***Demian Bichir in Talks to Join Oliver Stone’s SAVAGES ***First Trailer for LUCKY Starring Colin Hanks ***Diego Luna in Talks for Neill Blomkamp’s ELYSIUM; Cyndi Lauper Joins THE LAST BEAT ***Jason Bateman Eyes Role Opposite Vince Vaughn in the Comedy INSANE LAWS

Demian Bichir in Talks to Join Oliver Stone’s SAVAGES

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 9th, 2011

Director Oliver Stone is filling out the cast for his adaptation of Don Winslow’s Savages. Variety reports that Demian Bichir (Che, Weeds) is in talks to join an increasingly impressive cast that now includes Benecio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Blake Lively, Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson, Emile Hirsch, John Travolta, and Uma Thurman. The story centers on two Laguna Beach marijuana kingpins (Kitsch and Johnson) who encounter a world of trouble when their shared girlfriend (Lively) is kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel. Hayek plays the leader of the cartel, Del Toro plays her right-hand-man, and Bichir is in talks to play Hayek’s two-timing attorney.
Stone has revised the script that was written by Winslow and Shane Salerno. The book’s publisher, Simon & Schuester, recently commissioned Winslow to write a prequel to the book, so if Savages is a success at the box office, we may be seeing a follow-up. Despite Stone’s lackluster work as of late, this fantastic cast gives me high hopes for the film. Production on Savages is scheduled to start on July 6^th. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of the novel. http://collider.com/demian-bichir-savages/95774/

First Trailer for LUCKY Starring Colin Hanks

by Adam Chitwood   Posted: June 9th, 2011

The first trailer for the indie comedy Lucky has been released. The film stars Colin Hanks as an unassuming young man who wins the lottery and marries the girl of his dreams. Oh, and he also likes to kill people (experience should come in handy for his arc on the upcoming season of Dexter). The trailer’s actually alright. At first it seems a little “straight-to-DVD,” but once the premise comes across, Lucky looks like it could be a pretty good quirky comedy. I really like Hanks, and a serial-killer indie comedy actually seems like a good fit for his comedic style. In addition to Hanks, the cast includes Jeffrey Tambor, Ann-Margaret, Mimi Rogers and Ari Graynor. Hit the jump to watch the trailer. http://collider.com/lucky-movie-trailer/95762/

Diego Luna in Talks for Neill Blomkamp’s ELYSIUM; Cyndi Lauper Joins THE LAST BEAT

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 9th, 2011

We’ve got a couple of casting stories for you this evening. First up, Variety reports that Diego Luna is in talks to join director Neill Blomkamp’s (District 9) highly anticipated upcoming sci-fi flick Elysium. The cast now includes Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, William Fichtner, Wagner Moura, Sharlto Copley and Alice Braga. Plot details are under wraps, but Foster recently stated that she plays the head of an alien planet, and we know that the story is set 100 years in the future on a distant planet. Blomkamp wrote and will direct the film which is set to begin filming this summer. Elysium hits theaters on March 1^st, 2013.
Additionally, the perpetually crazy-haired Cyndi Lauper has joined the cast of Robert Saitzyk’s music-centered flick The Last Beat. Written and directed by Saitzyk, the film centers on “a rock star who goes to Paris in a search for a more artistic existence  as a poet and writer.” THR reports that the original soundtrack will feature songs inspired by 70’s music (from Rock to French Pop), and filming is set to commence in Paris this summer. The cast includes Shawn Andrews (Dazed and Confused), French actress Virginie Ledoyen, Cameron Richardson (Hard Breakers) and Seymour Cassel (The Royal Tenenbaums).
http://collider.com/diego-luna-elysium-cyndi-lauper-the-last-beat/95759/

Jason Bateman Eyes Role Opposite Vince Vaughn in the Comedy INSANE LAWS

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 9th, 2011

Jason Bateman is a very busy man. He’s got two comedies opening this summer, The Change-Up and Horrible Bosses, plus he has to keep everyone updated on the Arrested Development movie. Well now he’s in early negotiations to join Vince Vaughn in the comedy Insane Laws. Marking the feature directorial debut of screenwriter Jeremy Garelick (The Break-Up), the film focuses on two best friends whose lives are impacted when their kids begin dating. The situation is exacerbated when when Vaughn’s character’s daughter becomes pregnant.
Deadline reports that the actors recently did a read-through of the script, and that production could begin as soon as the fall. Garelick co-wrote The Break-Up with Vaughn, and performed extensive rewrites on The Hangover (director Todd Phillips claims Garelick was responsible for the lion’s share of the finished script). I think the comedic stylings of Bateman and Vaughn could make for some fantastic on-screen chemistry, so I’m hoping everything comes together on this project. Horrible Bosses opens July 8th, while The Change-Up hits theaters August 5th.
http://collider.com/jason-bateman-insane-laws/95725/