What is Casting Couch? It’s a daily roundup of all the casting news you care about, and maybe (probably) one or two items you don’t.
Some info has finally leaked about James Bobin and Nicholas Stoller’s upcoming sequel to The Muppets. Turns out it’s going to be a caper movie, somewhat along the lines of The Great Muppet Caper, but with more of an international flair. How international? So international that THR is reporting they’re closing in on signing Christoph Waltz to play one of the main, non-Muppet roles—that of an Interpol inspector. Other important parts for humans are said to include a Russian femme fatale and a male lead with mysterious intentions. Actors looking to land the part should start sending in their shifty-eyed head shots now.
Harrison Ford
The Wrap is reporting that grizzled old grump Harrison Ford is close to signing on for another movie—and no it’s not anything that will see him strapping back on his blaster and trademarked vest—it’s for a thriller from Rob Reiner called You Belong to Me. Ford would be playing a psychiatrist who has trouble dealing with a patient’s suicide, and Zac Efron is negotiating to play the role of a sneaky young creep who threatens his family by seducing both his wife and daughter. There’s not yet any word on if he also tries to ride on Ford’s plane.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Looks like Sarah Jessica Parker has found some work. Variety reports that she’ll star in director Tom Vaughan’s next, Mixtape, which comes from a former Black List script written by Stacey Menear. The story is about a 12-year-old girl who finds a mixtape that belonged to the mother she never knew, which she then destroys on accident, thus leading her to go on a quest to find and listen to every obscure song it contained. Chances are Parker won’t be playing the 12-year-old, so let’s just say she’s going to be the aunt who’s raising the kid.
Mark Strong
Mark Strong has landed a new role, and it sounds like one where he won’t even be playing some sort of despicable villain. Before I Go to Sleep is an adaptation of a best-selling book by S.J. Watson about a woman who wakes up every morning having lost all her memories. Strong will play the doctor treating her condition, who suggests that she start recording all of her thoughts on a digital recorder. This practice seems to help when it comes to rebuilding her memories, but once she starts getting her shit back together she learns some disturbing truths about her husband. As long as the twist isn’t that Strong is her husband as well as her doctor, we should be good. [Variety]
John Cusack
John Cusack seems to have been busy looking for work lately. It was less than 24 hours ago that we learned he would be starring in the Stephen King adaptation, Cell, and now Variety has word that the Hollywood veteran is also closing in on a deal to star in Rules of Attraction director Roger Avary’s next project, Airspace. Described as being “Duel in the sky,” Airspace is about a workaholic pilot getting attacked by a MiG fighter while on his long journey home. That kind of sounds like a two-minute movie to me, so I guess the guy flying the MiG is either going to be just toying with him, or the worst shot with a missile ever.
Vince Vaughn
People still think Vince Vaughn is funny, right? A few of you? Somewhere? Well, never mind that, because his next movie is going to be an action thriller anyway. Directed by Peter Billingsley, Triple Time will see Vaughn starring as a U.S. Marshal who comes under attack while escorting an environmental terrorist to Washington. In the heat of the moment he finds himself in the uncomfortable position of having to team up with his captive in order to find out what’s going on, and to get out alive. If they sign Denzel Washington up as the terrorist, I’m sold. This is such a Denzel Washington movie. [Variety]
Clive Owen
Japanese director Kazuaki Kiriya’s next film will see him trying his hand at working with Hollywood actors. It’s called The Last Knights, and it’s about a band of warriors who seek revenge against the corrupt emperor who killed their master. Screen Daily has the scoop that the first two actors to sign on to star are Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman, who are… an interesting pair to say the least. But really, it doesn’t matter, because this movie sounds so much like Young Guns that it has to be good. Right?
Jim Sturgess
Screen Daily also reports that Jim Sturgess and Isabel Lucas are starring in an under production feature called Electric Slide that’s coming from writer/director Tristan Patterson. The film tells the true story of the owner of a fancy furniture store who robs a bank in order to impress a girl, winds up getting addicted to the whole thievery thing, and eventually becomes a serial robber known as The Gentleman Bandit. Patricia Arquette, Chloë Sevigny and Christopher Lambert are said to be signed on in supporting roles.
Imogen Poots
Imogen Poots isn’t just a fun name to say, it’s also the name of an up-and-coming actress. You may remember her from such things as, wearing a dress in Jane Eyre, or being the girlfriend in the Fright Night remake. Well, things are starting to get even more exciting for Poots’ career, because THR is reporting that she’s signed on to be the female lead starring opposite Aaron Paul in the Need For Speed movie. Just so we’re clear, that’s exciting because she gets to star opposite Aaron Paul, not because she gets to be in a video game movie. At this point in shitty video game movie history, starring in a video game movie just seems like… not that great an idea.
Jennifer Garner
But do you know what does sound like a great idea? Hitching a ride on Matthew McConaughey’s coattails (can you have coattails when you’re shirtless?), and that’s exactly what Jennifer Garner is trying to do now that she’s in talks to join that “McConaughey has AIDS” movie, Dallas Buyers Club. You see, originally Hilary Swank was attached to play the role of McConaughey’s doctor, but she dropped out, so Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Garner is likely to step in and get her big moment acting next to the king. Alright, alright alright!
Willow Shields
Finally, let’s end things with some news about a big action/adventure 3D romp. Mighty Joe Young director Ron Underwood has a new film in the works called The Wonder, and it’s about a 14-year-old girl and a couple of her friends who find the end of a rainbow, which magically transports them to China. When there they get chased by authorities, gain the help of a guy named Consul William Stanley, and find that their magical journey has been the cause of some natural disasters. They then have to, like, get home, and also save the world. Or something. The important news [via THR] is that Hunger Games star Willow Shields has been recruited to play the girl, and Karl Urban is on board as the William Stanley character. That should help make a fantasy film that weirdly chooses China as its otherworldly location seem a little bit more appealing, right?