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!
“Sinkhole”
The saying goes that two heads are better than one, and that can apply to filmmaking, too. “Insecure” creator-star Issa Rae and “Get Out” writer-director Jordan Peele are teaming up for “Sinkhole.” The “thought-provoking genre movie that engages with questions of female perfection and identity” is based on Leyna Krow’s short story about a young family that moves into its dream home despite the gaping sinkhole in the backyard. Rae is expected to star in the project and will also produce with Universal and Peele’s Monkeypaw. No further casting has been announced yet.
“Nine Perfect Strangers”
We’re down to the last three perfect strangers. Michael Shannon and Asher Keddie are the latest to join the cast of the Hulu limited series “Nine Perfect Strangers,” joining Samara Weaving, Manny Jacinto, Melissa McCarthy, and Luke Evans as the titular strangers, as well as Nicole Kidman. Based on “Big Little Lies” author Liane Moriarty’s novel, the story takes place at a boutique health and wellness resort that promises healing and transformation as nine stressed city dwellers try to get on a path to a better way of living, aided by the resort director (Kidman). David E. Kelley will write the series with John Henry Butterworth and Samantha Strauss and will also co-showrun with Butterworth. David Rubin is the series casting director.
“Don’t Log Off”
Ariel Winter has landed her first role after her 11-year arc on ABC’s “Modern Family.” The actor has booked the indie feature “Don’t Log Off” from Brandon and Garrett Baer. Set entirely during the early days of the COVID-19 quarantine, the comedy-thriller takes place during a surprise birthday party on Zoom where the birthday girl suddenly goes missing, leaving her close friends to figure out the hows and whys of her disappearance. This is the feature directorial debut for the Baer Brothers, and they will also write the script. The production has reportedly begun as a hybrid virtual and on-location shoot. Winter will star alongside Luke Benward, Ashley Argota, Brielle Barbusca, Sterling Beaumon, Jack Griffo, Khylin Rhambo, and Kara Royster.
“Invasion”
First reported by Deadline, Riz Ahmed and Octavia Spencer have been cast in “Invasion,” a sci-fi thriller pic from Michael Pearce and Amazon Studios. Written by Pearce with Joe Barton (“The Ritual”), the story follows two young brothers who go on the run with their father, a decorated Marine (Ahmed), who is trying to protect them from an inhuman threat. There is no word yet on who Spencer will play in the film, and no other casting has been announced, including for the roles of the two sons. Pending pandemic regulations, the film is aiming to shoot in the U.S. this year. Avy Kaufman is casting the feature.
“Life Is a Carnival”
While the release of her and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights” will be pushed to next summer, writer Quiara Alegría Hudes has booked her next project. Hudes is set to write “Life Is a Carnival,” a Latin music-infused film from Warner Bros. No plot details have been revealed, but Hudes says, “I was hungry to write a story about generations of Latinas that folded in the survival, struggle, and celebration my own elders modeled for me.” This will mark her second collaboration with producers Scott Sanders and Mara Jacobs, who also worked on “Heights,” and if she intends to re-team with other “Heights” collaborators, look to casting team Telsey + Company.
“La Fortuna”
The major international adventure series “La Fortuna” has expanded its cast with a major international star. Stanley Tucci has joined the AMC Studios and Movistar Plus (Spain) six-part thriller in the role of adventurer Frank Wild, who discovers the biggest shipwreck haul in history at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Tucci will star with Álvaro Mel, Ana Polvorosa, Clarke Peters, and more. “La Fortuna” is one of the most ambitious series to come out of Spain, led by “The Others” helmer Alejandro Amenábar. The series will shoot from August on location in Madrid, Cadiz, Zaragoza, Galicia, and the Basque Country before moving for completion to North America in 2021, pending COVID-19 guidelines.