Liam Neeson is set to star in Dark Castle and Warner Brothers thriller, “Unknown White Male.” Scribed by Karl Gajdusek, the film will center on a doctor (Neeson) who awakens from a coma in Berlin to find that he has been replaced by another man with sinister intentions, leading him on a frantic quest to uncover the truth. [THR]
After a decade-long absence from U.S. theaters, Joe Eszterhas has signed on to a project about the virgin of Guadalupe, a vision that appeared to the Aztec peasant Juan Diego in 1531. Despite skepticism around Diego’s existence, the event is credited with helping to spread Catholicism at a time of economic and social turmoil in the country. [THR]
Niki Caro of “Whale Rider” fame is set to helm dramedy “Buttercup.” The film centers on a middle-age man who, with the help of his daughter, attempts to rebuild his messed up life after the death of his wife. [THR]
Ben Lyons and Ben Mankiewicz have been replaced by A.O. Scott from the New York Times and Michael Phillips from the Chicago Tribune on “At The Movies.” Much better, but it’s a bit unfortunate for Mank that he got lumped in with that abominable hack, Lyons. [THR]
CBS is set to reboot Western action-adventurer “Gunsmoke” and has hired “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” writer Gregory Poirier to scribe a modernized silver screen version of the television show. The show chronicled the story of Marshal Matt Dillon, town physician Galen “Doc” Adams and Miss Kitty Russell, owner of the Long Branch Saloon and is the longest running scripted prime time drama on television ever. [RiskyBizBlog]
Travis Fimmel and Maggie Grace have joined the cast of ‘The Experiment,” the story of the Stanford Prison Experiment — a psychological experiment that went awry. Fimmel replaces Elijah Wood in the film’s lead. [THR]
President of Screen Gems Clint Culpepper has been forced to come out and stand by his signing of T.I. The rapper-actor is serving a jail sentence for trying to purchase machine guns but will have a healthy film career waiting for him when he gets out. Culpepper refused to comment, however, on Chris Brown who also has a deal with Screen Gems and is currently standing trial for his infamous assault of Rihanna. [RiskyBizBlog]
The trailer for “Open Road” starring Jeff Bridges and Justin Timberlake has been unveiled. We think Jeff Wells’ post title about the trailer says it best: “feel like I’ve seen it.” And don’t even get us started on that voice over.
