Damien Chazelle is currently experiencing what it’s like to be one of the most buzzed about directors around Hollywood. His latest feature "Whiplash" continues to sustain serious buzz after its Sundance premiere, hitting Cannes and the Toronto International Film Festiival, with the New York Film Festival coming up next, and projects are landing on his doorstep. He’s already got the musical "La La Land" brewing with Miles Teller and Emma Watson attached, and now he may get another high profile gig .
Chazelle is in talks to direct "First Man," a biopic of famed astronaut Neil Armstrong. The project is set up at Universal, with Josh Singer ("The Fifth Estate," Tom McCarthy‘s upcoming "Spotlight") penning the script, based on the book by James Hansen. [THR]
In news that will rock a nation to its core, Roberto Orci has had to drop out of executive producing the "Powers Rangers" movie due to his commitment to "Star Trek 3." NOOOOOOOOOOOO. How the reboot of the property will survive is not yet known. A prayer vigil is being held in Hollywood right at this second. [Deadline]
Legendary filmmaker Michael Apted is launching an Indiegogo campaign for the next entry in his "Married In America" documentary series. The films are about "marriage in the 21st century" and "chronicle the journeys of nine diverse couples wed in 2001." The director is looking to raise $50,000 for the project, with plans to shoot in early 2015. [THR]
"Divergent" director Neil Burger has signed up to helm the surely-they’ll-change-this-title thriller "All The Old Knives." Based on the forthcoming book by Olen Steinhauer, the story is set in "the idyllic town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, where two ex-lovers —one CIA spy and one ex-CIA spy— meet for dinner and to reminisce. They relive their memories of the disastrous hijacking of Royal Jordanian Flight 127, which ended in the death of all onboard, a failure that haunts the CIA’s Vienna station to this day. The question is whether Henry has come to dinner to rekindle the romance or to get to the bottom of a conspiracy. It also becomes clear that one of the ex-lovers may not survive the meal." Okay, we’re interested. Casting is underway. [Deadline]
