Everything is coming up Rachel Weisz these days, which is fantastic news for people who like pretty people (geek credentials not necessary). Word was last week that she’d attached herself to Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful as Glinda, opposite Mila Kundis’ Theodora and James Franco’s Oz. That may or may not happen now, as she’s now in talks to perhaps take the female lead in Jeremy Renner’s Bourne reboot. She could do both, depending on the scheduling, but Cinemablend is also spreading rumors that she might even sign on as Nora Charles opposite Johnny Depp in Rob Marshall’s The Thin Man remake. Even with Depp and Weisz, you have no idea how much the idea of a remake of The Thin Man upsets me. Just don’t do it. I know you sold your soul to Disney, Depp. But look deep within it and realize that you need to leave perfect enough alone. (Deadline)
Colin Firth is signing on to an interesting as yet untitled dark comedy. He’ll play a “man who hates his job and is hated by his ex-wife and son. Feeling he missed his one shot at living the dream, he fakes his death and buys a new identity. Along the way he meets a woman who is also trying to leave her past behind. The pair break into empty homes and pose as the absent owners.” That woman? Emily Blunt. That’s a hell of a combination. (Deadline)
In days-old news that you might have missed, Charle Hunnam (“Sons of Anarchy”) has signed on to Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim. He will play the lead in the movie about aliens who attack the Earth, only to see humans develop robots to fend them off. (THR)
Did you know that Brad Pitt will star in the Andrew Dominik film Cogan’s Trade as a mob enforcer? Well, now you do. And here’s an image from the set.
Bret Ratner has also got a new gig. He’ll direct 39 Steps, based on the young adult book series, which has its own card and board game. The project was originally developed by and for Steven Spielberg, but hey! Ratner’s always the next logical choice, isn’t he? (Deadline)
I thought that after the box-office failures of Scott Pilgrim and that movie where he had a mustache, Michael Cera would be cooked. But he has signed on in a supporting role in Magic Magic from the director of The Maid, Sebastian Silva will direct the movie “about “a girl vacationing with her friends in a remote area of Chile who slowly starts losing her mental faculties. She tries to get her friends’ attention, but they ignore her until it’s too late.” (Variety)
Someone found yet another based-on-true events boxing story to tell, this one about Chuck Wepner, the inspiration behind Sly Stallone’s Rocky. The Bleeder will star Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber and Christina Hendricks. You can probably slot those faces into the boxing movie formula to figure out who is who (hint: The redhead is usually the mistress) (Collider)
James Franco has hired newcomer Val Lauren to play Sal Mineo in Franco’s feature directorial debut Sal. (THR)
Katie Holmes and Chase Crawford have signed to star in the romantic comedy Responsible Adults, which has Holmes playing a 30-year-old med student who falls for a younger man (Crawford) only to realize that she was once his babysitter. That sounds absolutely dreadful. (THR)
Meanwhile, the Emu is in yet another project, The Words, where he’ll play a celebrated writer who steals the work of another man (Jeremy Irons). Dennis Quaid is also attached. (THR)
Finally, Alexander Payne hasn’t made a movie since Sideways, but now he returns with The Descendants starring George Clooney. Here’s the first clip. Warning: It’s completely useless.
