It will kind of sneak up on you...again.

“Insidious” cost about $1.5 million. It earned almost $100 million worldwide. Are you surprised that Alliance Films is stepping up to make a sequel?

Deadline says Leigh Whannell is back to write for the second and James Wan is in talks to return as director. No word on whether Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne, who starred in the first movie, will be back; I’m sure if they aren’t interested or available that they could start a new story with new characters. I mean, it’s a possessed kid movie–they could easily kill off the parents and have him move in with new relatives to terrorize. Didn’t they do that with one of the “Omen” movies?

Writer Whannell had this to say:

“Insidious was the most fun project I’ve ever worked on. From start to finish it was an absolute joy—from the writing of the screenplay, all the way to the first screening of the film at the Toronto film festival.  I believe that James Wan and I achieved what we set out to do—create a horror film for horror fans…Both of us feel that we can mine more terror from the world we created and know that if we assemble every member of the original team, we will have an amazing continuation of the story for fans of the first film.”

Go ahead and mine that terror, Leigh…

Jessica Chastain will be part of a he said/she said.

Well, they’re calling it a double feature. Here’s the deal–Deadline says that Jessica Chastain and Joel Edgerton have signed on to star in two films, “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His” and “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Hers.” The two films will show different perspectives of the same story. You get bonus points if you figure out that one POV is “his” and one is “hers.”

Ned Benson is writing and directing both scripts. Kirk D’Amico, CEO of Myriad Pictures, is very excited about the project:

“Ned has created rich and engaging characters. They are complex, and it is unique to have two different scripts to tell the story. It doesn’t matter which script you read first, you absolutely want to read the other perspective.”

You know, it seems to me that it would be more interesting to have different writers and directors for each film. I’d give two writers the same outline, tell one the protagonist is the male and the other that the protagonist is the female and see what happens. I’d like to see that. But it looks like I won’t.

In case you were wondering, both movies will be able to stand on their own:

“We have to make both films work on their own, both for the buyers but also for the audiences. Together these films will describe a fully, more complete look at these characters and their lives.”

You know what will be really annoying? If you see one of the films, go to buy a ticket to the second, there’s a mix-up and you suddenly find yourself sitting in the theater saying, “Hey…I saw this one already…”

No word on when exactly this will happen, but Myriad is bringing the project to the Berlin Film Festival to drum up interest.

Bridget Jones is having problems again...or maybe not.

Is it possible that the third Bridget Jones film is in trouble? If so, how will we all go on? What shall we do? Where shall we go?

Sarcasm aside, yesterday there were rumors flying that the sequel was in trouble, with Hugh Grant leaving over problems with the script. The film had already suffered a recent bout of instability when “Bridesmaids” director Paul Feig left the project, but with Peter Cattaneo stepping in, it seemed like all was back to well.

And according to Deadline, they really are. It would be fun to imagine Hugh Grant standing up in the middle of a table read, throwing down his script and mumbling, “This is shite,” then striding out to his Very Expensive Movie Star Sports Car to leave the project forever, but apparently that did not happen.  Deadline says that their sources insist that while the script is still being tweaked, they are definitely making it this year and previous Jones stars Grant, Renee Zellweger, and Colin Firth are “are determined to make it.” The best part is that Deadline’s Mike Fleming promises he will execute said sources if they turn out to be wrong. So this is a win wn for the rest of us–if the movie gets made, fine, if there really is trouble, well, we’ll finally get to see what happens to tipsters who tip the wrong way.

Back to Broadway?

Okay, yes, I know this is a movie blog, not a theater blog, but this teeters on the line between both. And since it deals with such a beloved movie, I thought I’d bring it up.

The movie in question is “Back to the Future,” with Deadline reporting that director Robert Zemeckis is in very early talks with his co-writer Bob Gale and composer Alan Silvestri to turn the movie into a musical.

This brings up some interesting questions. For example:

• I know we’ve had helicopters on stage (Miss Saigon), a crashing chandelier (Phantom of the opera) and actors falling out of the ceiling (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), but a Delorean racing at high speed to catch some lightning and travel through time? In theater, there’s a way around everything, but it’s not like people are going to pay Broadway prices to have people onstage point out into the distance and say, “Look! There he goes!” while you’re supposed to imagine the car speeding by.
• Would they use any songs from the original? Would it be too expensive to license “Johnny B. Good?” Will Huey Lewis give out “The Power of Love?”
• What about all that stuff in the mall parking lot? Will they just have a gang of terrorists running in as opposed to driving around in a VW van?

Well, anyway, hits have come from more improbable sources. It will be interesting to see if this happens, and even more interesting to see who would write the score (which I’m guessing would be heavily ’50s influenced).

Russell Crowe may be picking pairs of animals.

Casting rumors! And today those rumors are from the Biblical side of Hollywood.

Deadline reports that Darren Aronofsky is hoping to put Russell Crowe at the helm of the ark in “Noah,” Aronofsky’s epic version of the Old Testament story. Early on in the development of the project there were stories that said Aronofsky wanted Christian Bale for the role, but either that was completely false or there was something that couldn’t be worked out between them. But if you can’t get Bale, it would be hard to argue with the choice of Crowe as a presence with, shall we say, Biblical heft. And I bet he can grow a bangin’ beard.

Aronofsky is also supposed to be looking at Liam Neeson for a role in the film, but it’s unclear what that would be. Let’s see, we can assume that Neeson could take Crowe in any fight because Neeson can take anyone in any fight. Therefore, Neeson must be playing someone more powerful than Crowe’s Noah. That would leave God. I guess that makes sense.

John Logan did a rewrite of Aronofsky and Ari Handel’s original script. Logan wrote “Gladiator.” Could he have made Noah more Crowe-ish?

The biggest barrier for Aronofsky may be Crowe’s schedule. Busy Crowe has “The Man with the Iron Fists” coming out this year, and also played Jor-El in “Man of Steel,” out later this year. He’s filming “Broken City” with Mark Wahlberg, then will play Javert in “Les Miserables.” He’s also rumored to be doing a cameo as Richard Burton in Ron Howard’s race car drama “Rush.” So get ready for lots of Crowe this year and next year.

John Hawkes joins the Elmore Leonard universe.

The prolific Elmore Leonard has had many of his novels and stories make it to the big screen. Some were good (“Out of Sight,” “Get Shorty,” “3:10 to Yuma”–both versions, the TV series “Justified”), some bad (“52 Pick-Up,” “The Big Bounce”). Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown” was a well-liked Leonard adaptation that featured two characters, Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara, played respectively by Samuel L. Jackson and Robert DeNiro. Now ComingSoon (via paywalled Variety) reports that an adaptation of Leonard’s 1978 novel “The Switch” is finally making it to the big screen, this time with Yasiin Bey and John Hawkes starring as Robbie and Gara. Dan Schechter is writing and directing. They’ve eliminated the “the” from the title, leaving it as just “Switch,” presumably to avoid confusion with the dreadful Jennifer Aniston movie “The Switch.”

Here’s the synopsis of the book:

Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara have lots in common—time in the same slammer, convictions for grand theft auto, and a plan for a big score. They’re going to snatch the wife of a Detroit developer and collect some easy ransom money. They don’t figure on a bum of a husband who has a secret mistress and no desire to get his wife back. Or on his crazy, beautiful broad of a housewife who’s going to join Ordell and Louis in the slickest, saviest crime of all.

No word on when this will start up, but it looks like the kidnapped wife is a great role for the right actress.

That isn’t the real title of the movie. Unfortunately. Although we may get to see Shia LaBeouf killed off in some gruesome way. We can but hope. We will at least see him get beaten up a few times. Hip, hip, hooray!!!

The movie is actually titled The Necessary Death Of Charlie Countryman, with LaBeouf starring as the titular Countryman. This is a movie that has been on, off, and on again. And has had two names attached to star.

Dark Horizons reports that in 2010 LaBeouf was attached but had other commitments. Then Zac Efron was attached for a brief period. Now, with his other commitments completed, LaBeouf is attached once again and it looks as though The Necessary Death Of Charlie Countryman will finally happen.

The plot follows a mourning Countryman who travels to Europe to find himself, and instead falls in love. Unfortunately the girl in question is already seeing a crime boss who doesn’t take kindly to the attention she is getting.

Matt Drake wrote the script, while Fredrik Bond is set to direct. Shooting is to begin in may in Eastern Europe.

We’ve known for some time that the Charles Bronson classic Death Wish was heading for a remake, but details were very thin on the ground. No longer.

Just a few days after it was revealed The Grey director Joe Carnahan is writing and directing the remake of the 1974 original, the man himself has imparted some details on his mindset as he sets about attempting to please fans and attract a new audience.

According to MTV Movies he revealed on Twitter:

“Guys. I’m doing ‘Death Wish.’ But this version is a re-imagining of the book and set in present day Los Angeles. The L.A. of ‘Collateral’. It’s on buses, cabs, metro trains. I want to show an unseen version of L.A. L.A. on foot. Prowling. Hunting. The vast emptiness of downtown.”

This all sounds positive. Collateral is a great film, and that dark, moody, stalkerish vibe would work exceptionally well for Death Wish. I’m in favor.

There was some confusion when Carnahan mentioned writing for Frank Grillo. That led to some assuming Grillo was to play the Paul Kersey lead in the Death Wish remake. But that appears not to be the case. Which leaves the door open for “go-to tough guy” Liam Neeson to land that role. Hopefully.

Will Smith to the rescue for "Winter's Tale."

If  you are an Oscar winning screenwriter and a successful producer, chances are you have some favors you can call in when you need a hand. Of course if you are an Oscar winning screenwriter and a successful producer, chances are even better that you are not reading this, but nevertheless–

According to Vulture, Akiva Goldsman is the award winning screenwriter and producer in question, and Russell Crowe and Will Smith are supplying the favors. Goldsman’s plan to make his directorial debut with an adaptation of Mark Helprin’s novel “Winter’s Tale” had been hanging by the slimmest of threads because of an inability to get financing. The problem? Let’s just say that beloved as any work may be, Hollywood doesn’t come running with wads of cash when a book is described as an example of “magical realism.” Unless there’s also a serial killer involved. But if you attach Smith’s and Crowe’s names to a project, the atmosphere around the studios will get a little bit warmer (mostly due to Smith, I should add; it’s not like Crowe has been making hits lately). I talked about the possibility of Crowe’s casting when I first wrote about “Winter’s Tale” in November, but Smith is news.

“Winter’s Tale” is about a burglar who falls in love with a dying girl he meets during a robbery. He tries to manage time to save her, and also must fend off a gangster boss who’s after him. The magical realism comes in the form of a magical city where there are things like flying horses. Now you see the studio’s hesitation–no flying horses in movies unless hobbits or Harry Potter are involved.

Crowe would play the gangster boss and Smith’s role is just described as “a judge.” No one else has been cast, but it seems like they should be able to get one of the “it girls” from the Vanity Fair cover to take a role which requires an actress to languish prettily.

Filming hopefully will begin in September or October.

Justin Timberlake will be Clint Eastwood's rival...for a baseball prospect.

The Justin Timberlake acting career just keeps rolling, while the singing one seems to be down for the count (and golf is waiting in the wings). Now we have news from Deadline that Timberlake has been cast in “Trouble with the Curve,” where he’ll play alongside Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, and Matthew Lillard. Robert Lorenz is directing.

The film is about an aging baseball scout taking one last trip with his daughter to see a prospect. Timberlake will play a rival scout who falls for Adams. I still don’t think we know who plays the prospect, who presumably either can’t throw a curveball or can’t hit one. Lillard’s too old, so they must be just looking for a pro athlete or minor league baseball player who can handle a few lines.

The film is set to be released on September 28th, so you’d think they must be ready to film any moment now. Timberlake also is supposed to be working on “Inside Llewellyn Davis,” the Coen brothers next effort. That’s also filming this month; I saw extras casting notices for it requiring availability throughout February. But Timberlake seems to have a smaller role in that, so I’m sure it’s all been worked out…