McConaughey, Mendes may head 'Southbound' Jonathan Jakubowicz to direct indie drama
By MICHAEL FLEMING
Matthew McConaughey and Eva Mendes are in talks to team in "Southbound," an independently financed drama that will be directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz ("Secuestro Express").
In the Peter Craig-scripted drama, McConaughey plays a patrol officer on the border between California and Mexico who accepts a bribe from a beautiful Mexican woman, putting his family in danger and landing him in the middle of a war between the Mexican crime families and the U.S. immigration police.
Pic will be financed by Overnight Prods. Overnight's Rick Schwartz and Aaron Kaufman are producing. Production is slated to begin in September.
McConaughey most recently starred in "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," and Mendes recently completed the Werner Herzog-directed "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" and helmer Massy Tadjedin's "Last Night."
Jennifer Aniston to star in 'Pumas' McClammy to direct CBS Films romantic comedy
By DAVE MCNARY
Jennifer Aniston will topline CBS Films' romantic comedy "Pumas."
Wayne McClammy's attached to direct from Melissa Stack's script. Story centers on two thirtysomething women who make a habit of romancing younger men and take a French skiing vacation that challenges their romantic expectations.
Thesp will also produce along with Jon Gordon, Scott Z. Burns and Kristin Hahn. Chris Moore and Barry Littman are exec producing.
Aniston's starring in Sony's "Bounty Hunter," which has been shooting, and recently wrapped indie comedy "The Baster" opposite Jason Bateman. She's an exec producer on Screen Gems drama "Holler."
McClammy's attached to direct "Cool School" for Fox and "Le Car" for MGM from a comedy spec he co-wrote with Will Burke. He signed on to the directing gigs after directing and co-writing the buzzed-about comedy shorts "I'm F**king Matt Damon" and follow-up "I'm F**king Ben Affleck."
Stack previously penned the comedy "I Want to ______ Your Sister" for Paramount; "Blades of Glory" helmers Will Speck and Josh Gordon are attached to direct.
Burns penned "The Bourne Ultimatum" and was a producer on "An Inconvenient Truth."
Aniston’s repped by CAA while McClammy’s repped by Paradigm. Stack’s repped by Paradigm and Kaplan/Perrone.
Russell Crowe to star in 'Three Days' Paul Haggis to direct Lionsgate film
By MICHAEL FLEMING, DAVE MCNARY
Russell Crowe will star in "The Next Three Days," the adaptation of the 2008 French film "Pour Elle" that reunites Lionsgate with its "Crash" director Paul Haggis.
Crowe will play a teacher whose wife is arrested and convicted of a murder she says she did not commit. He comes up with a desperate plan to free her.
Haggis, who wrote the script, will begin production in late September in Pittsburgh.
Haggis told Daily Variety that the drama needed an actor who can thrive as an Everyman who rises when faced with an extraordinary circumstance, and Crowe was his top choice.
"We've seen him as the gladiator, but he has embodied the Everyman in so many pictures," Haggis said.
Haggis said the film explores deeper themes of faith and belief.
Said Haggis: "The deeper theme here is, would you save the woman you loved if you knew that by doing so, you would turn into a man that woman could no longer love?"
Haggis is producing with Michael Nozik through their Highway 61 Films, along with Marc Missonnier and Olivier Delbosc of Fidelite Films.
Crowe is shooting "Robin Hood," the Ridley Scott-directed drama for Universal and Imagine.
'Hurt Locker' star in negotiations for Ben Affleck pic
By Borys Kit
Jeremy Renner, who has earned raves for his performance in "The Hurt Locker," is in negotiations to join "The Town," a romantic crime thriller from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures that Ben Affleck is directing.
Renner joins Affleck, Jon Hamm and Rebecca Hall in the adaptation of Chuck Hogan's novel "Prince of Thieves."
The story follows a bank manager (Hall), the career criminal (Affleck) who stole more than her heart and the dedicated FBI agent (Hamm) trying to bust the crook and his gang.
Renner plays Affleck's doomed best friend, a member of the gang.
Graham King is producing "Town," for which the script was worked on by Affleck, Hogan and Peter Craig. A Boston shoot is planned in September.
Matt Reilly and Jesse Ehrman are overseeing for Warners.
"Town" is the first feature Renner has booked in the wake of "Locker's" critical success. The actor, who starred on ABC's "The Unusuals" in the spring, has appeared steadily in such movies as "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," "28 Weeks Later" and "North Country."
Renner is repped by CAA and Untitled Entertainment.
Michelle Rodriguez, Michael Pena and Bridget Moynahan have been recruited to join Columbia's "Battle: Los Angeles."
The sci-fi actioner, directed by Jonathan Liebesman and produced by Original Film's Neal Moritz, stars Aaron Eckhart and is set to begin production in the fall.
"Battle" revolves around a Marine staff sergeant (Eckhart) and his new platoon's battle against an alien invasion on the streets of Los Angeles.
Rodriguez will play Crpl. Adriana Santos, a member of a radio battalion.
Pena plays the father of a boy the Marines find along the way, and Moynahan plays a veterinarian.
"I'm thrilled to reunite with Michelle," said Moritz, who worked with Rodriguez on "S.W.A.T." and "The Fast and the Furious" movies. "Her intensity is just right for the platoon."
Ori Marmur is overseeing for Original. Doug Belgrad and Sam Dickerman are overseeing for Columbia.
Rodriguez next appears in James Cameron's sci-fi epic "Avatar" and will star and co-produce her first film, the historical drama "Tropico de Sangre," through her production company Cheshire Kat. She is repped by UTA and the Collective.
Pena, who most recently appeared in "Observe and Report" with Seth Rogen, recently completed production on Werner Herzog and David Lynch's psychological thriller "My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done." He is repped by CAA and Management 360.
Moynahan, repped by WME and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, next appears in Fox's "Ramona and Beezus," starring opposite John Corbett and Ginnifer Goodwin.
Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah, Carter Jenkins cast in comedy
By Borys Kit
Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah and Carter Jenkins have joined the all-star cast of New Line's romantic comedy "Valentine's Day," being directed by Garry Marshall.
The ensemble already includes Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner, Shirley MacLaine, Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Emma Roberts, Hector Elizondo, Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane.
The film, already shooting, follows five slightly interconnecting stories playing out in Los Angeles during Valentine's Day.
Foxx plays a TV sports reporter who has been sent out on a "Valentine's Day in L.A." story instead of covering his usual sports. Latifah plays the agent for Dane's character, a football player.
Jenkins plays a young man who struggles to find time in the day to lose his virginity with his girlfriend (Emma Roberts) because of their hectic schedules.
Foxx, repped by CAA and King Management, next stars in "Law Abiding Citizen." Latifah, repped by WME and Flavor Unit Entertainment, can be heard in "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs." Jenkins, repped by WME and Leverage Management, next appears in "Aliens in America."
Billy Crudup to 'Eat' in for Columbia Actor joins Julia Roberts starrer 'Love'
By MICHAEL FLEMING
Billy Crudup has joined "Eat, Pray, Love," the Columbia Pictures adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's bestselling memoir that stars Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem and Richard Jenkins. Ryan Murphy is directing a script he wrote with Jennifer Salt.
Crudup will play Steven, who is married to Gilbert (Roberts). His hopes to have children are dashed when her quest to get pregnant leaves her feeling she is not living the life she wants. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery around the world.
Brad Pitt and Dede Gardner are producing through Plan B.
Pic begins shooting next week.
Crudup most recently starred in the Michael Mann-directed "Public Enemies" and Zack Snyder's "Watchmen."
Michael C. Hall to star in 'East Fifth Bliss' Actor will topline Michael Knowles-directed indie
By DAVE MCNARY
Michael C. Hall will topline indie "East Fifth Bliss," directed by Michael Knowles.
Hall will play a 35-year-old whose static life comically unravels when he embarks on an awkward relationship with the 18-year-old daughter of a former high school classmate.
Knowles adapted the script with Douglas Light from Light's novel of the same title, which received the 2007 Benjamin Franklin Award for Fiction.
John Ramos and Knowles are producing for 7A Prods. and John Will is producing for Torn Sky Entertainment. Susan Leber's also a producer.
Lensing is set to start in late October in New York.
Knowles also directed and wrote "One Night," starring Melissa Leo.
Hall stars in Showtime's "Dexter." He's starring opposite Gerard Butler in the upcoming Lionsgate/Lakeshore thriller "Gamer."
