Greenlit means a project is officially a go, so all you have to do is follow these leads to stay up to date. You never know where you’ll find an opportunity to land an audition!
“Guys and Dolls”
Bill Condon, director of Disney’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast” and “Dreamgirls,” and writer of “Chicago” and “The Greatest Showman,” will continue to follow his luck as the newly tapped director of TriStar’s “Guys and Dolls” remake. Set in Depression-era New York, the hit musical-turned-movie musical centers on a high roller and a small-time gambler as they try to lock down a date and a location for a floating craps game. The Sony label acquired the rights to the original Damon Runyon short stories and the Frank Loesser musical, as well as the remake rights to the 1955 film adaptation that starred Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons, Vivian Blaine, and Marlon Brando. John Goldwyn and Marc Toberoff are producing the movie. News of a casting director should follow soon.
“Alice, Darling”
Reported first by Deadline on Monday morning, Anna Kendrick will reteam with “A Simple Favor” banner Lionsgate for the psychological thriller “Alice, Darling.” The upcoming film marks the feature directorial debut of Mary Nighy from a screenplay by Alanna Francis. Alongside Charlie Carrick, Wunmi Mosaku, and Kaniehtiio Horn, Kendrick will play Alice, who is keeping secrets about her mercurial boyfriend from her two best friends. The secrets must come out when the three friends take a girls’ trip out of town, a local girl goes missing, and Alice’s boyfriend arrives unannounced. Babe Nation Films, Elevation Pictures, and Castelletto Films will produce. Production is underway now in Canada. Alice Searby and Melissa A. Smith are the casting directors.
“The Witcher: Blood Origin”
Joining previously announced cast member Laurence O’Fuarain, Michelle Yeoh and Sophia Brown are set to star in the upcoming “The Witcher” prequel series, “The Witcher: Blood Origin.” As we previously reported, “Blood Origin” will be set in an elven world 1,200 years before the world of “The Witcher” and “will tell the story of the creation of the first prototype Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal ‘conjunction of the spheres,’ when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.” Brown takes over from Jodie Turner-Smith, who departed the production back in April due to scheduling conflicts. The six-episode limited series is due to begin filming in the U.K. in August on the spinoff origin story. Declan de Barra will act as executive producer and showrunner. Sophie Holland is the casting director—learn how she cast talent for the parent series here at Backstage!
“Painkiller”
Uzo Aduba will star alongside Matthew Broderick in the upcoming Netflix limited series “Painkiller.” The drama series will follow the origins of the opioid crisis and the role of Purdue Pharma. West Duchovny, Dina Shihabi, and John Rothman will co-star in the project, which comes from executive producers Eric Newman, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster, Alex Gibney, as well as Peter Berg, who will direct all episodes. Production on the six-episode limited series will begin later this year in Toronto. Fitzerman-Blue and Harpster write and serve as showrunners.
Adele Lim-Ashley Park Lionsgate Comedy
“Crazy Rich Asians” and “Raya and the Last Dragon” writer Adele Lim will make her feature directorial debut with an untitled comedy for Lionsgate and Point Grey Pictures. As reported last week, the R-rated comedy will star Tony and Grammy-nominated actress Ashley Park (“Emily in Paris,” “Girls 5Eva”) and follows “four Asian American women as they travel through Asia in search of one of their birth mothers.” The film will be written by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong (“Family Guy,” “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens”) and Teresa Hsiao (co-creator of “Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens”) from a story by Chevapravatdumrong, Hsiao, and Lim. The film is expected to shoot this fall.
“Rap Sh*t”
First reported by Deadline, Issa Rae and her Hoorae Productions have set their next HBO Max project: a half-hour comedy series. Devon Terrell (“Cursed,” “Barry”) is set to star opposite Aida Osman and Kamillion in “Rap Sh*t,” written by Rae. The series follows two estranged high school friends from Miami, Shawna and Mia, who reunite to form a rap group. Rae will executive produce with Montrel McKay via Hoorae, along with showrunner Syreenta Singleton. A casting team has yet to be announced, but “Insecure” casting director Victoria Thomas could be a possibility.
“Rebel Moon”
“Army of the Dead” helmer Zack Snyder is joining the space race. The filmmaker has set his next feature film at Netflix, a sci-fi epic entitled “Rebel Moon,” which he will write with his “Army of the Dead” scribe Shay Hatten, as well as Kurt Johnstad (“300,” “Atomic Blonde”). Described as a grand fantasy adventure, “Rebel Moon” centers on “an enigmatic young woman who is given the responsibility by a peaceful colony on the outskirts of the galaxy to find warriors who can fend off an impending invasion by the despotic Regent Belisarius.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, Snyder first developed the project as a pitch for the “Star Wars” universe that pre-dated Disney’s 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm. Production is expected to begin in early 2022. Snyder will possibly reteam with his “Army of the Dead” casting directors John Papsidera and Kim Winther of Automatic Sweat.
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