Stay in the loop on industry and casting news with our write-up on who’s been slated for recent film and television roles!
Please note that shoot dates are subject to state and county restrictions and may change. Refer to Call Sheet for updates, and keep checking Backstage for the latest news on project development during this time.
“8 Bit Christmas”
The holiday season may have just ended, but HBO Max is getting an early start on the next one. While kids and adults alike hoped to find the newest XBox or PlayStation under their trees this past Christmas morning, the streamer is looking back to an earlier model. In the film, based on Kevin Jakubowski’s novel of the same name, the coveted console in question is the original Nintendo Entertainment System, which becomes the obsession of a 10-year-old boy in 1980s Chicago. He sets out on a “Super Mario Bros.”–style journey to obtain the system after the adults in his neighborhood blame the NES for a recent tragedy. Rich Delia Casting has been chosen to add actors to the Michael Dowse–directed production, which will star Jacob Laval of “John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch.” Cameras are set to start rolling in February in Toronto.
“Balestra”
Marwan Kenzari (“Aladdin”) will clash with Tessa Thompson in the psychological drama “Balestra.” Thompson will play a disgraced Olympic fencer dead-set on making a return to competition. The athlete turns to experimental technology in a desperate attempt to make a comeback, using lucid dreaming as an unconventional way to extend her training hours. But she soon finds herself wavering between worlds while grappling with questions about a stranger that appears in her subconscious. Atomic Honey Casting has already attached Kenzari and Thompson to the project, but additional actors have yet to be announced. Nicole Dorsey will direct the film, which is written by Imran Zaidi and is set to start filming in Montreal this spring.
“Outer Range”
Aliens, ghosts, or ancient civilizations may be on the verge of discovery in Amazon’s upcoming series. The streaming network has given the go-ahead to “Outer Range,” starring Josh Brolin and Isabel Arraiza. In a small town in rural Wyoming, a rancher at risk of losing his family and livelihood discovers the unimaginable at the edge of the wilderness. Suspicion in the town grows as the man tries to make sense of the unfathomable mystery he’s unearthed on his land. Aibel/Holbrook Casting has already assembled an impressive ensemble: Joining Brolin and Arraiza as series regulars are Tom Pelphrey, Imogen Poots, Lewis Pullman, Tamara Podemski, Shaun Sipos, Noah Reid, and Lili Taylor. The thriller is looking toward a late January start, with the first season wrapping filming in late June. New Mexico and Las Vegas will serve as backdrops for the series.
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This story originally appeared in the Jan. 14 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe here.