1.) Christoph Waltz is negotiating to star in Disney’s Europe-set sequel to 2011’s The Muppets. He would play an Interpol inspector, one of several key human roles in the production. We don’t have any plot details, but the other notable roles they’re looking to cast are that of a Russian femme fatale and a male lead with questionable intentions. Jason Segel won’t be back for the sequel, but writer/director James Bobin is returning, as is co-writer Nicholas Stoller. [THR]
2.) Some of John Cusack‘s biggest hits are Stephen King adaptations (Stand by Me, 1408), and he’s going back to the well once more with Cell. King’s 2006 novel tells of a father trying to find his wife and son in the wake of a catastrophic pulse transmitted via mobile phones. The author co-wrote the screenplay with Adam Alleca (The Last House on the Left), with producers currently searching for a director. [Screen Daily]
3.) Horror directors are lining up to helm segments of V/H/S/2, the second installment of the found footage anthology. Eduardo Sanchez (The Blair Witch Project), Gareth Evans (The Raid) and Jason Eisener (Hobo With a Shotgun) are among the list of names, with Blair Witch producer Gregg Hale and V/H/S screenwriter Simon Barrett also making their directorial debuts.
The approach will be similar to that of the first film, this time following a pair of investigators who stumble onto a box of tapes while searching for a missing student, thus turning the film into a series of spooky shorts. V/H/S is still available on demand, so get caught up with that if you didn’t watch enough scary movies last night. [Heat Vision]
4.) Imogen Poots (Fright Night) will star opposite Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”) in DreamWorks’ adaptation of the Need for Speed video game. Poots will play a savvy exotic car dealer who connects the wealthy with high-end supercars.
Scott Waugh (Act of Valor) is directing for a February 7, 2014 release. And while I know the Fast and Furious franchise has been wildly popular of late, I can’t help but wonder if there’s enough room for another car in this lot. I have a hunch we might be looking at another Battleship/Transformers situation here. [Heat Vision]
5.) Vince Vaughn will reunite with his Couples Retreat director Peter Billingsley, this time on an action-thriller called Triple Time. No, you didn’t read that wrong. Say it with me now: Vince Vaughn. Action Thriller. Anyway, Vaughn will star as a U.S. Marshal escorting an accused environmental terrorist to Washington, DC, when the unlikely pair find themselves under attack. [Variety]
