Limitless director Neil Burger will direct a feature film adaptation of Dennis Lehane‘s short story Animal Rescue, which follows a man trying to leave a life of crime, a pit bull, a heist gone wrong, and a killing.
Alessandro Nivola will appear in the pivotal role of Terry Hobbs in Atom Egoyan‘s film, Devil’s Knot, about the conviction of the West Memphis 3, “a trio falsely accused of a triple homicide in a controversial trial that presented no physical evidence. Hobbs is a controversial figure who has consistently denied any role in the murders but has come under suspicion in the 20 years since the crime was committed. He has never been charged and evidence against him is inconclusive. His relationship with his wife Pam Hobbs (Reese Witherspoon) forms the backbone of the story.
Adam Sandler‘s Happy Madison has teamed with Sony to produce an animated film, Tonka, based on the 65 year old truck toyline. “In its 65 years, Tonka has become more than a toy or a brand – Tonka trucks are a rite of passage for kids all around the world. Time spent with these toys creates memories that last a lifetime as kids are inspired to play using the boundaries of their imagination. We look forward to creating a family friendly motion picture that brings the Tonka experience to life.”
Ray Winstone has been offered the role of Noah’s nemesis in Darren Arronofsky’s upcoming bible epic, Noah, joining Russell Crowe, Logan Lerman, Douglas Booth and Emma Watson. This leaves the only remaining casting to be Noah’s wife with Jennifer Connelly and Julianne Moore rumored to be the contenders for the role.
The voice cast of the upcoming Mr. Peabody & Sherman CG animated feature is pretty much locked and ready to go for it’s November 8th, 2013 release. Based on the Jay Ward cartoon, the film will feature Ty Burrell as the voice of Mr. Peabody, is the world’s smartest person — only he’s a dog, and Max Charles as the voice of Sherman, Peabody’s “pet” boy. When the duo use their “WABAC time-traveling machine without permission, events in history spiral out of control and it is up to the duo to put things back on track.” Also in the cast are Stephen Colbert as Paul Peterson, Mr. Peabody’s nemesis, Ellie Kemper as his wife, Paula Peterson, Ariel Winter as their daughter, Winter and Allison Janney portrays Mrs. Grunion.
Anton Yelchin will join the cast of the Jim Jarmusch-directed, centuries-long love affair between two star-crossed vampires, Only Lovers Left Alive. The movie also stars Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska and John Hurt.
Paramount has optioned the spec script Wunderkind written by Patrick Aison, for JJ Abrams‘ Bad Robot. “Wunderkind is an elevated two-handed action/thriller set in the 1970′s following a young Nazi hunter with the CIA and an older Nazi hunter working for the Mossad. The two become reluctantly intertwined in their hunt and shocking twists result.
Chris Hemsworth will star in In The Heart Of The Sea, based on the National Book Award-winning book by Nathaniel Philbrick. The true story, which was Herman Melville‘s inspiration for Moby Dick, tells the “tale of Nantucket whaling ship the Essex, which was stalked and ultimately destroyed by a sperm whale in 1820. Stranded thousands of miles from home, the crew struggled to survive; they were lost at sea for 90 days. Eight were rescued.” Hemsworth would play, “a first mate who was supplanted as captain of the whaling ship by a better connected rival. When the ship was attacked by the sperm whale in the Pacific, he becomes the hero who leads some of them to safety. A total of 20 crewmen, the captain and first mate escaped in small whaling boats. An isolated tropical island was just 1000 miles downwind, but the captain ordered them to head the other way, out of fear of false rumors of flesh-eating savages on the island. Because they headed to South America, the boats were stranded. The survivors were ironically forced to become cannibals, casting lots in one ship to see who had to die and who had to execute him so others could eat and survive. That’s part of the tale, but another big part is the depiction of the New England whaling industry of the 1800s, when men risked their lives to chase and harpoon whales for their oil.”
Columbiana director Olivier Megaton will direct the indie abduction thriller Land of the Living, based on the British novel by Nicci French. The plot “centers on a young advertising executive who is abducted on the streets of Los Angeles, manages to escape and — with almost no help from the police — tracks down her would-be killer.”
