Joel Kinnaman to “Run All Night” with Liam Neeson

March 8, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

joel-kinnaman Joel Kinnaman is in final negotiations to play Liam Neeson’s son in action thriller “Run All Night”, according to a THR. Jaume Collet-Serra will direct the film, which revolves around Neeson’s aging hitman as he takes on his former boss to protect his family. Kinnaman will play Neeson’s estranged son, who witnesses a murder and becomes the target of a hit himself. Filming is scheduled to begin this fall.

Kinnaman already had a great career back in his native Sweden, but it was American TV series “The Killing” that put him on Hollywood’s radar. It didn’t hurt that Swedish thriller “Snabba Cash” became a crossover hit with English-speaking audiences as well, and soon Kinnaman began getting cast in big Hollywood movies. He starred in David Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (with an expanded role if and when the sequels get rolling), and alongside Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds in “Safe House.” He recently wrapped up filming what could be his biggest break to date, in Jose Padilha’s reboot of 80s sci-fi action classic “Robocop.”

“The Host” star Boyd Holbrook joins Liam Neeson crime thriller “A Walk Among the Tombstones”

February 14, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

boyd-holbrook Another fast rising star has joined Liam Neeson in crime thriller “A Walk Among the Tombstones”, according to Variety. Model turned actor Boyd Holbrook has joined British thesps Dan Stevens and Ruth Wilson in rounding out the cast of the Scott Frank written and directed film.

Neeson plays an ex-cop now working as a private investigator who is tasked with finding the kidnapped wife of a drug dealer, who soon discovers the kidnappers have committed similar crimes before and have racked up quite a body count in the process. There’s no word yet on who any of the young supporting stars will be playing. Filming begins next month.

Holbook is one of our Faces to Watch in 2013 thanks to a crowded upcoming slate that kicks off next month with the release of Andrew Niccol’s sci-fi actioner “The Host”, in which Holbrook plays a villainous supporting role. He premiered Naomi Foner’s “Very Good Girls” opposite Elizabeth Olsen and Dakota Fanning at Sundance last month, and has also completed work on Christian Bale revenge thriller “Out of the Furnace” and Terrence Malick’s untitled Texas-set romantic drama opposite Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender.

Ruth Wilson joins Liam Neeson in “A Walk Among the Tombstones”

February 13, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

ruth-wilson British rising star Ruth Wilson has landed the female lead role in crime thriller “A Walk Among the Tombstones” opposite Liam Neeson, according to Variety. She also joins “Downton Abbey” star Dan Stevens, who was cast yesterday.

Neeson plays an ex-cop now working as a private investigator who is tasked with finding the kidnapped wife of a drug dealer, who soon discovers the kidnappers have committed similar crimes before and have racked up quite a body count in the process. There’s no word on who Stevens or Wilson will be playing, but filming under the direction of Scott Frank, who also adapted the screenplay, will begin next month.

Wilson, a veteran of British TV who earned a Golden Globe nomination in her acting debut as “Jane Eyre” in a BBC miniseries in 2006, is perhaps most well known for her role on hit British crime series “Luther” opposite Idris Elba. She was last seen in Joe Wright’s “Anna Karenina” starring Keira Knightley and Aaron Johnson, and will next appear in Disney’s redo of “The Lone Ranger” opposite Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, in which she plays the female lead role of Rebecca.

“Downton Abbey” star Dan Stevens to take “A Walk Among the Tombstones” with Liam Neeson

February 12, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Now that he has left PBS series “Downton Abbey”, rising British actor Dan Stevens is having no problem transitioning to big screen roles. Variety reports he has signed on to star opposite Liam Neeson in crime thriller “A Walk Among the Tombstone”, which Scott Frank adapted and will direct starting next month.

Stevens, who played the key role of Matthew Crawley on hit series “Downton Abbey”, recently wrapped up starring opposite Jessica Chastain on Broadway in “The Heiress.” He declined to return to the show that has made him a star in its fourth season, and will be seen next year on the big screen in period romantic drama “Summer in February” opposite Emily Browning and Dominic Cooper. He’s currently filming Bill Condon’s Wikileaks film “The Fifth Estate” opposite Benedict Cumberbatch and Daniel Bruhl.

Scoot McNairy and “Downton Abbey” star Michelle Dockery join Liam Neeson flight thriller “Non-Stop”

October 10, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Liam Neeson and Nate Parker are welcoming aboard some fellow passengers. Variety reports Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy and “Downton Abbey” actress Michelle Dockery have all joined the cast of Jaume Collet-Serra’s in-flight thriller “Non-Stop.”

Neeson plays an air marshall who is confronted – via text message! – by an America terrorist who claims to be aboard his flight. The villain threatens to kill a passenger every 20 minutes unless Neeson kills himself. Parker will play a passenger on the flight who helps Neeson solve the mystery while there’s no word just yet on who the new cast additions will play. Filming is set to begin in New York City on November 1st. John Richardson and Chris Roach wrote the script.

McNairy has been on an upward swing since breaking out in Godzilla reboot director Gareth Edwards’ low budget thriller “Monsters.” He can be seen in Ben Affleck’s political thriller “Argo”, out this weekend, and soon in Andrew Dominik’s “Killing Them Softly” opposite Brad Pitt. He also recently wrapped up filming on Steve McQueen’s “Twelve Years a Slave.”

Dockery was last seen on the big screen in Joe Wright’s “Hanna” and will next also appear in Wright’s “Anna Karenina”, but is most known for her role as Lady Mary Crawley on PBS’ mega-hit “Downton Abbey.” Curiously, several of Dockery’s audition tapes for high profile films were leaked online in recent weeks – Rob Marshall’s “The Thin Man” and “Into the Woods” among them – indicating there’s interest from her side in a more visible big screen career.

“Arbitrage” breakout star Nate Parker boards “Non-Stop” flight thriller with Liam Neeson

October 5, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Up and coming Nate Parker is turning heads after a breakout performance opposite Richard Gere in this month’s “Arbitrage”, and now Variety reports he has locked down his next project: “Non-Stop”, an in-flight thriller starring Liam Neeson.

Neeson’s “Unknown” helmer Jaume Collet-Serra will direct the film which sees Neeson as an air marshall who is confronted with an America terrorist aboard a flight. The villain threatens to kill a passenger every 20 minutes unless Neeson kills himself. Parker will play a passenger on the flight who helps Neeson solve the mystery. John Richardson and Chris Roach wrote the script and filming begins soon in New York City.

Parker was seen earlier this year in George Lucas’ “Red Tails”, then Spike Lee’s “Red Hook Summer”, and his turn as an unwitting accomplice to Richard Gere’s crimes in thriller “Arbitrage” is earning raves and has sparked his fair share of Oscar buzz. Parker recently wrapped up a role in David Lowery’s “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” with Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck and will soon reunite with Spike Lee to film his remake of Park Chan-wook’s revenge thriller “Oldboy”, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Josh Brolin.

“Oz” duo James Franco and Mila Kunis reunite to join Olivia Wilde in Paul Haggis’ “Third Person”

August 22, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Continuing this lovely trend, “Oz The Great and Powerful” co-stars James Franco and Mila Kunis are set for an onscreen reunion in Paul Haggis’ international drama “Third Person.” It was announced this morning that Kunis and Franco, along with Casey Affleck, are in talks to join Liam Neeson and Olivia Wilde in the anthology-style interlocking love story.

Haggis’ film will follow a frustrated writer and his lover in Paris, a mother fighting for custody in New York and an American man helping to free an Italian woman’s daughter from a local gangster in Rome. It’s unclear which actor will be playing which characters, though The Wrap did specify Neeson would play a journalist and Wilde a gossip columnist, and Neeson himself confirmed he and Wilde play romantic partners. Filming begins on October 13th on location in Rome.

Before joining forces to retell the Wizard of Oz story for Sam Raimi’s upcoming “Oz the Great and Powerful”, Franco and Kunis both went through the whirlwind of Oscar season, Franco a Best Actor nominee for Danny Boyle’s “127 Hours” and Kunis an almost-nominee for Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan.” Since then, Franco has spun off into vastly random and eclectic projects, including starring in Harmony Korine’s Venice-bound “Spring Breakers” and directing a variety of his own films. Meanwhile, Kunis continues her mainstream Hollywood rise, starring opposite Mark Wahlberg and a talking stuffed animal in this summer’s comedy hit “Ted”, shooting Gallaume Canet’s “Blood Ties”, as well as prepping for the lead role in the Wachowskis’ “Jupiter Ascending.”

Olivia Wilde to star in Paul Haggis’ “Third Person” opposite Liam Neeson

May 16, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Paul Haggis is the latest filmmaker to hop aboard the anthology style storytelling trend, and has set Liam Neeson and Olivia Wilde to play a couple in one of three interconnected stories in “Third Person”, according to Deadline.

Neeson told TalkTalk back in April, “I’m doing a movie in September for four weeks with Olivia Wilde. We have some serious love-making to do so I have some push-ups to do… It’s a really interesting part and I get to go to bed with Olivia Wilde! It’s a small film. It’s a really interesting script.” So who will Neeson and Wilde play? Haggis’ film will follow a frustrated writer and his lover in Paris, a mother fighting for custody in New York and an American man helping to free an Italian woman’s daughter from a local gangster in Rome.

Wilde is currently filming Ron Howard’s Formula One biopic “Rush” opposite Chris Hemsworth and recently completed work on magician comedy “Burt Wonderstone” opposite Steve Carell and Jim Carrey. She recently premiered graphic thriller “Deadfall” opposite Eric Bana at the Tribeca Film Festival, and is also committed to indie comedy “Relanxious” opposite Brie Larson and Jason Sudekis. She’ll next be seen opposite Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks in “People Like Us”, which opens in June.

Jesse Williams in talks for Lee Daniels’ historical political drama “The Butler”

May 11, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Jesse Williams is the latest actor to join the ever-growing ensemble cast of “Precious” director Lee Daniels’ next project, historical political drama “The Butler.” According to Deadline, Williams is in negotiations to join a cast that already includes Forest Whitaker, Hugh Jackman, Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Jane Fonda and Liam Neeson.

Based on Wil Haygood’s 2008 Washington Post story “A Butler Well Served by This Election”, the story will follow Whitaker as Eugene Allen, the black White House butler as he goes from an entry level “pantry man” in pre-Civil Rights 1952 to serving eight presidents over 30 years and witnessing firsthand such historical events as the Vietnam War and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr, John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy. All actors will be portraying real life American historical figures, with Oyelowo as ALlen’s son and Winfrey as his wife. Mila Kunis was also recently rumored to play the role of Jackie Kennedy.

Williams, who we think would make a pretty good Finnick in “The Hunger Games” sequel “Catching Fire”, is a regular on hit ABC medical series “Grey’s Anatomy” and was recently seen on the big screen as one of the victims of Drew Goddard’s horrific “Cabin in the Woods.” He’s currently on hiatus from “Grey’s” and taking advantage of the break to film drag racing biopic “Snake and Mongoose” opposite Noah Wylie.

It’s a Friday Night Lights reunion in the third trailer for “Battleship”

March 14, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Videos Leave a comment

It’s a “Friday Night Lights” reunion in the recently unveiled third trailer for Universal’s “Battleship”!

We’ve already seen Taylor Kitsch in action, and now we have Kitsch and Jesse Plemons back on screen and in front of the camera together with Peter Berg (FNL writer/producer) in the director’s chair. Also getting some screen time is Rihanna and Brooklyn Decker, and we get to see some more of the devastation that the (SPOILER ALERT!) alien armada are causing on Earth.

The film is a big-screen adaptation of the classic board game, and follows Kitsch’s Alex Hopper, a rebellious naval officer who comes face to face with an unidentified floating piece of machinery in the ocean, forcing the US Navy into battle.

Set for release in Europe on April 11th 2012, and in the US May 18th 2012, we’re guessing Universal are going to be hoping and praying that it can perform better than Disney’s “John Carter” (which Kitsch also headlined) did this past weekend – it’s so far made just over $100 million worldwide back, from a reported budget of over $300 million.

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