Casting Call: Ralph Fiennes joins Wes Anderson, Uma Thurman is a Nymphomaniac, Julianne Moore reteams with Liam Neeson, and Kevin Costner coaches an NFL team

Lots of projects moving forward these days featuring some pretty big talent. First up is news that Ralph Fiennes will be taking over the rumored role Johnny Depp was going to take in Wes Anderson’s GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. According to Deadline, the Anderson project is moving quickly, mainly due to the box office success of MOONRISE KINGDOM. Aside from Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzmann, Fiennes is the first new cast member announced for the film.

Fiennes has been playing primarily villainous roles lately, including Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films, IN BRUGES, and CORIOLANUS. He will next be seen in the James Bond film SKYFALL, as a good guy (as far as we can tell).

In news of a slightly more arousing nature, the still incredibly sexy Uma Thurman has joined the cast of Lars Von Trier’s NYMPHOMANIAC, his pornographic follow-up to ANTICHRIST and MELANCHOLIA. No word on what her role will be, but we can hope it will involve nudity.

NYMPHOMANIAC follows Charlotte Gainsbourg as Jo, a self- diagnosed Nymphomaniac. One night, an old bachelor, played by Stellan Skarsgard, finds her in an alley, badly beaten. He takes her home to nurse her back to health, while she recounts to him her life of erotic adventure. The film also stars Shia LaBeouf, Jamie Bell, Stacy Martin, Connie Nielsen and Christian Slater.

NYMPHOMANIAC is filming in Germany and will be produced in both hardcore and softcore versions. You can rest assured, my good Schmoes, that the moment news of footage arrives regarding this movie, you will be the first to know! NYMPHOMANIAC will be released some time in 2013.

Now that Liam Neeson has discovered his new niche as a middle-aged action icon, he is dragging some old co-stars along to join him. The Hollywood Reporter has news that Neeson and CHLOE costar Julianne Moore will team up for NON-STOP. The movie will be directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and produced by Joel Silver. The plot has Neeson playing a federal air marshall who must deal with a mysterious nemesis after he begins receiving IMs threatening the lives of passengers. Moore will play Neeson’s love interest, a feisty passenger who is good with electronics.

The film looks to shoot in November for a 2013 release. It sounds like TAKEN meets AIR FORCE ONE minus the President. I am not saying I am against Neeson making these movies, but I would like to see at least a little variety in the roles. Can someone give this man a comedy or something?

Lastly, we have the latest in the Year of Costner. Kevin Costner continues his hot streak with a role in Ivan Reitman’s DRAFT DAY, which may get funding from the NFL. In the movie, Costner would play the manager of the Buffalo Bills who spends the day trying to make sure he gets the number one pick in the NFL draft. I wonder if the movie will be a romantic comedy or something a little more dramatic. With Reitman behind the camera, I would think it would have a bit of a snarky edge to it. It would be nice to see Costner in another sports movie as his three baseball movies (BULL DURHAM, FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME, and FIELD OF DREAMS) are some of the best out there.

Nothing concrete on DRAFT DAY yet, but with a director and big star lined up, it will only be a matter of time before we get some more news.