Casting

Pacino Departs “Despicable Me 2,” Benjamin Bratt Steps In

Deadline reports that Al Pacino has departed “Despicable Me 2,” the sequel to the 2010 animated hit of the same name without the “2.” Pacino was supposed to voice the villain of the film; Benjamin Bratt has already been brought in to replace him. The movie is set for a July 3rd release. Pacino supposedly...
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Michael Caine Joins Nolan’s “Interstellar”

Some directors like working with the same actors. I don’t mean franchises, where obviously the same actors are going to keep coming back as the same characters, but directors who keep casting the same people, no matter what movie they’re doing next. Hey, it makes sense–no matter what business you’re in, wouldn’t you prefer to...
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Jessica Chastain Is Up For “Interstellar”

Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” is getting a pretty stellar cast. Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway were already set to star, and how word comes from Deadline that Jessica Chastain is in talks to join in the fun in a third leading role. As always with a Nolan movie, everything is top secret. We do know a...
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The Latest in Bradley Cooper News: Spielberg to Direct Him in “American Sniper,” Wells to Direct Him in “Chef”

We have had a busy Bradley Cooper news week. First he dropped out of “Jane Got a Gun” to concentrate on finishing David O. Russell’s “American Hustle” and doing the required promotion for “The Hangover Part III,” and now he’s picked up some directors for other projects. Steven Spielberg will make Cooper’s “American Sniper” his...
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Michael B. Jordan Rumored For “Fantastic Four”

The Wrap says that Michael B. Jordan is in talks for a role in the new version Marvel is planning of its “Fantastic Four” comic series. Josh Trank, of “Chronicle” fame, is set to direct. Jordan actually appeared in “Chronicle,” but may be better known now for his role on TV’s “Friday Night Lights” and...
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Lily Collins To Star In “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”

After being unable to hold onto a director or cast a female lead, the adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” seemed dead. How silly to think that. Like the zombies in the title, it has apparently staggered back to life. Variety  reports that Burr Steers now will direct, with Lily Collins taking the lead...
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Bradley Cooper Leaves “Jane Got a Gun”

I used to work in customer service for a mail order company.Sometimes we’d get orders where we clearly messed up–leaving a product out of the box, putting in the wrong color item, things like that. In other cases, the customer messed up, maybe leaving something off their address that made the package come back or...
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Lily James Is “Cinderella”

Apparently Lily James has a taste for fragile footwear. After an interminably long process, Deadline reports that Lily James will play the title role in Disney’s new live version of “Cinderella.” Kenneth Branagh will direct and Cate Blanchett will play the wicked stepmother. James was seen on the big screen in “Wrath of the Titans,”...
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Michael Fassbender To Star In “Macbeth”

Actors don’t like to say the title “Macbeth” in a theater, but they love being in the Scottish Play. There aren’t any superstitions about saying the play’s title on a sound stage, or location shoot, though, as far as I know, but nevertheless, there haven’t been many film adaptations of the play, despite it being...
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Olga Kurylenko Takes On “Vampire Academy”

Would you put Olga Kurylenko in charge of a school? You would if it was a Vampire Academy. Or a modeling school. Both of those would work. However, we’re only talking about the former. Deadline reports that Kurylenko will star in “Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters,” an adaptation of the series of novels by Richelle Mead....
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Jamie Foxx Up For “Annie”

It took a long time to get this project together, but now it looks like it’s moving quickly. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jamie Foxx is in talks to star in “Annie,” the new adaptation of the classic musical. Quvenzhane Wallis is set to play the title role. Will Gluck is directing; he did a...
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Jeremy Irvine and Phoebe Fox Join “The Woman in Black: Angel of Death”

“The Woman in Black” was a surprise hit last year, a nifty little horror film that initially sold itself on Daniel Radcliffe’s name, then won fans because it actually was pretty good. Needless to say, when a movie that doesn’t cost a lot makes earns a lot, a sequel is in order–even if the main...
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Johnny Depp Set For “Into the Woods”

The long in development film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” has finally added another cast member, it seems. The Hollywood Reporter says Johnny Depp is close to signing a deal to star in the movie. Rob Marshall will direct; Depp and Marshall worked together on “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” so...
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Shorts: Release Date for “Nebraska,” Debut For Minaj, Money for “Iron Man 3″

Let’s catch up on some small bits of news: Were you worried that there wasn’t enough Nicki Minaj out there? Never fear, now we have word from The Hollywood Reporter that Minaj will be making her film debut in “The Other Woman,” a comedy starring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Kate Upton. Nick Cassavetes directs...
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Jon Favreau To Do Everything In “Chef”

Thanks to the first two “Iron Man” movies, Jon Favreau’s name is now associated with blockbuster action franchise type movies. Of course he got his start in indies like “Swingers,” which he wrote and starred in, and “Made,” which was his directorial debut, and now he’s returning to that DIY style of movie. By DIY,...
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