Moviefone Editorial

Tag: casting

  • Benedict Cumberbatch Has Voice Role in Christmas Special ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’

    Benedict Cumberbatch Has Voice Role in Christmas Special ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’

    Benedict Cumberbatch in Patrick Melrose
    Showtime

    The book “The Tiger Who Came to Tea” is being turned into a Christmas TV special, and some big stars will lend their voices to the adaptation.

    The voice cast includes Benedict Cumberbatch, David Oyelowo, Tamsin Greig, David Walliams, and Paul Whitehouse, Deadline reports. The animated special comes from Lupus Films and will air on the U.K.’s Channel 4 during the 2019 Christmas season. It is directed by Robin Shaw and will be a half hour long.

    “The Tiger Who Came to Tea” is written and illustrated by the late Judith Kerr, and it was published in 1968. It tells the story of an unusual teatime visit. A tiger arrives and joins a little girl named Sophie and her mother for tea, eats and drinks everything, and then leaves before her father arrives.

    Cumberbatch will voice Sophie’s father. He was previously nominated for an Emmy for the limited series “Patrick Melrose” and recently starred in “Avengers: Endgame.” He’s joined in “The Tiger Who Came to Tea” by Greig (“Official Secrets”) as the voice of Sophie’s mother, while Sophie herself will be voiced by a young actress named Clara Ross. Oyelowo (“Selma”) has been cast as the tiger and Whitehouse (“King of Thieves”) is the milkman. Walliams (“Little Britain”) will serve as the narrator.

    Cumberbatch celebrated the project, saying that he “couldn’t be more thrilled to be playing a small part in bringing Judith Kerr’s timeless children’s classic to the screen for another generation to enjoy.” Oyelowo also shared his enthusiasm, joking that “all the growling, comping and slurping” got him to find his “inner cat.”

    “The Tiger Who Came to Tea” is produced by Camilla Deakin and Ruth Fielding of Lupus Films as well as HarperCollins Children’s Books’ Ann-Janine Murtagh, Katie Fulford, and Mia Jupp.

    [via: Deadline]

  • Abigail Breslin to Star Opposite Matt Damon in ‘Stillwater’

    Abigail Breslin to Star Opposite Matt Damon in ‘Stillwater’

    Abigail Breslin in Freak Show
    IFC Films

    A new onscreen family has come together.

    Abigail Breslin has joined the upcoming film “Stillwater” and will star as Matt Damon‘s onscreen daughter, Variety reports. It’s an intriguing project that Academy Award winner Tom McCarthy is directing. The “Spotlight” co-writer penned the screenplay with Thomas Bidegain and Noé Debré.

    Breslin will star as the estranged daughter of an oil-rig rough neck from the United States (Damon). When she is imprisoned in France for a murder she claims not to have committed, her father travels to Marseille to try to clear her name. Along the way, he meets a local woman and her daughter and ends up on a personal journey of discovery and belonging.

    Like her Oscar winning co-star, Breslin has received accolades over the years. She got an Oscar nod before she was even a teenager for her supporting role in “Little Miss Sunshine.” More recently, she starred in the film “Freak Show” and she’ll be seen in the upcoming “Zombieland: Double Tap.”

    “Stillwater” comes from Participant Media in association with Anonymous Content, McCarthy, Liza Chasin, Jonathan King, and the late Steve Golin. The project’s executive producers are Jeff Skoll and Mari Jo Winkler-Ioffreda. It will begin production in August.

    [via: Variety]

  • Adam Sandler’s Netflix Halloween Movie to Star Maya Rudolph, Ray Liotta, More

    Adam Sandler’s Netflix Halloween Movie to Star Maya Rudolph, Ray Liotta, More

    Murder Mystery trailer still
    Netflix/YouTube

    Netflix and Adam Sandler are at it again, and they have a treat for us.

    The comedian is working on an untitled Halloween movie, and once again, he’ll be joined by some well-known actors. Netflix revealed the project and its all-star cast Monday, and the list of stars includes Maya Rudolph, Ray Liotta, Kenan Thompson, Kevin James, Julie Bowen, and more.

    Sandler wrote the screenplay with Tim Herlihy, and it centers on Hubie Dubois, a man who is devoted to his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, and the local Halloween celebration. Although he happens to be mocked by both kids and adults, he’ll get a chance to be a hero. With something “going bump in the night,” Hubie will have to save Halloween.

    The cast also includes Steve Buscemi, Rob Schneider, Michael Chiklis, China Anne McClain, Paris Berelc, Tim Meadows, Colin Quinn, June Squibb, Shaquille O’Neal, Karan Brar, Noah Schnapp, Mikey Day, Melissa Villaseñor, Kym Whitley, Lavell Crawford, Betsy Sodaro, George Wallace, and Blake Clark. They join a long list of big names who have co-starred with Sandler. He recently starred with Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, and Gemma Arterton in Netflix’s “Murder Mystery,” which premiered in June.

    Steve Brill will direct the upcoming Halloween flick. It comes from Happy Madison Productions. A release date hasn’t been announced yet, but we suspect it’ll arrive around Halloween 2020, given the theme and the fact that Sandler’s Netflix movies have been coming roughly every year since 2015.

  • Alexandra Daddario to Play an Instagram Star in ‘Happy Life’

    Alexandra Daddario to Play an Instagram Star in ‘Happy Life’

    Alexandra Daddario in Baywatch
    Paramount Pictures

    There’s happy news for Alexandra Daddario fans: The actress has joined the upcoming Highland Film Group comedy “Happy Life.”

    Daddario will star alongside Evangeline Lilly and Ike Barinholtz, Deadline reports. Her character is an Instagram star that a new mom, Allison (Lilly), suspects is having an affair with her husband (Barinholtz). When Allison ends up finding a younger love interest of her own, she has to face her life decisions. The script comes from David Stassen, who is also directing.

    “Happy Life” joins a list of several upcoming projects that Daddario is involved in. She’ll be seen in films such as “Can You Keep a Secret?” and “Lost Girls and Love Hotels.” Additionally, her new TV series, “Why Women Kill,” will premiere on CBS All Access in August. Previously, Daddario has starred in hit movies like “Baywatch” and “San Andreas.”

    “Happy Life” starts production in September. Stassen and Barinholtz will produce alongside Andrew Robinson and Aperture Media Productions.

    [via: Deadline]

  • Javier Bardem May Join Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ Live-Action Remake

    Javier Bardem May Join Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ Live-Action Remake

    Javier Bardem in Everybody Knows
    Focus Features

    An Academy Award winner might be headed under the sea.

    Casting is underway for Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” and Javier Bardem is in talks for a key role, Deadline reports. He’s being eyed to play King Triton, the ruler of the underwater kingdom of Atlantica and also the father of Ariel (Halle Bailey). It would be another big add for the cast, which already includes Melissa McCarthy, Awkwafina, and Jacob Tremblay.

    The film will combine live-action and CGI to tell the story of the mermaid princess who is captivated by the human world. David Magee wrote the script and Rob Marshall is directing. The remake is also bringing back the original’s composer, Alan Menken, who is set to work on new music with Broadway darling Lin-Manuel Miranda.

    Bardem has had a lot of success throughout his career, including his Oscar-winning turn in 2007’s “No Country for Old Men.” The actor more recently starred in 2018’s “Everybody Knows” and is filming 2020’s “Dune.” Both he and musician Harry Styles are said to be in talks for roles in “The Little Mermaid.”

    The upcoming film will be produced by Marshall, Miranda, Marc Platt, and John DeLuca. A release date has not yet been announced, but we’re ready to dive in for this new underwater adventure.

    [via: Deadline]

  • Brad Pitt Reportedly Eyeing Damien Chazelle’s Period Drama ‘Babylon’

    Brad Pitt Reportedly Eyeing Damien Chazelle’s Period Drama ‘Babylon’

    Brad Pitt in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
    Sony

    The upcoming period drama “Babylon” has apparently caught the attention of another Hollywood heavy hitter. Brad Pitt is eyeing a role, Deadline reports. Sources told the publication that both he and fellow Academy Award winner Emma Stone are interested in the Damien Chazelle project.

    The story takes place in early Hollywood, and it will reportedly incorporate real industry figures as well as fictional characters. That’s similar to “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Pitt’s latest film, which is due out on July 26. However, the latter is set in late 1960s Hollywood, decades after “Babylon” would take place.

    There’s no word yet on what character Pitt would play. Little is known about the plot, but it is said to take place as the movie industry moved from silent films to “talkies.” Stone is reportedly being considered to play Clara Bow, a film star in both the silent and sound eras.

    Multiple studios are vying for “Babylon,” per Deadline’s sources, even without Pitt or Stone having signed on. Of course, Chazelle is a draw in his own right; he wrote the script and will direct, as he did with his Oscar-winning “La La Land.” The film will be produced by Olivia Hamilton, Marc Platt, Matt Plouffe, and Tobey Maguire.

    [via: Deadline]

  • ‘The Suicide Squad’: Storm Reid to Play Idris Elba’s Daughter

    ‘The Suicide Squad’: Storm Reid to Play Idris Elba’s Daughter

    Storm Reid in A Wrinkle in Time
    Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

    A storm is coming to the DCEU — Storm Reid, that is. The “A Wrinkle in Time” star has joined James Gunn‘s forthcoming superhero flick “The Suicide Squad,” THR reports.

    The young actress will be the onscreen daughter of Idris Elba, but little is known about their characters. While there were initially reports that Elba would replace Will Smith as Deadshot, it has since been reported that he’ll actually portray a new character. They’ll join returning “Suicide Squad” cast members Margot Robbie, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman, and Viola Davis. Their fellow newcomers include John Cena and David Dastmalchian.

    Gunn is the screenwriter for “The Suicide Squad,” and he previously talked to Deadline about how “it just instantly started flowing” when he sat down to write it. Unfortunately, he hasn’t revealed plot details. In fact, Gunn wouldn’t even confirm if it was a sequel or a reboot when speaking to Entertainment Tonight (via Screen Rant) in May.

    It could be a while before we learn more about Reid’s character. Whatever it is, her acting resume shows she’s ready. While “A Wrinkle in Time” is Reid’s biggest film to date, she has more in the pipeline, including “Relive” and “Killing Winston Jones.” On top of that, she stars in the HBO teen drama series “Euphoria” and recently appeared in the Netflix miniseries “When They See Us.”

    “The Suicide Squad” is expected to start shooting in September in Atlanta and hit theaters on Aug. 6, 2021.

    [via: THR]

  • Hilary Swank to Star in Political Action Triller ‘The Hunt’

    Hilary Swank to Star in Political Action Triller ‘The Hunt’

    FX

    Universal and Blumhouse’s upcoming political action thriller “The Hunt” has made another big casting move. The film has added Hilary Swank to star alongside Ike Barinholtz, Emma Roberts, Betty Gilpin, Justin Hartley, and Glenn Howerton, Deadline reports. Director Craig Zobel (“Z for Zachariah”) is on board, and he’ll work from a script by Damon Lindelof and Nick Cuse.

    So far, there are no details about Swank’s character. In fact, the plot in general is still being kept under wraps. It is said, however, to explore political tension in America, according to a March Deadline report. Given the title, we feel pretty confident guessing that there will be a hunt of some kind in there, too.

    Swank, a two-time Academy Award winner, most recently starred in the films “I Am Mother” and “What They Had.” The actress also had a lead role in Season 1 of FX’s anthology drama series “Trust.” Coming up for her is another series, Netflix’s “Away,” as well as the movie “Fatale.”

    “The Hunt” is to be produced by Blumhouse Productions’ Jason Blum and Lindelof of White Rabbit. Both Zobel and Cuse are set to executive produce alongside Universal’s Erik Baiers and Jay Polidoro.

    [via: Deadline]

  • ‘Red Notice’ Adds Ryan Reynolds, Will Be Distributed by Netflix

    ‘Red Notice’ Adds Ryan Reynolds, Will Be Distributed by Netflix

    Ryan Reynolds in The Hitman's Bodyguard
    Summit Entertainment

    Big things are happening for “Red Notice.” Not only did the upcoming action heist film just switch distributors to land at Netflix, it has added Ryan Reynolds, according to a new Deadline report.

    Reynolds will star alongside Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot, who previously signed on. That makes three mega-stars in what Netflix reportedly hopes will be the start of a new global franchise. Johnson said in a statement that the goal is to “create a true global event for the audience.”

    Reynolds has certainly had his share of success at the global box office. He has starred in hits like “Deadpool,” “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” and “Green Lantern,” among others. This will be his second Netflix film, after “Six Underground,” which is due out this year.

    “Red Notice” was previously going to be distributed by Universal Pictures after the studio topped Netflix in a bidding war for the pitch last year, per Deadline. However, the publication reports that the filmmakers felt hesitation from Universal after writer-director Rawson Thurber submitted his screenplay and budget. They then showed it to Netflix, and the team was excited.

    “Rawson wrote a spectacular globetrotting action-adventure film,” said Scott Stuber, Netflix’s head of film, in a statement. “We can’t wait to bring this story and this Dream Team of movie stars, Dwayne, Ryan and Gal, to audiences around the world.”

    The film centers on “the greatest and most sophisticated” art thieves in the world, as Johnson wrote in an Instagram post Monday. He put the world “on NOTICE” after news broke that Netflix would distribute the film.

    Acquiring the film wasn’t cheap for Netflix. It may be the streamer’s biggest feature film commitment to date, according to Deadline. The production budget is reportedly around $130 million; the trio of A-list stars, of course, commands huge paychecks.

    Universal had previously scheduled “Red Notice” to open on June 12, 2020, and then pushed it back to Nov. 13, 2020. Now, with Netflix distributing, the plan is for production to start in 2020.

    The project’s producers are FlynnPictureCo’s Beau Flynn, Johnson and Seven Bucks Production partners Dany and Hiram Garcia, and Thurber. Meanwhile, Scott Sheldon will executive produce.

    [via: Deadline]

  • Sam Claflin Joins ‘Enola Holmes’ Adaptation Starring Millie Bobby Brown

    Sam Claflin Joins ‘Enola Holmes’ Adaptation Starring Millie Bobby Brown

    Sam Claflin in Peaky Blinders
    Matt Squire/BBC Studios

    The cast of “Enola Holmes” is growing, and big names just keep signing on.

    Sam Claflin has joined Legendary Entertainment’s upcoming adaptation, according to Variety. The report comes just days after news broke that Henry Cavill will play Sherlock Holmes. The project had already added Millie Bobby Brown, Helena Bonham Carter, Fiona Shaw, and Adeel Akhtar.

    “Enola Holmes” is based on Nancy Springer’s mystery book series of the same name. The novels debuted in 2006 and introduced a young detective named Enola, who just so happens to be Sherlock Holmes’s little sister. Brown will portray the title character in the film, while Bonham Carter plays her mother.

    Claflin’s role in the upcoming film hasn’t been revealed. Previously, he has starred in movies such as “Adrift,” “Me Before You” and the final two installments in the Hunger Games series. More recently, he joined BBC One’s “Peaky Blinders” for Series 5.

    Harry Bradbeer will direct “Enola Holmes” from a script by Jack Thorne. Legendary is set to produce with PCMA Productions’ Millie Bobby Brown and Paige Brown. Overseeing for Legendary are Alex Garcia and Ali Mendes.

    [via: Variety]