Dale Enlists in ‘World War Z’ and Arkin is the First to Join Affleck’s ‘Argo’

It looks like World War Z, based on Max Brooks’ zombie apocalypse novel, is finally heading to a production start as The Daily Record reports the alleged $130 million picture will begin filming in Scotland this August as Glasgow will double for the US city of Philadelphia, with false shop fronts being constructed and American cars on the roads. Most of the action will be reportedly shot in the streets surrounding George Square.

World War Z news has been frequent recently. Just at the end of last week it was reported James Badge Dale (The Conspirator, “The Pacific”) had been cast as one of the film’s zombies. He’ll star opposite Brad Pitt in Paramount Pictures film set 10 years after a global zombie epidemic. Paramount had no comment on the casting.

Pitt will play a researcher for the U.N. Postwar Commission, while Mireille Enos (AMC’s “The Killing”) was previously cast as his wife, a mother of two girls. Dale will play Capt. Speke, an American soldier who trusts his instincts and is wise beyond his years. The character tries to alert authorities that the zombie threat is real, and is stuck in a military detention center when the zombie outbreak begins.

It’s also been reported that Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker) has an offer to star in the film, which will be directed by Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) from J. Michael Straczynski and Matthew Carnahan’s script. The film is expected to be released in 2013.

Next we come to some casting news for Disney’s upcoming animated feature Wreck-It Ralph (previously titled Reboot Ralph). The film was initially announced for a November 12, 2012 release date, but at the time there wasn’t a director or a cast attached, today all has been revealed. Frequent “Futurama” helmer Rich Moore will direct a voice cast that includes John C. Reilly, Jane Lynch (“Glee”), Sarah Silverman and Jack McBrayer (“30 Rock”) as Reilly voices the title character, an 8-bit arcade game character who is resigned to the retro gaming bin until he finds a way to jump into modern day games. He eventually infiltrates a first-shooter game to win a medal and a new reputation as a hero, but instead finds himself releasing a super-villain with hopes to destroy all arcade games. For a complete synopsis click here.

And in story number three we come to the first bit of casting for Ben Affleck’s Argo based on Joshuah Bearman’s April 2007 Wired magazine article, titled “How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue American from Tehran,” which told how the CIA and the Canadian government teamed to rescue six U.S. diplomats who’d been taken hostage at the American embassy by a group of Iranians in 1979. The CIA’s ruse involved the explanation that the six hostages were actually a Hollywood film crew scouting a movie titled “Argo,” and using those fake identities, they were able to flee the country.

Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) will play Hollywood producer Lester Siegel, an O.S.S. veteran described as equal parts bookie and rabbi.

Ben Affleck is directing from a script penned by Chris Terrio.

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