Djimon Hounsou is joining the cast of Alex Proyas‘ Paradise Lost as Abdiel, the angel of death. He will star alongside Bradley Cooper and Benjamin Walker in the adaptation of the 17th century poem by John Milton, revolving around the epic war in heaven between archangels Lucifer (Cooper) and Michael (Walker), including the latter’s role in Adam and Eve’s fall from grace. [Variety]
Clifton Collins Jr. is set to join Charlie Hunnam, Ildris Elba and Charlie Day in Guillermo del Toro‘s Pacific Rim, a creature feature set in the near future in which malevolent creatures threaten the earth written by Travis Beacham (Clash of the Titans). The planet must band together and use highly advanced technology to eradicate the growing menace. Warner Bros. has already set a July 12, 2013 release date for the pic. [Variety]
Jonah Hill is set to join Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn in the Fox comedy Neighborhood Watch for Lonely Island member and Hot Rod helmer, Akiva Schaffer. The film centers on a city-dweller who moves to a suburban community and discovers a vast neighborhood watch conspiracy. [Deadline]
Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai, Love and Other Drugs) is set to direct The Great Wall, the first project for Legendary East, that Hong Kong-based stand-alone entertainment company that was started by Legendary Entertainment’s Thomas Tull with Asian partners. Zwick and his longtime partner Marshall Herskovitz will write the script based on a story about the mystery behind China’s greatest manmade structure. [Deadline]
Damien Chazelle has come aboard to write a sequel to 2010’s The Last Exorcism, which managed to gross $62.5 million worldwide on a budget of $1.6 million. There is no word on how exactly the sequel story will play out. I wonder if it will be another “found footage” feature shot on only one camera, but cut together as if about five cameras were used. Gotta live up to the awful quality of the original… right? [The Hollywood Reporter]
Justin Lin (Fast Five) has signed a two year deal with Universal Pictures, which will begin with The Fast and the Furious 6 already set for a May 24, 2013 release. After that he has an action adventure spy film called Leading Man, an untitled project about the 442 Japanese American WWII battalion that is the most decorated in American history and he’s attached to direct another installment in The Terminator franchise, possibly with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s involvement. [Deadline]
