Nine actors go in, four vastly different projects come out.
1) Elijah Wood is starring in THE LATE BLOOMER. To be directed by Randall Einhorn (Wood’s own “Wilfred”), THE LATE BLOOMER is an adaptation of the 2001 book “Man Made: A Memoir of My Body” and tells “the amazing true story of a man who found out at close to age 30 that he hadn’t yet totally undergone puberty but when the medical condition preventing it was removed, in several short, overwhelming weeks did so.”
Einhorn had this to say about the project: “The Late Bloomer’ is the type of wonderful heartfelt comedy that I like to engage in. Puberty can be difficult at best and has the potential to be extremely comedic in normal circumstances,” said Einhorn. “This true story is anything but a normal circumstance. That truth is a new twist on something we all know well and Elijah is just perfect to play the lead role.” Production is set to commence in January of 2013. (Coming Soon)
2) Meryl Streep is circling Rob Marshall’s adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim Broadway classic INTO THE WOODS in the role of The Witch. Other actors present at a recent reading of the script (that are thereby potential casting candidates) included Patrick Wilson, Allison Janney, and Anna Kendrick. It is believed that Sondheim will write several new songs for the film. INTO THE WOODS “weaves together the story of several of the most beloved fairytales into the original story of a Baker and his wife who try to reverse a curse on their family in order to have a child, exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests and their desire for ‘happily ever after.’” (Broadway World/Coming Soon)
3) Aubrey Plaza, Anthony Mackie, Philip Baker Hall, Topher Grace, and Giovanni Ribisi are all in talks to join Chris Evans and Michelle Monaghan in A MANY SPLINTERED THING. Described as an anti-romantic comedy, “the film tells the story of a young man disillusioned by love who meets a breathtaking young woman at a charity dinner by pretending to be a philanthropist. Turns out that she’s engaged to a guy who doesn’t like her going on dates. Challenged by the chase, and egged on by his eclectic friends, he feigns a platonic relationship in order to keep seeing her as he tries to conquer her heart. Grace will play the poser’s best friend.” (Variety)
There’s at least one potentially very obvious story beat embedded there (she finds out that he’s been lying and pushes him away despite the sincerity of his feelings), but the script was borne on the Black List for a while (a list of the best unproduced scripts in Hollywood during a given year) so there’s hope yet that something more/new elevates the plot described above.
4) Ron Perlman has signed on to star in SAVAGE MUTTS alongside George Finn (LOL), an actor who looks like he could be Cillian Murphy’s younger and equally creepyhandsome brother. SAVAGE MUTTS “centers on Terry ‘Shotgun’ Coburn (Perlman), who after he is released from maximum security prison sets out on a path of revenge and rampage through the criminal underworld, as he seeks out a final confrontation with his brother – a dark and powerful crime boss.” The project has been pitched as being along the same lines as LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS. And, bringing this article full circle, production is expected to begin in January of 2013. (Coming Soon)