Zac Efron Goes Undercover in True Life Crime Thriller “Narc”

May 21, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

zac-efron Zac Efron is attached to star in college-set crime thriller “Narc”, which is based on a true story, reports Deadline. Seemingly in its early stages, the film is now searching for a screenwriter to script the tale of a popular college fraternity President and star lacrosse player who is busted for cocaine possession and strikes a deal with the cops to go undercover as an informant, leading a double life of turning in big-time criminals while maintaining his Big Man on Campus status.

Efron is currently playing a different kind of frat house President in Nicholas Stoller’s comedy “Townies” opposite Seth Rogen and Dave Franco. This fall he’ll head to Germany to film car chase thriller “Autobahn” opposite Amber Heard and he has rom com “Are We Offcially Dating?” and JFK assassination drama “Parkland” awaiting release.

Zac Efron and Amber Heard Hit the “Autobahn” in Chase Thriller

May 16, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Zac Efron and Amber Heard will have a need for speed when they hit the German highway system for new chase thriller “Autobahn”, THR reports from Cannes.

Eran Creevy will shoot the film on location in Germany this fall, with Efron in the role of an American backpacker who takes a job as a pickup driver for a gang of German drug smugglers. Of course things go awry, leading him to flee from his employers in a high speed chase around Munich. Heard will play his girlfriend. Creevy wrote the script with F. Scott Frazier.

Efron is currently filming buddy comedy “Townies” opposite Seth Rogen and Dave Franco, and has also wrapped rom com “Are We Officially Dating?” with Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan, as well as JFK assassination drama “Parkland.” Both films are due for release later this year. Heard’s upcoming releases include Kevin Costner/Hailee Steinfeld spy thriller “Three Days to Kill”, horror sequel “Machete Kills” and corporate espionage thriller “Paranoia” with Liam Hemsworth.

Leighton Meester and Jeremy Strong Join Robert Downey, Jr. Dramedy “The Judge”

April 4, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

jeremy-leighton “Gossip Girl” star Leighton Meester and newcomer Jeremy Scott have rounded out the cast of family dramedy “The Judge” starring Robert Downey, Jr., according to Variety. Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D’Onofrio and Billy Bob Thornton also star.

In the David Dobkin-directed film, Downey will play a big city lawyer who returns to his childhood hometown to defend his father (Duvall), the town judge, against murder charges. He sets out to investigate the crime and reconnects with his estranged family along the way. Farmiga beat out Elizabeth Banks for the role of Downey’s ex-girlfriend, while Meester will play her daughter. Scott will play Downey’s youngest brother.

The film marks Meester’s first acting role since “Gossip Girl” ended its run after six seasons on The CW in December. She was last seen in Adam Sandler comedy “That’s My Boy” and “The Oranges” opposite Hugh Laurie. Stage actor Scott has appeared on and off Broadway and most recently took supporting roles in “Lincoln” and “Zero Dark Thirty.” He’s currently filming the role of JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald in “Parkland.”

Indie actor Mark Duplass joins JFK drama “Parkland” and Stephen King adaptation “Mercy”

February 1, 2013 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

Indie actor Mark Duplass made a name for himself this past year with the surprise hit “Safety Not Guaranteed” and he looks set to continue success, joining the JFK ensemble drama “Parkland” and an adaptation of a Stephen King short novel, “Mercy“.

“Mercy” is a “fantasy-horror project” to be directed by Peter Cornwell and based on the novel titled “Gramma”. It follows two young boys who discover their Grandmother is a witch, and will co-star Frances O’Connor, Chandler Riggs, Joel Courtney, Dylan McDermott, Shirley Knight and Chris Browning.

“JFK”, another adaptation based on Vincent Bugliosi’s “Reclaiming History: The Assassination Of President John F. Kennedy” and to be directed by Peter Landesman, already features an impressive cast including Zac Efron, James Badge Dale, Marcia Gay Harden, Paul Giamatti and Billy Bob Thornton. Deadline reports Duplass will star as Kenny O’Donnell who was Kennedy’s campaign advisor as well as being a personal friend.

“Safety Not Guaranteed” premiered at 2012 Sundance Film Festival to acclaim, and Duplass followed that up by starring in Oscar-nominated film “Zero Dark Thirty“.

Zac Efron to star in Akiva Goldsman’s supernatural thriller “The Falling”

January 30, 2013 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

Zac Efron is one Disney star making inroads as he attempts to move away from his “High School Musical” image. The rising star is set to headline Akiva Goldsman’s “The Falling“, a mystery supernatural project, the logline of which is reportedly being kept firmly under wraps.

THR are calling the film “an edgy thriller centering around an otherworldly being” – no word on if Efron will play the otherwordly being – but Warner Bros apparently took the idea for the film directly to Goldsman and Efron, who will produce the pic under Ninjas Runnin’ Wild Productions, the company Efron set up under Warner Bros. The title is a working title and everyone involved is now looking to find a screenwriter and move the proect on the next level.

Efron, who broke out in Disney’s “High School Musical” has been attempting to become a more credible leading man after several average box office hits including “17 Again”. He took the controversial film “The Paperboy” to Cannes Film Festival last year, and late in 2012 joined the cast of “Parkland“, Peter Landesman‘s feature directorial debut which chronicles the lead-up to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and its aftermath. Currently filming “Are We Officially Dating?” with Sundance breakouts Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller, Efron is also hoping to really shed his Disney image with his first villian role, as he looks set to play opposite Harrison Ford in “You Belong With Me“.

James Badge Dale among cast additions to now-filming JFK assassination drama “Parkland”

January 25, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

James Badge Dale, one of our Faces to Watch in 2013, is among a large group of new cast additions to JFK assassination drama “Parkland”, which has begun principal photography in Austin, Texas. Jackie Earle Haley, Colin Hanks, David Harbour and Ron Livingston have also jumped aboard in Peter Landesman‘s directorial debut, which already boasted Zac Efron, Marcia Gay Harden, Paul Giamatti, Billy Bob Thornton, Jeremy Strong and Jacki Weaver in its large ensemble cast.

Landesman wrote the script and will make his feature directorial debut on the film which chronicles the lead-up to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and its aftermath. Parkland refers to the hospital where JFK was rushed and where his assassin Lee Harvy Oswald (Scott) also died two days later. No word on who amongst the sprawling cast is playing JFK, though Dale or perhaps Livingston seem to have the look for it.Filmmakers are planning a 2013 release to coincide with the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death.

After impressing in supporting roles in critical darlings “The Grey”, “Shame” and “Flight”, Dale is gearing up for a blockbuster year in 2013. First he’ll play a villainous soldier-turned-cyborg opposite Robert Downey, Jr in “Iron Man 3″, then assist Brad Pitt in stopping the zombie apocalypse in “World War Z” before going back in time with Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp in Gore Verbinski’s “The Lone Ranger.”

Stage actor Jeremy Scott to play JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald in “Parkland”

January 2, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Primarily a stage actor, Jeremy Scott is poised for a breakthrough on the big screen as he lands a key role in upcoming JFK assassination drama “Parkland”, joining an all-star cast that includes Zac Efron, Jacki Weaver, Marcia Gay Harden, Paul Giamatti and Billy Bob Thornton to play the role of JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. Variety first reported the news.

Peter Landesman wrote the script and will make his feature directorial debut on the film which chronicles the lead-up to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and its aftermath. Parkland refers to the hospital where JFK was rushed and where Oswald also died two days later. Filming should begin soon as filmmakers are planning a 2013 release to coincide with the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death.

Strong, who studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, has appeared on and off Broadway and most recently took supporting roles in “Lincoln”, where he played the 16th President’s private secretary opposite Daniel Day Lewis, and “Zero Dark Thirty”, as a fellow CIA operative working alongside Jessica Chastain. He has completed filming on Frank Darabont’s upcoming crime drama series “L.A. Noir.”

Zac Efron joins JFK assassination drama “Parkland”

December 19, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

Paging Dr. Efron! Variety reports that in rather unusual casting news, former “High School Musical” teen hearttrhob Zac Efron will play the role of a doctor in ensemble JFK assassination drama “Parkland”, joining a cast that also includes Jacki Weaver, Marcia Gay Harden, Paul Giamatti and Billy Bob Thornton.

Peter Landesman wrote the script and will make his feature directorial debut on the film which chronicles the lead-up to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and its aftermath. Parkland refers to the hospital where JFK was rushed and where his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, also died two days later. Efron will play Dr. Charles Carrico, the first doctor to treat the President on Nov. 22, 1963. Filming should begin soon as filmmakers are planning a 2013 release to coincide with the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death.

Efron, currently seen opposite Nicole Kidman’s Golden Globe nominated and highly controversial role in Lee Daniels’ “The Paperboy”, is gearing up to shoot ensemble rom com “Are We Officially Dating?” opposite Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan and Imogen Poots. He’s also got Ramin Bahrani’s family drama “At Any Price” releasing early next year and is attached to comedy “Townies” with Seth Rogen, as well as Rob Reiner thriller “You Belong to Me” opposite Harrison Ford.

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