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.
“Full Circle”
Steven Soderbergh is adding his own limited series to HBO Max’s growing slate of crime thrillers. He’ll direct all six episodes of “Full Circle,” the story of a failed kidnapping, penned by Ed Solomon (“Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” “Now You See Me”). The two, who will also executive producer, previously collaborated on another HBO Max project: last year’s “No Sudden Move.” Soderbergh also directed the feature film “Kimi” for the streamer, which debuted earlier this year. “Full Circle” will delve deep into a botched abduction, as a web of secrets and lies come to light in present-day New York City. Production is set for early September through early winter in NYC; Carmen Cuba will cast the project.
“The Pope’s Exorcist”
For years, the late Italian priest Father Gabriele Amorth served as the Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, reportedly performing 160,000 exorcisms on behalf of the Catholic Church. Now, Screen Gems and Loyola Productions are making a feature film based on his memoirs, “An Exorcist Tells His Story” and “An Exorcist: More Stories.” Spanish filmmaker Ángel Gómez Hernández (“Voces,” “Behind”) will direct from a screenplay by Chester Hastings and R. Dean McCreary. Engine Casting is currently seeking talent for the horror project; no actors have been attached yet. The production is eyeing an August 2022 start date in and around Dublin.
“Horrorscope”
Watch out: There’s about to be a literal zodiac killer on the loose. Based on the 1992 novel of the same name by John Peel (writing under the pseudonym Nicholas Adams), the feature “Horrorscope” will follow a group of college friends who start dying under mysterious circumstances that are connected to their zodiac signs. Though no director is currently attached to the project from Screen Gems and Alloy Entertainment, Anna Halberg (the “Classified” podcast) and Spenser Cohen (“Moonfall”) are set to adapt the novel for the screen. Nancy Nayor Casting is putting together the ensemble of teens and 20-somethings. Production has set a tentative August start date in a currently unknown location.
This story originally appeared in the June 9 issue of Backstage Magazine.