There’s a lot of breaking news in Hollywood happening every minute. In the age of the blockbuster, it’s easy for some smaller movie and television news to slip through the crack. Last Week in Hollywood is our new weekly series highlighting all the interesting news from the last week that we thought didn’t warrant its own post, but was still worth mentioning. It’s less personal opinions and more a hearty roundup of what you might have missed.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Doug Liman in Talks for Road House
Deadline is reporting that MGM is eyeing Jake Gyllenhaal to star in a Road House remake with Doug Liman in talks to direct. The original film was release in 1989 and starred Patrick Swayze as Dalton, “a bouncer hired to clean up one of the rowdiest, loudest bars in Missouri, The Double Deuce.” It is unknown at this time if Gyllenhaal will be playing Dalton or a completely new character.
This isn’t the first time MGM tried rebooting Road House. For a while it looked like Ronda Rousey was going to star in a gender-swapped version of the film. That film is no longer happening.
Lizzy Caplan to Star in Fatal Attraction Series
Lizzy Caplan (Castle Rock) is set to star in the lead role as Alex in Fatal Attraction. The project has received a series order at Paramount+. Alex is described as someone “who becomes obsessed with her lover after a brief affair.”
Paramount+ also released a logline for the show, which reads as follows: “a deep-dive reimagining of the classic psychosexual thriller and ’80s cultural touchstone, the new series will explore fatal attraction and the timeless themes of marriage and infidelity, through the lens of modern attitudes towards strong women, personality disorders and coercive control.”
Regina Hall to Star in Midnight Run Sequel
According to THR, Regina Hall is attached to star in a sequel to the ’80s classic, Midnight Run. Original star Robert de Niro is on board as producer on the sequel. As of right now, it doesn’t sound like he will be reprising his role as Jack Walsh. The script is currently being written by Aeysha Carr (Brooklyn Nine-Nine).
Emilio Estevez Not Returning for The Mighty Ducks Season 2
Emilio Estevez will not be returning for season 2 of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. Initial reports stated that his departure was because of his position on mandatory vaccinations, but Estevez has since cleared the air. He says his exit was a result of “nothing more than a good old fashioned contract dispute” as well as “a myriad of creative differences.” He also stated that he is “not anti-vaxx,” but “simply put, I am anti-bully.”
A rep for Disney Television Studios had no comment. It was DTS’s ABC Signature, which produces Game Changers, that made the decision not to pick up Estevez’s option for Season 2 after weeks of back and forth negotiations. How will the show continue without Estevez is unknown at this time. We’ll keep you posted.
Leonardo DiCaprio in Talks to Play Jim Jones
Deadline is reporting that MGM has made a seven-figure deal for the upcoming Jim Jones biopic, with Leonardo DiCaprio in final talks to play “the 1970s religious cult leader who was behind the Jonestown mass suicide on November 18, 1978 that took more than 900 lives.”
DiCaprio is producing Jim Jones under his Appian Way Productions banner, along with Appian’s President of Production, Jennifer Davisson. The script is written by Scott Rosenberg (Con Air, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle).
Marlowe Expands List of Suspects
The noir thriller Marlowe has added Diane Kruger, Jessica Lange, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Alan Cumming, Danny Huston, Ian Hart, Colm Meaney, Daniela Melchior, and François Arnaud to its cast. Liam Neeson will star as P.I. Philip Marlowe. Marlowe is currently filming in Ireland and Spain. Neil Jordan is directing from a script by William Monahan (The Departed).
In Marlowe, “when private detective Philip Marlowe (Neeson) is hired to find the ex-lover of a glamorous heiress, it looks an open and shut case, but Marlowe soon finds himself in the underbelly of Hollywood’s film industry and unwittingly drawn into the crossfire of a legendary Hollywood actress and her subversive, ambitious daughter.”
A24 Finds Cast for The Legend of Ochi
A24 has greenlit and announced the cast for Isaiah Saxon‘s fantasy epic The Legend of Ochi. It will mark Saxon’s feature debut. The film will star Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Finn Wolfhard, and Helena Zengel.
The movie is A24’s first family film and is based on Saxon’s original world and screenplay. Deadline reports that the story follows “a young girl (Zengel) who runs away from home and learns to communicate with an elusive animal species known as Ochi.”
Wicked Casts Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo
Grammy-winning singers and actresses Ariana Grande (Victorious) and Cynthia Erivo (Genius: Aretha) have been cast in the feature adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked. Erivo will play Elphaba, and Grande will portray Glinda.
Wicked is currently in development at Universal, with production set to start in summer 2022 in the UK. The musical is currently on its 18th year on Broadway.
Chord Overstreet Joins Lindsay Lohan Rom-Com
Chord Overstreet (Glee) is set to star alongside Lindsay Lohan in her upcoming Netflix holiday romantic comedy. George Young (Malignant), Jack Wagner (General Hospital) and Olivia Perez (In the Heights) have also joined the cast. Get a first look at Lohan and Overstreet in the untilted film above.
In the film, Lohan will play “a newly engaged, spoiled hotel heiress who gets into a skiing accident and suffers from total amnesia. During her recovery, around Christmastime, she finds herself in the care of a handsome, blue-collar lodge owner (Overstreet) and his precocious daughter.” Janeen Damian (A Christmas Waltz) is directing the film and co-writing the screenplay with Jeff Bonnett, Ron Oliver, and Michael Damian.
Mel Gibson to Star in Boys of Summer
Mel Gibson and Mason Thames will star in the fantasy-adventure Boys of Summer. David Henrie will direct from a script written by Cornelius Uliano and Bryan Schulz.
The story follows “a local boy, who after his best friend is mysteriously taken, begins to suspect that a supernatural entity may be hunting the children of Martha’s Vineyard. After seeking the help of an aging detective (Gibson), they soon discover they’re on the path of a witch who has recently retired to their island.” Production is set to begin next month in Wilmington, NC.
Gael García Bernal to Lead Werewolf by Night
There’s a rumor going around that Marvel Studios is developing a Halloween special for Disney+ that will be an adaptation of the Werewolf by Night comics. The Wrap is reporting that Gael García Bernal (Old) has been cast as the lead in the currently-untitled Halloween special. Production is scheduled to begin in early 2022.
Shazad Latif Cast as Captain Nemo in Nautilus
Deadline reports that Shazad Latif (Star Trek: Discovery) has been cast as Captain Nemo in Nautilus, an origin story for the Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea character. Michael Matthews (Love & Monsters) will direct the Disney+ series from scripts written by James Dormer. Production begins next month in Australia.
The 10 episode live-action series will tell the story of “an Indian prince robbed of his birth right and family, a prisoner of the East India Company and a man bent on revenge against the forces which have taken everything from him, Nemo set sail with his ragtag crew on board the awe-inspiring vessel, battling foes and discovering magical underwater worlds.”
Other Casting Updates
- Dempsey Bryk (The Birch) has been added to the cast of Willow, the upcoming sequel Disney+ series to the 1988 fantasy movie of the same name.
- The John Wick prequel series, The Continental, has added Peter Greene, Ayomide Adegun, and Jeremy Bobb to its cast. The three 90-minute episodes will explore the origins of the assassin hotel featured prominently in the franchise.
- Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Gal Gadot confirmed that Lynda Carter will appear in Wonder Woman 3.
- Collider confirmed that Sylvester Stallone will return to the MCU for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
- Giant Freakin Robot reports that Illumination is developing a Donkey Kong movie starring Seth Rogen as the title character of the film. The film would be a spin-off of the Mario animated movie already in the works.
- Ethan Josh Lee (Mr. Robinson) and Jake Ryan (Moonrise Kingdom) are the latest actors confirmed to be appearing in Wes Anderson’s upcoming film Asteroid City, which has wrapped production in Spain.
That’s it for the last couple of weeks. What castings mentioned are you interested in seeing the most onscreen? Tell us down in the comments!
