Natalie Portman to star in Jackie, a film about Jackie Kennedy in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy. Darren Aronofsky and Rachel Weisz were once set to make the film together, but that fell apart when the couple split up. Word is Portman likes the script, but won’t commit until she knows who the director will be. Noah Oppenheim, who to this point has worked mostly as a TV producer on shows like “Today,” wrote the script. [Deadline]
5.) Columbia Pictures has confirmed the return of both Andrew Garfield and director Marc Webb for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which is slated for a May 2014 release. There was some concern about Webb’s availability as he hasn’t yet fulfilled his contract with Fox Searchlight that dates back to (500) Days of Summer. It is worth noting, however, Emma Stone is yet to sign on, though she is expected to.
