Hedlund Eyes Role as Dean Moriarty in Adaptation of Kerouac’s “On the Road”: Garrett Hedlund will next be seen in the lead role in Disney’s Tron Legacy and after losing out in the battle to play Captain America to Chris Evans he looks to have found something a bit meatier, a role as Dean Moriarty in the Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road,” centering on two young men (Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty) who journey across the North American landscape in pursuit of self-knowledge and experience. Salles followed the route Kerouac took when he wrote the book and made a documentary along the way as he interviewed Beat poets and other characters from the novel who are still living. The project has been in development since Francis Ford Coppola optioned the rights nearly three decades ago, but is reportedly now set to film this summer. [Production Weekly and 2008 CNN report]
Collins Joins Lautner in Abduction: Lily Collins (The Blind Side) has joined the cast of Abduction for director John Singleton and Lionsgate. She’ll star opposite Taylor Lautner (Twilight: New Moon) in a story centered on a teen who has long felt disconnected from his parents, and figures out why, which unleashes a chain of violent events. Shawn Christensen penned the script and shooting’s expected to begin in July in Pittsburgh. [Variety]
Rodriguez’s Machete Eyes September Release: After the initial box-office results of Kick-Ass, I wonder how excited Fox is to have a fanboy-driven R-rated feature in their stable as they have set a September 3 release date for Robert Rodriguez’s Machete, which is based on the faux trailer that debuted with Grindhouse in 2007. The film centers on the blade-wielding title character played by Danny Trejo. Betrayed by the organization who hired him, the ex-Federale launches a brutal rampage of revenge against his former boss. It also appears the film was co-directed by Ethan Maniquis. Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriquez and Lindsay Lohan also star. The film will serve as counter-programming to Columbia’s Born to be a Star starring Christina Ricci. [Variety]
Jackson and Lutz New Film Retitled Deathgames: Last week it was announced Samuel L. Jackson and Kellan Lutz (Twilight) would star in Fury for director Jonah Loop and that film has simply changed names to Deathgames after also flirting with the title Deathsport, neither of which sound too appealing. The story centers on a young man (Lutz) who is kidnapped and forced into the savage world of a modern gladiator arena, where men fight to the death for entertainment of the online masses. Jackson orchestrates the games, overseeing them from his computer lair with the help of twin ladies who see to his every desire. Filming is expected to begin May 5 in Baton Rouge. [Heat Vision]
Moverman Perhaps Reteaming with Messenger Cast for Rampart: Oren Moverman’s The Messenger starring Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster won critics over big time and it seems the trio may be getting back together for the director’s next feature Rampart with a script written by James Ellroy. The crime-drama has to do with the LAPD Rampart Division, which was involved in a massive corruption scandal in the early 1990s. The pic was originally set to be directed by Stephen Frears (The Hit). [Production Weekly / Ioncinema / The Playlist]
