Anna Kendrick and Gemma Arterton Join Ryan Reynolds in Psychological Thriller “The Voices”

April 22, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

voices Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton and Anna Kendrick are hearing things. According to Deadline, the trio are set to begin filming psychological thriller “The Voices” imminently in Berlin, with Reynolds in the role of a “lovable but strange bathtub factory worker” with an unrequited crush on a co-worker.

Iranian filmmaker Marjane Satrapi will direct the fantastical story, which really picks up when Reynolds’ Jerry is implicated in the accidental death of a co-worker (the aforementioned crush? It’s unclear), and goes on a journey with the help of his evil talking cat and benevolent talking dog. So there’s that. No word on who Kendrick and Arterton will play, though likely they aren’t just lending their voices to talking animals.

Arterton is most known for modestly successful actioners like “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” and “Clash of the Titans” and was most recently seen in “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” opposite Jeremy Renner and British musical drama “Song for Marion.” Kendrick earned an Oscar nomination for her role opposite George Clooney in “Up in the Air” and most recently headlined surprise comedy musical hit “Pitch Perfect”. She will shoot another musical, “The Last Five Years”, opposite Broadway star Jeremy Jordan after wrapping on “Voices.”

Gemma Arterton to play one half of “Wright Girls” duo in thriller-comedy

April 9, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 6 Comments

Gemma Arterton is about to take the plight of competitive young actresses to the extreme as THR reports the young Brit is in talks to star in thriller/comedy “Wright Girls.” The film, based on a Japanese film called “2LDK” (though it sounds like it could easily have been pulled from real life), revolves around two actresses who live and work together on a successful TV show, while pretending to be best friends offscreen. In reality, they can’t stand each other and begin going to violent extremes to eliminate the other as they discover they’re up for the same movie role.

Andy Fickman is in negotiations to direct from a script written by “Easy A” scribe Bert Royal. The other actress has not been cast; Megan Fox was reportedly attached at one point but is now out of the project completely.

The female-centric comedy will be a nice change for Arterton, who has made a name playing the damsel in distress in big budget action flicks with male protagonists, from “Quantum of Solace” to “Clash of the Titans” to “Price of Persia.” She recently wrapped up vampire flick “Byzantium” opposite Saoirse Ronan and “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” opposite Jeremy Renner.

“Captain America” star Hayley Atwell among actresses vying to star in “One Shot” opposite Tom Cruise

August 14, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

It-Girl of the moment Brit Marling decided to keep “Company” with Robert Redford and in the process has left open the high profile female lead opposite Tom Cruise in thriller “One Shot”, which Marling could not fit into her busy schedule. THR now reports actresses including Hayley Atwell, Rosamund Pike and Alexa Davalos are vying for the role of a defense lawyer in the film based on the Lee Childs series of books revolving around anti-hero Jack Reacher. All actresses in the running tested for the role yesterday.

Cruise will be Reacher, described in the books as “six-foot-five-inch hulk of a man and a dangerous drifter with a propensity for fighting over talking.” So the film will be taking some liberties with the source material, to say the least. Atwell, Pike, Davalos and their other unnamed rivals will be testing for the role of Helen Rodin, who must square off against her own father, the district attorney, when she defends a sniper against multiple murder charges. Christopher McQuarrie adapted the screenplay and will be directing, with production slated to begin on September 27th.

Fun fact: Davalos and Pike both played the role of ancient Greek princess Andromeda opposite Sam Worthington as demigod Perseus – Davalos in 2010′s “Clash of the Titans” and Pike in next year’s sequel “Wrath of the Titans” – and Atwell came close at one point as well. Will the “Captain America” actress emerge victorious this time around?

Gemma Arterton sings a “Song for Marion”

July 8, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

The influence of “Glee” on pop culture is going international. The Daily Mail reports Gemma Arterton will be starring opposite Vanessa Redgrave and Terrence Stamp in rock-choir musical “Song for Marion”. Producer Ken Marshall told the UK paper, “Choirs have always been a massive part of the British social fabric” and that the mega success of American TV series “Glee” has contributed to its increase in popularity.

Christopher Eccleston and Anne Reid co-star in the film directed by Paul Andrew Williams, which centers around Redgrave’s Marion, who is a member of a local progressive choir run by Arterton’s character, and both women try to convince Stamp’s Arthur to join them. Musical numbers will feature songs by Motorhead, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and Cyndi Lauper. “Both Vanessa and Terence can sing, and each has a big solo spot number,” Marshall tells The Daily Mail, but there is no word yet if Arterton will lend her vocal stylings to the film. The 6-week shoot begins on July 18th.

While Arterton herself has claimed to various reporters she has half a dozen projects in development, including titles such as “Waiting for Robert Capa”, “The Key to the Street”, “In With The Outlaws” and Michael Winterbottom’s “London Fields”, recent news reports only have her signed on for vampire flick “Byzantium” opposite Saoirse Ronan and “Crooked House” with Matthew Goode and Gabriel Byrne. She recently dropped out of “Clash of the Titans” sequel “Wrath of the Titans” for undisclosed reasons and wrapped “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” opposite Jeremy Renner.

Surf’s up for “Twilight” star Xavier Samuel, joining Sam Worthington in “Drift”

June 16, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Xavier Samuel is trading in his (non-existent) fangs for a surfboard, as Variety reports the “Twilight” series star has joined the cast of “Drift”, an Aussie surf drama starring Sam Worthington. Another fellow Aussie actor, Myles Pollard, also stars in the film.

A period film set in the 1970′s, “Drift” follows two brothers (presumably Worthington and Pollard) who open a surf shop and end up building an empire. The film will be directed by Ben Nott and Morgan O’Neill, who also wrote the sc the script.

Samuel retreated back to his native Australia after a breakout role playing vampire Riley in the third installment of the “Twilight” series, “Eclipse” in 2009. Around that time he also completed filming on Roland Emmerich’s Shakespearean political thriller “Anonymous”. Meanwhile, back in Australia, Samuel filmed shark attack horror “Bait 3D” and “The Hangover” inspired “A Few Best Men”, in which he plays the English groom who gets into some crazy shenanigans while visiting Australia with his three best men. Perhaps Worthington, now a bona fide action star thanks to the likes “Avatar” and “Clash of the Titans”, can give the slightly less experienced actor some tips on how to garner more international success.

Production on “Drift” gets underway on August 1st in the Margaret River region of Western Australia and is aiming for a 2012 worldwide release.

Rising British actor Luke Evans is “The Amateur American”

March 11, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

British actor Luke Evans is the next young star with still unproven mettle getting a potential blockbuster built just for him. Deadline reports FilmNation Entertainment has bought and will develop “The Amateur American” as a starring vehicle for Evans, who they are banking on to become one of the next hot young stars to break out in a big way. The action-thriller will be written and directed by Ross Katz, and expected to begin shooting in September. The film will center around Evans, who will play “a young American living in Paris who accepts a job working for a shadowy employer and soon finds himself framed for murder and caught up in a web of deceit.”

Evans follows in the footsteps of names like Taylor Lautner and Alex Pettyfer, who have had studios and producers develop projects around them in recent months, though to this day, neither has showcased any ability to carry a movie. Dreamworks is said to be developing a James Hunt biopic for Pettyfer, though the highly disappointing box office numbers for their projected hit “I Am Number Four” (coupled with even worse numbers for “Beastly”) may make the studio pause for a moment. Lautner, on the other hand, reportedly has many offers on the table but his first feature that doesn’t come with “Twilight”‘s international brand recognition doesn’t open until September. Given Pettyfer’s flops, Lautner seems like a highly risky investment as well.

Evans, at age 32, is a bit older than his tween-friendly counterparts, but age and maturity might given him an edge over the competition, bringing a gravitas and believability to becoming an action hero that both guys and girls, of any age, can root for. The producers reportedly put their faith in Evans after seeing his work in “The Raven”, in which he stars opposite John Cusack. He has also had plenty of action-movie experience, playing Apollo in “Clash of the Titans”, Zeus” in the upcoming “Immortals” and Aramis in “The Three Musketeers”. On top of that, his impressive dramatic chops are also on full display as the kind and grounded Andy opposite Gemma Arterton in “Tamara Drewe”.

Our money is on Evans.

Rosamund Pike to play Andromeda in “Wrath of the Titans”; out of “Superman” race

February 8, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

“Barney’s Version” actress and recent “Superman” female lead finalist Rosamund Pike is close to finalizing a deal with Warner Bros to play legendary Greek mythological princess Andromeda in “Clash of the Titans” sequel “Wrath of the Titans”, according to Deadline. She will be replacing Alexa Davalos, who played the role in the first film and is unavailable for the sequel. Both from the same studio, this role takes Pike out of the running for the still unspecified (though rumored to be villainous Ursa) role in “Superman”.

Five lesser-known actresses had previously been reported to be testing for Andromeda, but it appears Warner Bros decided to go for a bigger name, as even names like Gwenyth Paltrow had been tossed around for what is described to be a “major role”. In traditional mythology Andromeda marries Perseus (reprised by Sam Worthington) after he frees her from the sea monster Cetus (Krakken in the film version). However, in the first film, Perseus and Andromeda part ways while he forms a romantic bond with mythical priestess Io (Gemma Arterton also confirmed to be returning) so it is unclear if “Wrath” will attempt to steer the story back towards canon or if there’s a new storyline written for the sidelined princess. Pike will join Worthington, Arterton, also-returning Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes and fellow newbies Edgar Ramirez as Ares, the God of War and Toby Kebbell as Agenor.

Pike, a former Bond girl and known to many current audiences as Jane Bennett in Joe Wright’s “Pride and Prejudice”, was also mentioned for a possible role in this summer’s “X-Men: First Class”, that of Moira MacTaggert, a role that went to Rose Byrne. This awards season she won raves for both her performances in “Barney’s Version” and “Made in Dagenham”.

“Wrath of the Titans” begins filming in March under the direction of Jonathan Liebesman.

Five actresses shortlisted for Andromeda in “Wrath of the Titans”

January 7, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 4 Comments

This one is a bit of surprise, since Alexa Davalos played the role of Andromeda in “Clash of the Titans” and it seemed her storyline with Sam Worthington’s Perseus was neatly wrapped up at the end of that movie, but The Wrap reports Warner Bros is bringing back the princess who, in traditional Greek mythology, marries Perseus after he frees her from the sea monster Cetus. However, since the film deviated greatly from legend by having Perseus fight the Kraken instead of Cetus and link him romantically more to mythological priestess Io, played by Gemma Arterton, it is unclear what role Andromeda will now play in the next chapter “Wrath of the Titans”, or, for that matter, why Davalos is being replaced.

In addition to testing five relatively unknown actresses for the role, Edgar Ramirez, hot off his breakout role in “Carlos”, is in negotiations to play the God of War, Ares, and Toby Kebbell will play Agenor. Previously, Javier Bardem and James Franco had been sought for those roles, respectively. The Wrap also states that Bill Nighy is being sought to play Olympian Hephaestus.

But let us turn our attention to the five young women who are vying to play Andromeda opposite Worthington’s Persues. Here’s a look at Hayley Atwell, Clemence Poesy, Georgina Haig, Janet Montgomery and Dominique McElligott:

Andrew Garfield and Gemma Arterton to star in Robert Capa biopic?

December 23, 2010 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 8 Comments

Thank you, Santa, for Gemma Arterton and her complete inability to keep anything to herself. Becoming somewhat notorious in recent months for speaking out about everything, from which of her films she thinks aren’t very good (“Clash of the Titans”) to meeting with directors for projects that are far from confirmed (“Alien” prequel, among others), Arterton drops another bombshell in her latest interview. Announced quite casually to Total Film upon winning their Hottest Actress award, Arterton states that a biopic of early 20th century wartime photojournalist Robert Capa is in the works (“confirmed” is the word she uses), with Spider-Man Andrew Garfield in the title role and Arterton playing his partner, Gerda Taro, the first female photojournalist to cover war from the front lines.

Though Arterton simply calls it “Capa” to Total Film, the film in question is presumably “Waiting for Robert Capa”, reported last October to be directed by Michael Mann for Columbia Pictures, adapted from “Esperando a Robert Capa”, by Spanish writer Susana Fortes. That was the one and only news to come forth regarding the film until Arterton’s pronouncement this month. There is no word on whether Mann, who is at work on producing and directing HBO series “Luck”, is still attached.

Furthermore, keep in mind that if half of the projects Arterton claim are in the works actually are in the works, she would be putting Tom Hardy to shame. Among the films she says she is attached to are “The Key to the Street”, from a script written years ago by Christopher Nolan, “In With The Outlaws”, a western/comedy co-starring Gabriel Byrne and Timothy Spall, Michael Winterbottom’s “London Fields”, and separate biopics of Marianne Faithfull and Courtney Love. Phew!

Arterton is currently on the West End stage in “The Master Builder” and will then begrudgingly do that sequel she’s contractually obligated to do, “Wrath of the Titans”. Garfield is in the heart of shooting “Spider-Man” and has never hinted at what, if any, projects he might take on after. Due to our personal bias, we hope “Capa” can get off the ground with Garfield and Arterton, but we’ll be taking this one with a giant grain of salt.

James Franco wanted for “Clash” sequel “Wrath of the Titans”

November 8, 2010 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given how much buzz he has going for him right now due to the revelatory performance he gives in “127 Hours”, Production Weekly reports that James Franco is being sought after by Warner Bros to co-star with Sam Worthington and Gemma Arterton as Phoenician King Agenor in the sequel to this year’s critically panned but commercially successful “Clash of the Titans”, entitled “Wrath of the Titans”. PW also reports Javier Bardem, another Oscar contender for “Biutiful”, is being sought to play God of War Ares.

Jonathan Liebesman is directing the entire original cast who are returning (some perhaps only because they are contractually obligated to do so) for a shoot in January 2011. Perseus himself, Sam Worthington, has gone on record to say he realizes the first movie was problematic and he hopes they will be rectified in the sequel. He tells Total Film, “It got roasted but it made half a billion dollars. And when we do the second one we can rectify the mistakes of the first… I want to change Perseus. For a start, don’t have a f*ing shaved head. This time I’m going to have ringlets.” Well, there you have it. Let’s hope Liebesman and the creative team are thinking a little bit bigger.

clash of the titans