1.) Saorise Ronan and Jeff Goldblum have checked into The Grand Budapest Hotel, joining the previously announced Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman in Wes Anderson‘s next film. Though we still don’t have an official logline, Anderson has said the story is set 85 years ago in a Hungarian hotel and is inspired by Billy Wilder and Ernst Lubitsch. The film will shoot early next year. [Variety, The Playlist]
2.) While we’ve already heard comparisons to Inception and 2001: A Space Odyssey for Transcendence, the directorial debut from cinematographer Wally Pfister (The Dark Knight, Inception) with Johnny Depp in the lead role and Christopher Nolan attached as one of the executive producers, the weekend brought our first semblance of a plot summary.
The story will reportedly follow three scientists working on stem cell and advanced computer technology that will change the fundamentals of human life, only to be met by resistance and protest.
The $120 million film is looking at a February start date, while other actors including Christian Bale, James McAvoy, Tobey Maguire, Noomi Rapace and Christoph Waltz are being targeted to surround Depp (presumably as the other two scientists). [The Film Stage, The Wrap]
3.) Warner Bros is hoping to align Kristen Stewart alongside Ben Affleck in Focus. Stewart would play an inexperienced con artist who hooks up (professionally and romantically) with the more seasoned Affleck. The Crazy, Stupid, Love directing tandem of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa will direct and also co-wrote the script. [Deadline]
4.) John Cusack is developing a biopic on controversial radio host Rush Limbaugh. Betty Thomas is attached to direct and will tread familiar territory, as her resume includes the 1997 Howard Stern film Private Parts. The script would explore Limbaugh’s influence on the rise and reinvention of American Talk Radio, with the liberal Cusack stepping into the unlikely shoes of the 61-year-old right-winger. [THR]
5.) Jason Bateman will begin shooting his directorial debut Bad Words this week, and has Allison Janney and Philip Baker Hall co-starring with him. The film is a dark comedy about a middle-aged high-school dropout (Bateman) who finds a loophole and decides to compete in the National Qulll Spelling Bee. Janney and Phillip Baker Hall will play the outraged heads of the spelling bee organization. Its hilariously low stakes competition angle sounds a bit in the vein of Election and Butter, which really couldn’t excite me more. [Deadline]
