I’ll start off with a story out of The Hollywood Reporter as we learn that Kate Beckinsale is replacing Sarah Jessica Parker in the Screen Gems horror thriller Vacancy. Beckinsale will be cast alongside Luke Wilson where they will play a couple who find videocams in their motel room, then realize they are being taped for a snuff film. Frank Whaley (“Does he look like a bitch?” guy from Pulp Fiction) has been cast as the motel thriller’s anti-hero. [The Hollywood Reporter]
Our other bit of casting news that includes someone you may have heard of involves Patrick Wilson who has been cast in Focus Features’ Evening for director Lajos Koltai. Wilson joins Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Vanessa Redgrave and Hugh Dancy in the film which centers on a 65-year-old cancer patient (Redgrave) who reflects on a weekend in her youth when she met the love of her life (Wilson), as her two daughters try to come to terms with her impending death. [Variety]
Next up, the vampiric thriller 30 Days of Night has just added a new cast member in the form of Danny Huston. Huston joins Josh Hartnett and Melissa George who play a husband-and-wife sheriff team who try to save the an Alaskan town’s residents where 30 days of continual winter darkness attracts a horde of hungry vampires. David Slade is directing. [The Hollywood Reporter]
Eugene Jones has landed the lead role in the Untitled Alan Ball Project, which stars Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello and Toni Collette and is, of course, directed by Alan Ball. The film tells the story of Jasira, who struggles with identity and sexual issues as the daughter of a Lebanese-American father and an American mother in Texas during the Gulf War. Jones plays her love interest. [Variety]
Now for our small news bits:
Beth Dover will be playing a supporting role in The Ten, which is currently filming in New York. [Variety]
Alex Frost will be playing opposite Owen Wilson in Drill Bit for director Steve Brill. The film starts lensing in LA on September 26 and follows Frost as he plays a high school bully who inspires two freshmen to hire a man they think is a low-budget soldier of fortune. [Variety]
Now the one I had not heard of but was surprised I had not heard of it…
Lochlyn Munro is set to star in Camp Kid. Now, with that information you probably don’t care. What if I told you that he is starring alongside Cuba Gooding Jr.? Does that make a difference? No? You say that Gooding Jr. only does direct-to-video movies now? Well, I can’t say this one will be any different, but the kicker is that the director is none other than Fred Savage. Yup, that’s right folks. Break out the “Wonder Years” tapes and rejoice, Kevin Arnold has his feature film debut. Savage has directed several television shows but this would be his first feature. Filming is already underway in Utah. As far as the synopsis goes I have no idea. Hence, why it is at the bottom of this article. [Variety]
