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!
“A German Life”
Announced on Monday, Christopher Hampton (“Dangerous Liaisons,” “Atonement”) has penned a screen version of his one-woman play “A German Life,” and Dame Maggie Smith will star. Smith previously starred in the stage version, which is based on a series of interviews Brunhilde Pomsel, secretary to Nazi Joseph Goebbel, gave when she was 103, to great acclaim at The Bridge Theatre in London’s West End. The plan was bound for Broadway ahead of the pandemic and Smith reportedly decided she didn’t want to do it on the stage post-pandemic, leading Hampton to adapt it for the screen. Opera helmer Jonathan Kent, who already has a longstanding relationship with Smith long before he directed her at The Bridge, will make his feature film directorial debut.
“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”
Adding to the unbearable weight of massive talent in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” Neil Patrick Harris has reportedly joined the cast of the Nicolas Cage–centred satire. The Emmy and Tony winner will star alongside Cage, who plays himself, as well as already announced cast Pedro Pascal, Tiffany Haddish, and Sharon Horgan. Harris will play Cage’s talent agent in the project, which follows a fictionalized Cage who accepts a $1 million offer to attend the birthday of a super fan (Pascal) and is forced to live up to his own legend when things take a wild and dangerous turn. Tom Gormican is directing from a screenplay he co-wrote with Kevin Etten. Jessica Kelly and Mary Vernieu are the casting directors.
“Colin in Black & White”
Following the news that Jaden Michael will star as Colin Kaepernick in the upcoming Netflix limited series “Colin in Black & White,” the highly anticipated Ava DuVernay project has added two seasoned stars to its cast. Mary Louise Parker and Nick Offerman will star as the adoptive parents of the activist and NFL star in the six-episode series that will take a look at his adolescent years. The project was written by Michael Starrbury, who will also serve as executive producer opposite DuVernay and Kaepernick, who will appear as himself as the series narrator. DuVernay will direct the first episode.
Searchlight Murder Mystery
Searchlight is pulling in an all-star sleuthing team to solve its upcoming murder mystery thriller. Saoirse Ronan, Sam Rockwell, and David Oyelowo have signed on to star in the currently untitled project from “This Country” director Tom George. Set in 1950s London, it puts world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Rockwell) and overzealous rookie Constable Stalker (Ronan) on the case when a desperate Hollywood film producer sets out to turn a popular West End play into a film. George will helm from a script by Mark Chappell. A production start date has yet to be set.
Searchlight Tennessee Williams Drama
Also at Searchlight, “The Inheritance” writer Matthew López will reportedly bring a Tennessee Williams biopic to the big screen. The Tony nominee will pen a feature film adaptation of the novel “Leading Men,” which centers on the legendary writer and his longtime partner Frank Merlo. “Call Me By Your Name” team Luca Guadagnino and Peter Spears will produce, but there is currently no director or cast attached to the project.
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