Well, damn. It's been very busy and very big day over at Disney. With Michael Arndt now locked in for "Star Wars: Episode 7," another big project at the studio has nabbed a bona fide A-list star.
George Clooney is in talks to star in Brad Bird's mysterious "1952." Penned by Damon Lindelof, details about the movie are being kept under lock and key, but it's apparently a "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind"-esque project will center on a man not unlike Roy Neary. The title was inspired by Lindelof's visit to Disney last year to pitch the movie when he was allowed access to some stuff in the archives, including a box from WED Enterprises, Walt Disney's personal development lab (which later became the Imagineering section of the company). There was one box labeled "That Darn Cat!" that had been crossed off with "1952" written instead, and inside was a bunch of material for a proposed movie about alien contact. But where the idea went from there, we'll just have to wait and see.
Production is being slated to start next year, but before Clooney does that, he will begin his 2013 starring in and directing the WWII drama "The Monuments Men." Daniel Craig, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett and Bob Balaban will all feature. Filming gets underway on March 1st in Europe. [Variety]
