The L.A. Times reports Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman are circling Fox Searchlight’s Stoker, a family mystery-drama that will mark the English-language debut of Oldboy director Chan-wook Park. The film centers on a girl (the previously attached Mia Wasikowska of The Kids Are All Right) and her mother (Kidman) who are visited by a mysterious uncle (Firth) after the girl’s father dies. “Prison Break” actor Wentworth Miller penned the script, but otherwise this is a promising project if there ever was one. I just fear that Wasikowska, as much as I like her, is risking over-exposure with all the big roles she has lined up. She’ll next be seen starring in Jane Eyre.
Variety brings the news that Abigail Breslin has joined Julianne Moore in the cast of director Hilary Brougher’s gothic vampire film Innocence. Breslin will play a student at an elitist private school, where a number of the students are vampires. Production is scheduled to begin this summer. Apparently people aren’t quite convinced the public has had it with teen vampires.
In a seven-figure deal, Magnolia Pictures has purchased the rights to Melancholia, “a beautiful movie about the end of the world” from director Lars Von Trier (Antichrist, Dogville). The film stars Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg as sisters whose lives are drifting apart as the universe spectacularly unravels, which Von Trier has told indieWIRE has something to do with planets colliding. The cast is rounded out by Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt, Alexander Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard and Udo Kier.
Michelle Pfeiffer is in talks to join the cast of Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows. Helena Bonham Carter is also in line for a role, though Deadline reports talks haven’t yet begun. I wonder how much negotiating it actually takes for Bonham Carter to sign on for a Burton film. I’d guess not much. Johnny Depp (surprise, surprise) has already signed on for the lead role of vampire Barnabas Collins.
Empire has the scoop on How to Train Your Dragon 2 as returning co-director Dean DeBlois has confirmed that the cast’s last remaining holdout, Gerard Butler, has agreed to return for the sequel. Principal voice cast members Jay Baruchel, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jonah Hill, TJ Miller and Kristen Wiig had all previously confirmed their commitment to a second go-round.
