Casting News: Giovanni Ribisi Joins Gangster Squad; Abigail Spencer Heads to Oz; Leatherface Gets First Victim and More
Posted 07.07.11 by Ryan
Gangster Squad is getting a new member.
Deadline reports that Giovanni Ribisi (Avatar) has joined the Warner Bros. production as a police officer whose specialty is electrics and wiring. The rest of the squad, so far, includes Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Anthony Mackie, Bryan Cranston and Michael Pena.
Gangster Squad is based on a series of Los Angeles Times articles by Paul Lieberman which followed an elite squad of police officers who went after gangsters like "Mickey" Cohen (played by Sean Penn in the movie) in 1949 Los Angeles. Novelist and former South Central Los Angeles cop Will Beall wrote the script, which will be directed by Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland, 30 Minutes or Less). Production begins this September.
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The upcoming Cowboys and Aliens and Mad Men actress Abigail Spencer is joining James Franco in Oz.
THR reports that Spencer is the latest cast member added to Disney's The Wizard of Oz prequel, Oz: The Great and Powerful, to be directed by Sam Raimi. Franco is playing the title role, a magician whose hot air balloon ride lands him in the fabled land where he meets three powerful witches (Black Swan's Mila Kunis, Blue Valentine's Michelle Williams and The Lovely Bones' Rachel Weisz). Spencer will play one of Oz's willing subjects during his time practicing magic in Kansas.
David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) wrote the script for the movie, which will start production in Michigan later this month.
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Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi was nominated for an Academy Award for his first English-language movie role in Babel (where she did not speak a single word as a deaf teenager), and only had to speak three English words for her next movie, The Brothers Bloom. Kikuchi was recently revealed as one of the panel members at this year's Comic-Con for director Guillermo del Toro's upcoming Pacific Rim, which is the first time the actress's name has been mentioned in connection to the project.
While the Comic-Con announcement had no details about Kikuchi's role, The Playlist reports the actress will likely play Mako, the young Japanese pilot who is paired with Charlie Hunnam (Children of Men) when giant creatures emerge from the Ocean and begin attacking. Idris Elba (Thor) will play their commanding officer, while Charlie Day will play a scientist looking to find the source of the monsters. The site claims to have read a draft of the highly-secret screenplay, written by Travis Beacham (Clash of the Titans).
Pacific Rim will begin production this fall for a July 12th, 2013, release.
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With Lionsgate just recently announcing the release date for the horror sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D, casting can finally begin.
Variety reports Alexandra Daddario, best known for her role in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, has been cast as the female lead in the movie.
Ignoring all other sequels and prequels, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D will take place right after director Tobe Hooper's 1974 original. Here is hoping the latest installment will do a better job rebooting the horror franchise than the 2003 attempt, which experienced box office success but only spawned one prequel, 2006's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, which didn't fare as well.
John Luessenhop (Takers) is directing the movie, which is set to begin production later this month in Shreveport, La., the sequel opens on Oct. 5, 2012.