We’re in a mini renaissance for adaptations of John Le Carré books, with "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and "A Most Wanted Man" arriving over the last few years. But the next project derived from the works of the spy master will head to the small screen. Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie will topline the limited series "The Night Manager." David Farr ("Hanna") will pen this one that follows "Jonathan Pine, a British soldier turned luxurious hotel night auditor. Pine crosses paths with a French-Arab woman named Sophie with ties to Richard Onslow Roper, an English black marketer who specializes in weapons. The woman provides Pine with incriminating documents, which he forwards to a friend in British intelligence. After Sophie winds up dead, Pine works with intelligence operatives and goes undercover as part of a sting against Roper to avenge Sophie’s death." This one is in search of a U.S. network home, but considering it has both Loki and Dr. House involved, it shouldn’t be too long before the show secures a deal. [THR]
This fall, we’ll see a couple different sides of Jeff Daniels, as he’ll appear in both "Dumb & Dumber To" and the final season of "The Newsroom." Now he’s mixing it up even more, booking a role in Ridley Scott‘s "The Martian" alongside Matt Damon. The movie "centers on an astronaut who is stranded in a Martian colony and struggles to survive. Back on Earth, NASA tries to launch a rescue mission." [THR]
"Twilight" actress Nikki Reed, Bonnie Wright, Gustaf Skarsgard and Joe Jonas will star in "The Highway Is For Gamblers." The story follows "Jane (Reed), a newly crowned rodeo queen who goes missing, and her friend Heidi (Wright), who uncovers secrets and encounters the violence of life on the road while searching for her pal." Alexandra McGuinness directs, with production planned for November, though a Kickstarter campaign is underway to drum up the final funds needed to get this thing moving. [Deadline]
"The Place Beyond The Pines" star Emory Cohen is getting in the saddle for "By Way Of Helena." Liam Hemsworth and Woody Harrelson star in this one about "an 1880s Texas Ranger sent to an isolated frontier town to investigate a series of murders. There he squares off against a fearsome local preacher." Kieran Darcy-Smith directs. [Deadline]
A bunch of people we like—Aubrey Plaza, Molly Shannon, Fred Armisen, Ron Livingston and Clea Duvall—are joining two other people we like—Judy Greer and Natasha Lyonne—in "Fresno." Jamie Babbit‘s movie follows "two co-dependent sisters who work as hotel maids in Fresno." Given this ensemble, we’re keeping an eye on this. [Variety]
