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!
“The Last of Us”
Major video game adaptations are in the news this week! The starring roles in the upcoming HBO “The Last of Us” adaptation have been cast. “Game of Thrones” alums Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will play Joel and Ellie, respectively, in the series from “Chernobyl” creator Craig Mazin. Like the game, it will take place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed as Joel, a hardened survivor, tries to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of a quarantine zone. The series received the greenlight back in November, and Naughty Dog Vice President and “The Last of Us” writer-creative director Neil Druckmann will write the adaptation for the small screen. No casting team has been announced, but look to “Chernobyl” and “Game of Thrones” CD Nina Gold as a possibility.
“Borderlands”
In the big screen adaptations department, the upcoming Lionsgate “Borderlands” movie has added two major stars to its cast. Jamie Lee Curtis and Jack Black will play the archeologist Tannis and the sarcastic robot Claptrap, respectively. As we last reported, Kevin Hart will star opposite Cate Blanchett in the feature, which will be directed by Eli Roth and also written by Craig Mazin. The film will begin shooting in Hungary in April. Vickie Thomas is casting.
“Captain Marvel 2”
Captain Marvel has found her new enemy. First reported by Deadline, Zawe Ashton will star as the antagonist in “Captain Marvel 2” opposite Brie Larson. Nia DaCosta (“Candyman”) will direct the new installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Megan McDonnell penning the script. In addition to Larson and Ashton, Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris will star. No plot details are known for the sequel, which is due out on Nov. 11, 2022. Sarah Finn is the casting director.
“Rustin”
Off the news that Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground are hard at work on a lengthy development slate for Netflix, one of those projects has found its director. George C. Wolfe has been tapped to direct the upcoming Bayard Rustin biopic for the streamer. The film will tell the story of gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who organized the 1963 March on Washington. Wolfe most recently directed the critically acclaimed feature “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” for Netflix. Dustin Lance Black, who previously won the Oscar for “Milk” screenplay, will write. Wolfe worked with Avy Kaufman on “Ma Rainey,” but a casting director for “Rustin” has yet to be announced.
“Mr. and Mrs. Smith”
The heat is on at Amazon, where Donald Glover and Phoebe Waller-Bridge will unite for “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” a series based on the 2005 hit New Regency action film that starred Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The series will also follow a bored married couple who learn that they are both assassins hired by competing agencies to kill each other. This will mark reunions for both Waller-Bridger and Glover at the studio, formerly with “Fleabag” and “Guava Island,” respectively. The upcoming series is due in 2022.
“The Bubble”
Judd Apatow is seizing the moment for his next comedy, and he’s not wasting time in finding the cast to bring it to life, either. Karen Gillan, Maria Bakalova, Iris Apatow, Fred Armisen, David Duchovny, Keegan-Michael Key, Leslie Mann, Pedro Pascal, and Peter Serafinowicz have joined the upcoming “The Bubble,” which follows a group of actors and actresses stuck inside a pandemic bubble at a hotel attempting to complete a film. Apatow will direct and produce the pic and co-write the script with Pam Brady. Filming is expected to begin in early 2021. Apatow almost always works with Allison Jones.
“Paranormal Activity”
“Paranormal Activity” has appeared back on the radar. Announced last week, Will Eubank and Christopher Landon will team up to direct a new “Paranormal Activity” film. Eubank will direct the project, which is being described as a “new, unexpected retooling” of the franchise, and Landon will return to write his fifth “Paranormal” movie. The most recent entry was 2015’s “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension.” The upcoming film was announced to be released on March 19, 2021, but is now set for a March 4, 2022, release. John McAlary and Terri Taylor were the casting directors on the previous installment.
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