“Glee” star Dianna Agron to play Robert De Niro’s daughter in thriller “Malavita”

July 13, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Out of the cast of Fox’s hit musical series “Glee”, our eye has always been on Dianna Agron as the potential breakout star, and it appears more than ever that she may indeed be graduating to a bright film career: THR reports Agron has landed a role playing daughter to Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer in Luc Bensson’s mob drama “Malavita.”

Based on the darkly comedic novel “Badfellas” by Tonino Benacquista, “Malavita” will follow an American family who moves to the Normandy region of France. They seem normal, but it’s soon revealed the father, played by De Niro, is actually an American mob boss in Witness Protection, who “can’t stop his Mafia ways and begins to impose his will on the small unsuspecting town he lives in. His actions eventually attracts the mob he squealed on.”

Agron is expected to return to “Glee” in its new season, but likely not full time or for every episode. She’s appeared on screen in “Burlesque” and “I Am Number Four”, though those turned out to be duds, and she’s still for that breakout role after losing out on the ones she was shortlisted for, including Gwen Stacy in “The Amazing Spider-Man” and Warner Bros’ “The Seventh Son.”

Actors testing for “The Seventh Son” include Sam Claflin, Felicity Jones and Dianna Agron

March 30, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 5 Comments

Another day, another high profile role every young actor in Hollywood chomping at the bits for. The two male leads of “The Hunger Games” are still up for grabs but another project is hot on its heels and testing some of the hottest rising talent for its two leads.

“The Seventh Son” already has Oscar winner Jeff Bridges attached to play an aging wizard with Julianne Moore being eyed for the role of a witch, but the two teenage roles are crucial as well. Alex Pettyfer and Jennifer Lawrence had been mentioned for the project several months back but it’s unlikely either will sign on now. Variety reports that Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures are currently screen testing and assessing chemistry between several up and coming young actors, including Sam Claflin, Caleb Landry-Jones and James Frecheville for the character of Tom Ward, and Imogen Poots, Felicity Jones, Alicia Vikander, Gabrielle Wild and Dianna Agron for the role of Alice.

Formerly titled “The Spook’s Apprentice” or “The Last Apprentice”, the film will be directed by Sergei Bodrov and is adapted by Max Borenstein from Joseph Delaney’s young adult series about “a 13-year-old who’s the seventh son of a seventh son and learns about wizardry from a forbidding spook.” The story takes place in the 1700′s and judging by the selection of actors testing, the 13-year-old will be aged up quite a bit for the big screen.

We take a closer look at each of the actors hoping to front the franchise.

REVIEW: “I Am Number Four” disappoints with shallow romance and action

February 20, 2011 | Posted by Stephanie Moncada in Reviews 2 Comments

Adapted from the New York Times’ best selling novel of the same name, “I Am Number Four” attempts to build a franchise on a story surrounding John Smith (Alex Pettyfer), an alien teenager from the planet Lorien. After his planet’s destruction by the Mogadorians, he and eight others were shipped off to Earth with their guardians (John’s Henri played by Timothy Olyphant). For reasons unexplained in the movie, the Loriens have to be killed in sequential order, and with the first three dead, John is next.

Assuming their new identities, John and Henri leave Florida behind in an effort to stay under the radar in Paradise, Ohio. As expected, this just isn’t possible for John as he meets a new friend, the nerdy and helpless Sam (Callan McAuliffe), and a girl, his love interest Sarah Hart (Dianna Agron), both of which put him on the bad side of the stereotypical high school jock (Jake Abel). John is pushed into heroics to defend them and his problems only multiply as his powers begin to develop.

“I Am Number Four” Extended Look

December 22, 2010 | Posted by Lindsey Young in Videos Leave a comment

As if any more hype was needed, Dreamworks/Disney have released yet another trailer and a new poster for their upcoming film “I Am Number Four,” which stars Alex Pettyfer, Dianna Agron, and Timothy Olyphant. Just add this trailer to the slew of trailers, movie posters, and movie tie-in covers that have been released in the past couple of weeks. Unlike the previous trailers, however, this one provides a couple of never-before-seen scenes and a little more background to the film’s plot, including a look into Number Four’s (Pettyer) complicated past before he meets the girl-next-door Sarah (Agron).

“I Am Number Four” boasts a nice list of up-and-coming stars. Along with Pettyfer and Agron is Jake Abel (“Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”), as well as Teresa Palmer (“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”) who can also been seen in this new trailer. The film hits theatres February 18th, 2011.

Check out the extended look, as well as a new poster below:

Dakota Fanning leaves “If I Stay”; who should take her place?

December 10, 2010 | Posted by Lindsey Young and Linda Ge in Casting, Features 15 Comments

Up until recently, Dakota Fanning was the front-runner for the leading role of Mia in Summit’s “If I Stay”, a film based on the YA novel of the same name. Although there was never an official casting announcement, Fanning was reported to be in the final stages of joining the film under the direction of Brazilian filmmaker Heitor Dhalia. Fans of the actress and the book were quite certain that Fanning had nabbed the role and that it was only a matter of time before the film would commence pre-production. However, today the LA Times reported that Fanning has opted out of the movie and is no longer in the running to star. Aside from Summit’s “Breaking Dawn” films (the two-part finale of the Twilight Saga), Fanning will not be committing to any other projects with the exception of smaller projects as she wants to finish high school before committing to any significantly demanding roles.

Now that Fanning is out, who should take her place? Read below for some of our thoughts.

Watch: Double dose of Alex Pettyfer in new trailers for “I Am Number Four” and “Beastly”

December 7, 2010 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 1 Comment

Pulling double duty in two highly anticipated teen-driven movies and surely more on the way, Alex Pettyfer looks poised to become the next young Hollywood heartthrob. A modern re-imagining of “Beauty and the Beast”, “Beastly” sees Pettyfer as a beautiful but selfish and vein teenager who is cursed with a monstrous appearance when he refuses to show kindness to a sorceress in disguise (played by Mary-Kate Olsen). Mentored by Neil Patrick Harris and falling for Vanessa Hudgens, I think we all know how this story goes. “Beastly” releases in theaters on March 11, 2011.

Hitting theaters a month earlier on February 18, 2011, is “I Am Number Four”, the much hyped teen alien actioner that sees Pettyfer as an out of this world fugitive who lands in high school and in the arms of “Glee”‘s Dianna Agron. Which Pettyfer movie are you looking forward to more? Which will make him a star? Seems to us that “I Am Number Four” has more broad appeal and looks much less hokey than “Beastly”, but watch both trailers below and judge for yourself!

An Inside Look at “I Am Number Four”

November 19, 2010 | Posted by Lindsey Young in Videos 1 Comment

One of 2011′s many highly anticipated films is D.J. Caruso’s “I Am Number Four” which stars Alex Pettyfer, Dianna Agron, and Timothy Olyphant. The film is based on the book of the same name and it tells the story of a high school student named John Smith (Pettyfer) who is actually an alien on the run from another alien race who have annihilated his home planet. Three of his fellow species have been hunted down and John a.k.a. “Number Four” is next. Along with his guardian Henri (Olyphant), he settles down in a small town in Ohio hoping to evade his enemies and it is here that he begins to develop supernatural abilities, all the while falling in love with the human girl Sarah (Agron). A teaser trailer and a full length trailer have already been released and there has already been tons of hype surrounding the film’s release. Both trailers boast amazing special effects and the film is sure to be a favourite among the YA audience. Here is an inside look into the film!

“I Am Number Four” hits theatres February 18th, 2011.

dianna agron