From Marlon Wayans to Eddie Murphy to Nick Cannon, it seems every six months or so a new name surfaces as the potential lead for the forever developing Richard Pryor biopic. And with Lee Daniels now attached to direct, another contender is now in the pole position for the job —Mike Epps, who recently aced a screen test. The actor had been in the mix for the part a while ago, and his name has emerged as such again. And the likes of Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson are being tossed around for the role of Pryor’s widow, Jennifer Lee Pryor.[Deadline]
This is should be probably be filed in the "Duh, no kidding" category, but "Star Wars: Episode 7" newcomer Daisy Ridley will be returning for "Star Wars: Episode 8" and "Star Wars: Episode 9," because obviously. [Deadline]
Get ready: Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Rodrigo Santoro, Shannon Woodward, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Angela Sarafyan, and Simon Quarterman are joining Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood and James Marsden in Jonathan Nolan and J.J. Abrams‘ "Westworld" series on HBO. The show will apparently be "a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin." Okay, then. [Deadline/The Wrap]
Lizzy Caplan is reuniting with her "The Interview" co-star Seth Rogen for his untitled Christmas movie, directed by Jonathan Levine and co-starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The movie follows "three childhood best friends who reunite in New York City for their annual tradition of going out on Christmas Eve." Also on deck is "22 Jump Street" scene-stealer Jillian Bell. Production starts this week and Caplan will play JG-L’s love interest, with Bell as Rogen’s wife. [THR/Deadline]
Rocker Rick Springfield is reviving his acting career, joining Meryl Streep‘s "Ricky And The Flash." The Diablo Cody penned, Jonathan Demme directed movie "centers on a rock n’ roll loving woman (Streep) who chased her musical dreams at the price of her family, but is given one last chance to perhaps make things right." Springfield will have a crush on Streep in the movie, and lensing begins this fall. [THR]
Diane Lane and Elle Fanning are joining "Trumbo" with Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and Michael Stuhlbarg. The movie will follow "the rise and fall of Dalton Trumbo, the highest-paid screenwriter in the world who was dragged in front of the House Committee on Un-American Activities during the Cold War and ultimately sent to prison." Jay Roach will direct with production starting next month. [Screen Daily]
Matthew Rhys is joining the extensive ensemble —Sienna Miller, Uma Thurman, Daniel Bruhl, Riccardo Scarmacio, Emma Thompson, Lily James, Omar Sy, Jamie Dornan, Sam Keeley, Sarah Greene and Alicia Vikander— culled for Bradley Cooper‘s upcoming, untitled food world drama. The actor will play "the rival of Cooper’s chef character in the Steven Knight-scripted film. Cooper plays Adam Jones, a two Michelin Star chef in Paris whose ability to create explosions of taste is undermined by his badboy rants and diva behavior that destroy his career." Production is already undereway. [Deadline]
Lastly, Alice Eve is joining the dude party involving Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Oldman in "Criminal." Ariel Vroman will direct the movie about "a dead CIA operative’s memories [being] implanted into a dangerous convict in hopes that he will stop a diabolical plot." [THR]
