Welcome to Rumorville! Here you can learn about casting news that’s about to break in Hollywood. These speculations might be only rumors, but that doesn’t mean you can’t follow the trail all the way to the audition room.
“Joe Exotic”
One day, you’re the Tiger King; the next, you’re a limited series out on the market. Now that the country is collectively obsessed with Netflix’s docuseries “Tiger King,” UCP’s “Joe Exotic” limited series is picking up steam. The production company announced the project, which is based on the Joe Exotic season of Wondery’s “Over My Dead Body” podcast, four months ago with Kate McKinnon starring as Carole Baskin and executive producing. The project is still in internal development at UCP and has not been set up with a network or platform, but with both McKinnon and the current “Tiger King” hype attached, it seems likely it will land somewhere soon.
“Law & Order: SVU” Spinoff
Are Benson and Stabler finally reuniting? First reported by Deadline, Christopher Meloni will star in a new Dick Wolfe crime drama series where he will reprise his “Law & Order: SVU” role of Elliot Stabler. The 13-episode spinoff drama, part of a new five-year, nine-figure deal Wolf signed with Universal Television in February, will reportedly revolve around the NYPD organized crime unit led by Stabler. Neither NBC or Universal Television have confirmed the news at this point, but off the excitement for Meloni’s return alone, the sources seem to be onto something. Philip Huffman at Jonathan Strauss Casting is the “SVU” casting director—Strauss’ office could be in charge of this new series, too. Learn how you can get cast on “SVU” and other Dick Wolf properties here at Backstage!
“Dragon Lair”
Ryan Reynolds will reportedly soon be on a new quest. The “Deadpool” actor is in talks to star in and produce a live-action feature adaptation of the classic 1980s arcade video game “Dragon’s Lair.” Netflix has reportedly closed a deal to pick up the rights to the game after a year of negotiations. Roy Lee via his Vertigo Entertainment banner and Trevor Engelson of Underground Films will produce, as well as Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, Jon Pomeroy, and Reynolds via his banner, Maximum Effort. Dan and Kevin Hageman (“The Lego Movie,” “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”) will write the script. No director has been attached to the project yet. Once that happens, casting will follow.
“Project Hail Mary”
First reported by Deadline, “Project Hail Mary,” the latest novel from “The Martian” writer Andy Weir, is in exclusive negotiations to be acquired by MGM for an upcoming feature. Ryan Gosling and Ken Kao will reportedly produce, and Gosling is attached to play the starring role, an astronaut on a spaceship who is tasked with saving the planet. Gosling was last seen onscreen playing another astronaut, Neil Armstrong, in the Damien Chazelle–directed “First Man.” Once the seven-figure deal closes and pre-production hopefully begins, casting will be announced.
Michael Bay/Sony Deal
As Hollywood starts to show signs of life again for future projects, Michael Bay and his Bay Films have teamed up for a multiyear first-look deal with Sony Pictures to produce both film and TV projects. The high-profile deal reunites Bay and Sony, where he made his directorial debut with 1995’s “Bad Boys,” as well as the 2003 sequel. His next big project will be the studio’s ensemble drama “Black Five,” which he’ll direct from Ehren Kruger’s (“Top Gun: Maverick”) script. For all of these future projects, keep an eye on Bay’s usual casting director, Denise Chamian. Read about how she cast one of his previous projects, “The Last Ship,” here at Backstage!
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