Movie Muser

The always busy James Franco has decided to add another film to the movies he’s got percolating, as Lit Reactor reports he’s optioned the novel Rant, by Fight Club author Chuck Pahlaniuk.

The writer is quoted as saying, “As of last night we’ve finalized a deal for James Franco to option my novel Rant. Details about the casting, shooting and a proposed release date will be forthcoming. Hurray. After the opportunity to work with Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Sam Rockwell, I can’t imagine a more exciting actor to work with than Franco.”

While Pahlaniuk’s book are never straightforward, some have said his 2008 novel Rant is his strangest. The book takes the form of an oral biography that tells the story of Buster ‘Rant’ Casey, as pieced together by memories from friends and family members after his death. Casey is born with hyper-acute senses of smell and taste, and lives in a dystopian future where the big city he moves to is divided into two classes, the respectable Daytimers and the oppressed Nighttimers.

Casey takes up a deadly sport called ‘Party Crashing’, where players have to find cars bearing certain markers and then crash into them. He also ends up unleashing a nationwide rabies-like epidemic.

It’s not clear whether Franco plans to direct himself – it’s rather different to anything he’s decided to helme before – or whether this is just one he hopes to star in.

Theo James’ star has certainly risen since he appeared as David in 2012’s Underworld: Awakening, thanks to Divergent. However THR reports he’s going back into the world of vampires and werewolves as he’s playing a central role in the fifth Underworld movie.

Although previous reports have suggested this movie will be a reboot, it’s not completely starting over and will instead be an expansion of the current universe, but mostly revolving around new characters. There’s no info on the exact plot, although James’ David will be at the centre of the movie alongside two new female characters.

Reading between the lines of the THR report though, it’s not clear whether James is really keen to return or not, as when he signed for Underworld: Awakening as a newbie young actor, the contract included a sequel option which the producers of the movie are now using. So he’s coming back because of that (although perhaps he’s happy to star, as it would give him one of his first genuine lead roles).

Cory Goodman is writing the script, although no director is attached as yet. It will shoot next spring.

Morgan Freeman is a busy man, as just a day after it was revealed he’s going to appear in Ted 2, it’s been announced that he’s joined the cast of the planned remake of Ben-Hur, according to Deadline.

Keith R. Clarke wrote the spec script for the film with Timur Bekmambetov directing, which is said to be more faithful to Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel than the multi-Oscar winning 1959 movie, which starred Charlton Heston.

The 50s version focussed on the section of the story that details the feud between the Jewish Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) and his Roman former friend Messalla (Stephen Boyd). The new film is said to further explore these characters’ formative years, when they grew up together as best friends before the Roman Empire conquered Jerusalem.

The film will also include the story of Jesus Christ, whose story is told in parallel to Ben-Hur’s. Although this was touched on in the Charlton Heston film, it’s said to be more central to the remake.

Morgan Freeman is set to play Ildarin, the man who teaches Ben-Hur to become a champion charioteer.

It’s also reported that MGM and Paramount are close to officially signing the actors who will play Ben-Hur and Mesalla. Tom Hiddleston was recently reported to be top choice for the title role, but it’s not clear if he’s still in contention.

Although few kids are fans of The Wire, Pixar has decided it would be a good plan to get two of the stars of that show to reunite for their Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory, according to Shortlist.

Idris Elba and Dominic West have joined the voice cast, alongside returning stars such as Ellen DeGeneres (Dory), Albert Brooks (Marlin) and Gill (Willem Dafoe), as well as newbies Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy as Dory’s parents, and Ty Burrell as a character called Bailey.

Dominic West talked about his role in a recent interview with ShortList, saying “I saw Idris recently. We’re both in the sequel to Finding Nemo, so we were recording that. I’m in pretty regular contact with a lot of guys from The Wire – a lot of them are godparents to my kids, so I love them dearly.”

What he didn’t say though is who they will be playing.

Andrew Stanton is directing, with a June 2016 release date set.

While Katie Holmes didn’t manage to follow in Nicole Kidman’s footsteps and see her career take off massively after she divorced Tom Cruise, she’s still around and now she’s trying something new, as it’s been revealed she’s set to direct her first movie, All We Had, according to Variety.

The movie is based on Annie Weatherwax’s recently published book about a single mother and her 13-year-old daughter. They’re a family unit on the edge with no money and uncertainty over how they’re going to survive, but then they find an unlikely home in a quirky small town.

Fault In Our Stars director Josh Boone has signed up to write the script

Holmes comments, “I am very excited and honored to be collaborating with Jane [Rosenthal, producer] and Josh on this project and look forward to bringing Annie’s incredible characters to the screen.”

It’s not clear whether Holmes will also star, or when the movie will shoot.

Back in June Tom Hiddleston signed up to show off his singing skills in the Hank Williams biopic, I Saw The Light, and he’s even been seen practicing at small gigs and festivals singing Williams’ songs.

Now the film’s cast has grown, as Elizabeth Olsen is now set to co-star, according to Variety.

The movie is based on the 1994 book Hank Williams: A Biography, by Colin Escott, George Merritt and William MacEwen, which charts Williams’ quick rise to fame, as well as the toll it took on his personal life. The musician is best known for hit songs such as Your Cheatin’ Heart, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry and Hey Good Lookin. Williams tragically passed away at the age of 29 from heart failure after struggling with addictions to alcohol and the prescription medication he took to help with that fact he had spina biffida.

Elizabeth Olsen will play the country singer’s wife, Audrey Mae Williams.

Marc Abraham is directing from his own adapted screenplay, with filming set to kick off in October in Louisiana.