This Week:
Chris Hemsworth to star in I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive; The Martian casts its female lead; Aubrey Plaza is voicing Grumpy Cat; Martin Campbell may direct Hunter Killer; and Liam Neeson eyes Tell No One.
Thor actor Chris Hemsworth has optioned the rights to a film adaptation of Steve Earle's novel, I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive.
Hemsworth hopes to both star and produce the adaptation, with Ben Grayson (who also wrote the script) onboard to direct. Coincidentally, Grayson was Kenneth Branagh's assistant on the first Thor.
I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive tells the tale of Toby "Doc Ebersole," a morphine-addicted surgeon who is haunted by the ghost of country singer Hank Williams. The story is set mostly in Texas during the '50s and '60s.
The film certainly sounds like something new for Hemsworth and could be his springboard into the world of producing. However, it will likely be a while until Hemsworth gets to work on the film, as he's currently working on the Vacation reboot and has The Huntsman (due for arrival in 2016) coming up afterwards.
Source: The Wrap
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Ridley Scott and Matt Damon's upcoming collaboration The Martian has cast its female lead and (potentially) added Kate Mara to the cast.
Halt and Catch Fire's Mackenzie Davis will reportedly play a small, but crucial, role in the film, which follows an astronaut (Damon) trapped on Mars. Last week, Jessica Chastain joined the cast, but her role is being kept a mystery for now.
Deadline also reports that House of Cards' Kate Mara is being eyed for a role in the film, but there isn't much information in that regard. It could be that either Davis or Mara are taking on the role that Kristen Wiig was reportedly up for, or that director Ridley Scott is surrounding his leading man with a ton of talented ladies.
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Aubrey Plaza will be providing the voice of Grumpy Cat in Lifetime's Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever.
The Parks and Recreation actress has made a name for herself playing sarcastic characters, so it feels only appropriate that she voice the hideous feline. Grumpy Cat, of course, rose to fame thanks to an overabundance of memes and media exposure.
For those who might be curious, Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever features some nonsense about the cat living in a pet shop and a girl who realizes she can talk to Grumpy Cat. In all honesty, the only reasons to watch the movie are to hear Plaza's performance or because you're morbidly curious.
Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever airs Saturday November 29th at 8pm on Lifetime.
Source: EW
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Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) is in talks to direct the nuclear war thriller Hunter Killer for Relativity.
Campbell is the latest in a growing line of high profile action directors to circle the project, but so far no one has stayed on-board long enough to get things going. Antoine Fuqua, Phillip Noyce, McG, and Steven Quale were all contenders at one point or another, but now it appears Campbell is the guy.
Hunter Killer adapts the novel Firing Point by George Wallace and Don Keith. The story focuses on a tense conflict between a submarine commander and a Russian leader that's threatening all-out war. Jamie Moss, John Kolvenbach, and Arne Schmidt wrote the script for the adaptation.
Source: The Wrap
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Liam Neeson is the frontrunner to star in Universal's adaptation of Harlan Corben's novel Tell No One.
Some will remember the critically acclaimed French movie version of Tell No One that drew a ton of buzz in 2006. It was shortly after that film hit that Universal picked up the rights and they've been building up the project ever since. It's actually surprising that Universal didn't bring Neeson on sooner, as he's a perfect fit for the lead.
Oscar winner Chris Terri (Argo) wrote the Tell No One script and Gavin O'Connor (Warrior) is in early talks to direct. If Liam Neeson does sign on, expect the project to start moving fast.
Source: Deadline