Casting Notes: Sam Jackson And Kellan Lutz In Deathgames; Lily Collins In Abduction; Ethan Hawke In The Numbers Station
I’ll be fairly well amused ifKellan Lutzends up being the real breakout star fromTwilight. He’s in a few films now, and even though he lost the lead role inConan, the fact that he’s not angling for ridiculous paydays (a la Taylor Lautner) makes me think he’ll be around for a minute.
Now he’s set to co-star withSamuel L. JacksoninDeathgames. Former VFX supervisorJonah Loopis making his directorial debut with the film, which is about “a young man (Lutz) who is kidnapped and forced into the savage world of a modern gladiator arena, where men fight to the death for entertainment of the online masses. Jackson orchestrates the games, overseeing them from his computer lair with the help of twin ladies who see to his every desire.” Jackson’s life sounds more or less like the existence I dreamed of when I was 16. [THR]
After the break, more on anotherTwilightstar’s new movie, and Ethan Hawke is attached to a mysterious movie.
Meanwhile, in otherTwilightalum casting news,Lily Collinsis joining the cast ofAbduction, which is the other film (alongsideStretch Armstrong) to actually move forward withTaylor Lautneras star.John Singletonwill cash another paycheck as director of this thing, from a script byShawn Christensen. Lautner will play “a young man who discovers his own baby picture on a missing persons website.” [Variety]
Finally, from aProduction Weeklytweet comes word thatEthan Hawkeis in talks to star inThe Numbers Station, from first-time screenwriterScott Frazier. (And by first-time, I mean this is his first sale, though it may also be his first script.) I can’t dig up any other substantive info on this one, but I’m going to assume the film is not about the Dharma station The Swan.
