Stay in the loop on industry and casting news with our write-up on who’s been slated for recent film and television roles!
“Jungle Cruise”
Emily Blunt is taking her talents from silent horror to family adventure in her next project, “Jungle Cruise.” Disney is turning its beloved riverboat ride, which has been operating at Disneyland since the park’s 1955 opening, into a film starring Blunt and Dwayne Johnson. While the studio has been working on reinventing its animated inventory into live-action blockbusters, “Jungle Cruise” as a ride-specific feature marks a turn rarely taken by the studio. The river ride isn’t based on any specific Disney film, so the plot has been crafted around the elements with an eye toward making the project into a larger franchise. Although the ride is specific to the 1930s, the film won’t necessarily follow that era. The plot will focus on a group of travelers as they flow by riverboat through waters filled with all types of creatures big and small. In addition to Blunt and Johnson, casting through Betty Mae is already underway with Jesse Plemons, Edgar Ramírez, and Jack Whitehall taking a handful of leading roles. Principal casting is wrapping up, but production is still in its infancy, and background talent will be needed during the shoot. The project is anticipated to begin filming in early May and last into the summer in both Hawaii and Atlanta.
“Honey Boy”
Shia LaBeouf will revisit his past as inspiration for his next project. The experimental actor has set up “Honey Boy,” a film based on his own life and experiences. A young boy, whose acting career is flourishing, becomes infatuated with the approval of his ex-con father. Ten years later, the young man is struggling to connect with his father after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from his childhood. LaBeouf will play the role of absent father, and additional actors will be added by casting directors John Papsidera and Chelsea Bloch to join existing cast members Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges. The shoot is anticipated to begin toward the end of May and continue until August. Los Angeles will serve as home for the production.
“In the Tall Grass”
Netflix has ordered a novella-to-screen adaptation by Stephen King and Joe Hill. The story will follow a pair of siblings who hear the cries of a young boy in a field of tall grass while road-tripping. Fearing the worst, they enter the dense acreage only to become disoriented by the horrors they encounter. The project is still on the hunt for its cast, which is being assembled by Chelsea Bloch. Production is anticipated to begin in July in Toronto.
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