This week in movie news:

10 movie theories that completely change Star Wars films (see above); Disney and Pixar's Finding Dory gets a new promo; Fox Searchlight acquires The Birth of a Nation; Liam Neeson reunites with Run All Night director for The Commuter; Andrey Ivchenko joins the cast of xXx 3; Kathryn Bigelow will direct a film about the Detroit riots; Martin Scorsese will produce Amy director's new film Silver Fox; Rebecca Hall and Dan Stevens will co-star in romantic comedy Permission; Jon Bass joins the cast of the Baywatch film; WWE Studios and Blumhouse Productions acquire Sundance film Sleight; Martha Marcy May Marlene director adapting Little House On the Prairie; Uma Thurman and Alexandra Daddario join Persepolis director's new film; Hunt for the Wildspeople gets a new trailer; and Sam Raimi may helm the upcoming remake of A Prophet.

Disney and Pixar's Finding Dory gets a new promo

Disney and Pixar have released a new promo for this summer's Finding Dory. The footage doesn't feature any new details regarding the plot of the film, but instead builds up anticipation for another adventure featuring the fan-favorite title character voiced by Ellen Degeneres. Of course, the amnesiac blue tang fish debuted in the 2003 Pixar hit Finding Nemo and went on to become the film's breakout character.

The release of Finding Dory marks a return to sequels for Pixar after the studio released two original films, Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur, in 2015. Andrew Stanton (WALL-E) returns to direct the sequel to his 2003 film, which also features returning voice actors like Albert Brooks and Willem Dafoe as well as new additions Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy. Finding Dory hits theaters on June 17, 2016.

Source: Disney

Fox Searchlight acquires The Birth of a Nation

Nate Parker in The Birth of a Nation

Fox Searchlight has acquired worldwide distribution rights to The Birth of a Nation, the new film from writer, director and star Nate Parker. The film received a standing ovation when it screened at the Sundance Film Festival and has emerged as one of the most talked-about films to play at the festival.

The Birth of a Nation centers on Nat Turner, a slave and preacher in the antebellum South who orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his fellow slaves to freedom. In addition to Parker in the lead role, the film also stars Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Jr., and Gabrielle Union. At this point, no release date has been set for the film, though expect an announcement soon.

Source: Fox Searchlight

Liam Neeson reunites with Run All Night director for The Commuter

Liam Neeson in Run All Night

Liam Neeson will once again collaborate with director Jaume Collet-Serra for upcoming thriller The Commuter. The actor and filmmaker have previously teamed on action thrillers Non-Stop, Unknown, and Run All Night. In addition to his work with Neeson, Collet-Serra has directed horror film Orphan and the 2005 remake of House of Wax.

In The Commuter, Neeson plays a businessman who gets wrapped up in a criminal conspiracy while on his daily commute. No additional plot details or cast have been announced just yet, but the film is expected to enter production this summer. Expect news to begin dropping fast with regards to what moviegoers can expect from Neeson's latest action-centric release.

Source: Deadline

Andrey Ivchenko joins the cast of xXx 3

XXX 3 Vin Diesel

Andrey Ivchenko -- who has appeared on TV series like Warehouse 13 and Jane the Virgin -- has joined the cast of xXx 3. In addition to star Vin Diesel (returning to the franchise for the first time since the 2002 original film), the action thriller will feature appearances by Jet Li, Toni Collette, Nina Dobrev, Ruby Rose, Deepika Padrone, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Ivchenko will play a villain going up against Diesel's Xander Cage, though it's unclear how large a role his character will play in the story. Plot details remain under wraps for the film, which is set to begin filming later this month. Recent rumors have even suggested that Ice Cube could reprise his role from the second film, though this is still unconfirmed.

Source: Variety

Kathryn Bigelow will direct a film about the Detroit riots

Kathryn Bigelow directing The Hurt Locker

Oscar-winning filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) will direct an upcoming drama chronicling the Detroit riots that took place in 1967. The film remains untitled and its focus will reportedly center on a crime drama set against the historical events and explore themes of systemic racism in urban Detroit.

Set to begin principal photography this summer, the film will mark Bigelow's first feature since the Oscar-winning 2012 drama Zero Dark Thirty that earned Jessica Chastain her second nomination. Mark Boal -- who worked with Bigelow on both that film and The Hurt Locker -- will provide the script for the Detroit film, expected to arrive in theaters by 2017.

Source: Annapurna Pictures

Martin Scorsese will produce Amy director's new film Silver Fox

Martin Scorsese The Departed set photo

Martin Scorsese will produce an upcoming drama centering on the true story behind the creation of the Rolls Royce. Asif Kapadia -- who most recently helmed the Oscar-nominated documentary Amy about singer Amy Winehouse -- will direct the film, which was once being developed by the late Richard Attenborough.

Titled Silver Ghost, the project marks Kapadia's first narrative film in nearly a decade. His previous directorial projects include acclaimed documentary Senna and 2007 romantic drama Far North starring Michelle Yeoh and Sean Bean. No further details on Silver Ghost have yet been revealed, though the film is said to center on a tumultuous affair that underscored the creation of the iconic automobile.

Source: THR

Rebecca Hall and Dan Stevens will co-star in romantic comedy Permission

Rebecca Hall and Dan Stevens

Rebecca Hall (The Gift) and Dan Stevens (The Guest) will headline a new romantic comedy titled Permission for writer/director Brian Crano. Hall has previously appeared in Crano's 2011 comedy/drama A Bag of Hammers and in a pair of his short films as well as major releases like The Town and Iron Man 3. Meanwhile, Stevens has played Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey in addition to his film work.

Permission follows a couple who decide to sleep with other people in order to save their relationship. The comedy features an ensemble cast that includes Gina Gershon, Francois Arnaud, Morgan Spector, Bridget Everett, David Joseph Craig, Sarah Steele and Jason Sudeikis. No anticipated release date or production schedule have been announced just yet.

Source: Deadline

Jon Bass joins the cast of the Baywatch film

Jon looking confused in Big Time in Hollywood, FL

Jon Bass is the latest actor to join Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron in the big-screen version of cult 1990s television series Baywatch. Alexandra Daddario, Ilfenesh Hadera, and Kelly Rohrbach have also recently signed on for the film, which is being directed by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses) and written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift.

Bass -- who was a series regular on the Comedy Central series Big Time in Hollywood, FL -- will play a character named Ronnie who falls in love with Rohrbach's C.J. Parker, the character famously played by Pamela Anderson during the original show's run. Production on Baywatch is set to begin in a matter of months.

Source: Variety

WWE Studios and Blumhouse Productions acquire Sundance film Sleight

Sleight

WWE Studios and Blumhouse Productions have secured worldwide rights to Sleight, a new thriller that premiered as an entry in the Sundance Film Festival's NEXT section. J.D. Dillard makes his directorial debut with the film, which is based on a script he co-wrote with Alex Theurer and combined elements of science fiction and street magic.

The film stars Jacob Latimore (Maze Runner), Dulé Hill (Ballers), and Seychelle Gabriel (Falling Skies). There's no word on an anticipated release date for the film. Blumhouse and WWE's previous collaborations include the 2013 psychological horror film Oculus, which starred Karen Gillan (Doctor Who).

Source: WWE Studios

Martha Marcy May Marlene director adapting Little House On the Prairie

Melissa Anderson and Michael Landon in Little House on the Prairie

Filmmaker Sean Durkin -- best known for writing and directing the acclaimed thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene -- will helm a big-screen adaptation of Little House on the Prairie, the popular drama that ran on NBC from 1974 to 1983, for Paramount. Meanwhile, Abi Morgan will write the film, which was previously in development at Sony.

Based on the series of children's books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the show starred Michael Landon as the patriarch of a family living in the American Midwest during the 1880s. Little House on the Prairie was known for its wholesome, family-friendly values, and it's unclear how closely the film version will stick to the tone and style of its source material.

Source: THR

Uma Thurman and Alexandra Daddario join Persepolis director's new film

Marji being handled by two women in Persepolis

Uma Thurman, Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips), and Laurent Lafitte (Little White Lies) have joined the cast of The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir, the upcoming film from Persepolis director Marjane Satrapi, alongside Indian star Dhanush. In addition, Alexandra Daddario is in negotiations for one of the lead roles.

Based on Romain Puértolas' novel The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe, the English-language film follows a storyteller's journey from New Delhi to Paris, where he falls in love and is accidentally deported. Gemma Arterton, Abel Jari, and Seema Biswas are also set for roles in the film.

Source: Variety

Hunt for the Wilderpeople gets a new trailer

Hunt for the Wilderpeople -- the new film from director Taika Waititi -- has received a new trailer. Julian Dennison stars in the adventure film -- based on the book by Barry Crump -- as a defiant city kid named Ricky who goes on the run with his foster uncle (Sam Neill) in the wilderness of New Zealand, spurring a national manhunt.

The film marks Waititi's follow-up to last year's acclaimed vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows, which he also starred in. The director also recently landed a gig for Marvel Studios and will direct next year's Thor: Ragnarok, which is fittingly expected to feature more humor than the previous two installments in the God of Thunder's franchise.

Source: Madman Films

Sam Raimi may helm the upcoming remake of A Prophet

Sam Raimi directing Spider-Man

Sam Raimi is in early talks to direct A Prophet, a remake of the Oscar-nominated 2010 French film, for Sony. Novelist Dennis Lehane has written the script for the film, which centers on a young man's rise to power within a crime syndicate. The original film won nine César Awards (the French equivalent to the Academy Awards) upon its release.

Despite remaining active as a producer and directing the pilot for the Starz series Ash vs. Evil Dead, Raimi hasn't directed a feature since Oz the Great and Powerful in 2013. The last film he worked with Sony on was the 2007 smash hit Spider-Man 3, which earned nearly $900 million at the worldwide box office despite a lackluster response from the fan community.

Source: Deadline