Kit Harington (“Game of Thrones”) and Jennifer Ehle (“Zero Dark Thirty”) have both signed on to star in “Spooks: The Greater Good,” a big-screen adaptation of the BBC TV spy drama “Spooks.” The film will be helmed by Bharat Nalluri, who directed multiple episodes of the British series, and Peter Firth will reprise his role as Harry Pearce from the show. Kit Harrington would play “an agent investigating how a terrorist escaped from custody during a routine handover against the ticking clock of an imminent terror attack on London.” The film’s screenplay was penned by Jonathan Brackley and Sam Vincent, who were both writers on the series, and production is set to begin in early 2014. “Spooks” was better known in the US as “MI-5” and the show lasted for ten seasons before being wrapping up in 2011. [THR]
When we last heard about “Brooklyn,” Saoirse Ronan was set to star (replacing Rooney Mara) and John Crowley (“Closed Circuit”) to direct. Now, a whole slew of actors have decided to join Ronan, including Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, Sarah Gadon, Emory Cohen, and Julie Waters. “Brooklyn,” based on the novel by Colm Toibin, was adapted for the big screen by Nick Hornby (“An Education”) and tells the story of “a young Irish woman who leaves her small town in Ireland hoping for a brighter future in 1950s Brooklyn. Despite her initial homesickness, she falls in love with Tony (Cohen) an Italian-American who opens her eyes her new surroundings. But a family tragedy leads Nora back to Ireland where her American sophistication catches the eye of the charming Jim (Gleeson).” Production begins next spring. [Screendaily]
It’s been five years since his last big screen directorial effort, but you can be rest assured that another David Mamet feature film is coming. The film is “Blackbird,” which stars Cate Blanchett, and now James Badge Dale has joined the cast. In the upcoming thriller, Dale plays “a military major who is trying to discover the truth about the political secrets of a woman’s grandfather who worked for the US special ops during the 1960s.” James Badge Dale’s stock continues to rise after his huge year this year, which saw him have substantial roles in “Iron Man 3,” “World War Z” and “The Lone Ranger.” His most recent film, the JFK-assassination drama “Parkland” can currently be seen on VOD. Production on “Blackbird,” which is being produced by SBS Productions, does not currently have a start date. [Deadline]
Finally, Kate Bosworth and Thomas Jane will star in “Somnia,” a horror-thriller about an orphaned child whose nightmares manifest physically while he sleeps. Production is set to begin on the film next week and Mike Flanagan has signed on to direct. Flanagan co-wrote “Somnia” with Jeff Howard, both of whom collaborated on “Oculus,” Flanagan’s previous film. Leading the film will be Jacob Tremblay who will play the child and most recently appeared in this year’s “Smurfs 2.” [Variety]
