Oscar Isaac is God, Laura Dern and Margaret Qualley join new Taylor Jenkins Reid series, and more casting news

Andrew Garfield, Anthony Hopkins, Sophie Turner, Natasha Lyonne, Jodie Comer, Adam Driver, and more also locked down new projects this week

By Emma Keates, Saloni Gajjar, Matt Schimkowitz | May 17, 2024 | 8:20pm

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Oscar Isaac is God, Laura Dern and Margaret Qualley join new Taylor Jenkins Reid series, and more casting news

L-R: Oscar Isaac, Laura Dern, Margaret Qualley, Andrew Garfield, Anthony Hopkins Photo: Andrew H. Walker; Scott Kirkland; Anthony Harvey; John Salangsang; Joseph Martinez/Plux

This was apparently the week for slightly out-of-left-field choices in Hollywood. Anthony Hopkins is set to star in Bruno Penguin and the Staten Island Princess, the first major Hollywood production to ever shoot in Antarctica, for example. (It’s not yet clear if Hopkins’ scenes will actually be set in the pole.) Elsewhere, Oscar Isaac was cast as God in yet another Jesus feature, renowned directors and screenwriters added renowned actors to their Rolodexes, and more.

Léa Seydoux leads new project from Anatomy Of A Fall co-writer

Léa Seydoux is racking up credits with some of Hollywood’s best and brightest. , news broke that the Dune: Part Two and The Beast actor was set to appear in a new project from Challengers director Luca Gudagnino. Now, she’ll also be leading the highly anticipated next film from Arthur Harari, who co-wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for Anatomy Of A Fall. The plot of the film, titled The Unknown, remains under wraps, but Harari teased to that the project is “a mix of realistic urban chronicle, fantasy film, investigation, melodrama, and daydream… [It] will continually metamorphose before our eyes, while its horizon will be the character’s profound and irreversible transformation.” [Emma Keates]

Jonathan Baker’s Fate The Movie adds more actors

Jonathan Baker’s Fate The Movie—yes, “will stand as one of the most memorable love stories of our time”—has added three new cast members in Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Mena Suvari (Grace and Grit), and (Cheech & Chong). They join Faye Dunaway, Harvey Keitel and Andrew McCarthy, who were announced . The film’s logline : “It takes a minute to find a special person and an entire lifetime to forget them. While healing at a rehabilitation center after a rescue mission gone wrong, a firefighter Sam Ellis (Routh) connects with Tilly, a stranger from the past. Subsequently, he’s transported through time to find the only thing that can save his soul: his realization of true love.” [Emma Keates]

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Deborah Ann Woll to star in horror thriller, The Cycle

Deborah Ann Woll—best known for her work as Jessica in True Blood and Karen Page in Daredevil—is returning to the world of horror for The Cycle, a new thriller from Jordan Downey and Kevin Stewart (The Head Hunter). Here’s a summary of the film, per : “When the body of a man missing for thirty-six years is discovered at the scene of a horrific crime, it’s up to his estranged daughter to unravel his dark past.” [Emma Keates]

Dune: Prophecy adds to its sisterhood

Celebrated Indian actress Tabu and South Korean actress, musician, and multimedia artist Jihae will both appear in recurring roles in Dune: Prophecy, the upcoming series on Max that serves as a prequel to Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films (adapted from the original series by Frank Herbert). The series, which follows “two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit” 10,000 years before the birth of Paul Atreides, released its earlier this week.Tabu, who has appeared in films such as Maachis and the other for Chandni Bar as well as Life Of Pi and The Namesake, will be playing a character named Sister Francesca. She is : “Strong, intelligent, and alluring, Sister Francesca leaves a lasting impression in her wake. Once a great love of the Emperor, her return to the palace strains the balance of power in the capital.”Jihae has appeared in Succession, Altered Carbon, Mortal Engines, and more. She plays Reverend Mother Kasha, “the Emperor’s own Truthsayer and confidant.” : “Reverend Mother Kasha occupies a position of great influence in the Imperium. But when a new challenge leads her to question the Sisterhood’s intentions, she finds her role increasingly difficult to navigate.” [Emma Keates]

Antoni Porowski’s new docuseries reveals a star-studded menu of guests

Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski will be joined by an incredibly star-studded lineup of famous friends , his upcoming Nat Geo docuseries. On each episode, Porowski and his guest(s) will explore dishes important to their heritage, meeting travelers and locals along the way. Those guests include Awkwafina, Henry Golding, James Marsden, Florence Pugh, Issa Rae, and Justin Theroux. [Emma Keates]

Andrew Garfield joins the Guadagnino-verse

Can famous actors really say they’re successful these days if they haven’t been collected by Luca Guadagnino? The Challengers and Call Me Be Your Name director is blazing full steam ahead with After The Hunt, a dramatic thriller starring Julia Roberts and——Andrew Garfield. Based on a screenplay by Nora Garrett, the film follows “a college professor who finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star pupil levels an accusation against one of her colleagues, and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come to light.” This isn’t Guadagnino’s only project in the pipeline. He’s also working on a film called starring Josh O’Connor and Léa Seydoux. [Emma Keates]

James Franco and Tommy Lee Jones team for action thriller

James Franco and Tommy Lee Jones are joining forces for an action thriller called The Razor’s Edge, from director Demian Lichtenstein (3000 Miles to Graceland). A synopsis of the film, which was co-written by Lichtenstein and Vance Duplechin, reads as follows (via ): “After a mob hitman vows to leave his deadly past behind, he faces an impossible choice when his daughter is kidnapped and the woman he loves becomes a target of the syndicate. He is forced to undertake one final, perilous mission while being pursued by an assassin even more lethal.” [Emma Keates]

Tim Roth to play Henry Kissinger in new satire

Tim Roth has been cast as late war criminal Henry Kissinger in the film Kissinger Takes Paris, which is… probably not about what you think it’s about. A synopsis of the upcoming satire, directed by Jeff Stanzler, : “The film tells the (mostly) true story of Henry Kissinger – a middle-aged, politically washed-up Harvard professor who, in 1968, travels to Paris at the height of its student protests and the dawn of the sexual revolution. Feeling energized, he crashes the Paris Peace Talks and changes the course of modern history. A few weeks later, Henry returns to America as the second most powerful man in the world—and even more astonishingly… as the least likely international sex symbol of the modern era.” Robin Wright, Mary-Louise Parker, Lucy Hale, David Cross, Jimmy O. Yang, Rob Corddry, and Dylan Penn are also in talks to appear in the film. [Emma Keates]

Anthony Hopkins to star in first major Hollywood production to shoot in Antarctica

Antony Hopkins has been cast in the latest project from Nick Cassavetes (The Notebook), titled Bruno Penguin and the Staten Island Princess. The film, written by Daniel Barnz and Ned Zeman, is being billed as the first-ever major Hollywood production to shoot in Antarctica (per ). Shia LaBeouf is also in talks to star. Based on a Vanity Fair article written by Zeman, the film tells the true story of a photographer named Bruno Zehnder (later legally Bruno Penguin), who dedicated the last 20 years of his life to photographing and understanding Emperor penguins in Antarctica. Hopkins is set to play Ben Windsor, a legendary art agent. [Emma Keates]

Sophie Turner to lead Her/Free Guy hybrid

that Sophie Turner, Boyd Holbrook, and Simona Tabasco will star in Cloud One, a sci-fi satire from the director Goran Dukic (Wristcutters: A Love Story). Based on the short story by author, filmmaker, and frequent Dukic collaborator Etgar Keret, the film follows a near-future dystopia, wherein an amnesiac man wakes up in a nondescript room with only a phone, two windows, a typewriter, and an app called “The View,” which blurs the line between virtual reality and reality as he falls in love with a video game character in the app. [Matt Schimkowitz]

Triangle Of Sadness director sets star cast for next film

Kirsten Dunst and Daniel Brühl are taking a layover in Rueben Östlund’s upcoming satire , a movie that dares ask what horrors await passengers when a plane’s entertainment system malfunctions. Östlund already has Keanu Reeves aboard as, presumably, a passenger who goes on a violent killing spree because he couldn’t finish Yesterday. The director reportedly already bought a Boeing 747 for the project, which is somehow not about how the doors just fly off those planes. [Matt Schimkowitz]

Andie Macdowell, Isla Fisher and more board The Temptation Of Grace

Based on Santa Montefiori’s novel, The Temptation Of Grace is a hot package out of Cannes, . The comedy has rounded up a very impressive ensemble including Andie Macdowell, Isabella Rossellini, Celia Imrie, and Isla Fisher. Imrie plays a seemingly ordinary widow and grandmother who is hiding a massive secret. While exploring Italy with her daughter and grandchild, her past threatens to unravel. Rupert Everett, Franco Nero, and Viola Prettejohn also star. [Saloni Gajjar]

Natasha Lyonne is about to light up the MCU

in a Marvel movie? What a concept! The Poker Face and Russian Doll actor is the latest to join MCU’s Fantastic Four movie in an undisclosed role. (Please, please let her be Doctor Doom!) This film is bringing in a lot of beloved TV actors, including Pedro Pascal, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn, which makes sense because WandaVision’s Matt Shakman is the director. The cast includes Vanessa Kirby, John Malkovich, Ralph Ineson, and Paul Walter Hauser. Honestly, this is a pretty great ensemble, and Lyonne is the cherry on top—she makes every project she’s in better. We’ll find out how it impacts The Fantastic Four when it releases on July 25, 2025. [Saloni Gajjar]

Donnie Yen gets a John Wick spin-off

“What started as a straightforward revenge flick about a man who wanted the heads of the Russian gangsters who killed his dog and stole his car is now an action movie juggernaut. The satellites orbiting the , which now includes a TV show, an upcoming spin-off, and three sequels to the original, are getting yet another moon. Donnie Yen will reprise the role of the blind assassin Caine in a spin-off movie about his character.” Read the full newswire . [Matt Schimkowitz]

Kenneth Branagh taps Jodie Comer for his next film

Kenneth Branagh’s upcoming film is not a Poirot story, but it’s an original one that he’s written. The Belfast filmmaker is going behind the camera again for psychological thriller The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde. It’ll be led by The Killing Eve star Jodie Comer, who next stars in this summer’s The Bikeriders. Two busy people teaming up to make a hopefully great thriller? Sign us up. [Saloni Gajjar]

Will Ferrell and Ramy Youssef taking swing at GOLF

Will Ferrell and Ramy Youssef are taking swings at GOLF, an upcoming Netflix series created by Ferrell, Youssef, and Josh Rabinowitz and executive-produced by Rian Johnson. Per The Hollywood Reporter, much of the show is being kept under wraps, including whether the title is an acronym or not. Ferrell plays a fictional golf legend, THR reports, but there’s no word on Youssef’s role other than he will be on camera. [Matt Schimkowitz]

Radhika Apte, Naveen Andrews, and Ken Leung join Fast & Furious franchise

Years after leaving Vin Diesel to his devices with the Fast & Furious movies, director Justin Lin is bringing Radhika Apte, Naveen Andrews, and Ken Leung along for Last Days. The movie couldn’t sound further from Tokyo Drift. Based on an Outside Magazine article, the movie follows the story of John Allen Chau, who believes he’s the savior of the tribe of North Sentinel Island. [Matt Schimkowitz]

Tim McGraw is starring in a bull riding show

Country and Yellowstone star Tim McGraw will saddle up for a bull riding show for Netflix. Do bullriders use saddles? Maybe! It’s one of the reasons we’re so excited to see this untitled series from writer-creator Brandon Camp. McGraw plays an aging champion who faces his worst fear: An up-and-coming young rival that threatens to ruin his life. [Matt Schimkowitz]

Adam Driver, Tom Waits, and more join upcoming Jim Jarmusch film

Jim Jarmusch’s upcoming movie, Father Mother Sister Brother, already boasts leads like Cate Blanchett and Vicky Krieps. It can now boast a little more because the ensemble has added Adam Driver, Tom Waits, Indya Moore, Charlotte Rampling, Luka Sabbat, and Mayim Bialik. Split into three parts, Father Mother Sister Brother examines the parent-child relationship. It’s set in different cities like Dublin and Paris. , it’ll also have a strong musical component. Let’s go. [Saloni Gajjar]

Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie get their heist on for Apple TV+

Another week, another Apple TV+ series order, right? This time it’s for the heist drama 12 12 12 (that won’t complicate SEO and headlines at all). It follows an FBI agent in a cat-and-mouse hunt for a noted criminal on the streets of Zurich after he robs a bank vault. Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie will star and produce the show. If you’re wondering about the name, it’s because the show takes place in three timelines: 12 months before the heist, the 12 hours of the robbery, and the chase 12 days after said heist. Sure. [Saloni Gajjar]

Sophia Bush leads the thriller The Stranger In My Home

The Stranger In My Home is for fans of 2000s teen TV. and The O.C.’s Chris Carmack (he now stars in Grey’s Anatomy) star in the thriller. Bush plays Ali, the doting mom of a 15-year-old whose life changes when a man knocks on their door with a secret: Ali’s real daughter was switched at birth in the hospital. Chris Johnson and Amiah Miller also star. [Saloni Gajjar]

Oscar Isaac is God

Hollywood is loving Jesus Christ at the moment, at least when it comes to . The latest in this lineup is The King Of Kings, an animated film based on a short story by Charles Dickens. Oscar Isaac has been tapped to voice the lead role. Forest Whitaker is playing the apostle Peter. The previously announced cast already features Uma Thurman, Kenneth Branagh, and Roman Griffin Davis. [Saloni Gajjar]

Lili Reinhart takes on the dark side of social media

Hustlers and Riverdale’s Lili Reinhart has found her next project, and it’s all about dismantling social media negativity. She stars in American Sweatshop as Daisy Moriarty, who works in an agency that evaluates harmful content online. While examining one of the many videos that get flagged for review, Daisy gets trapped by one of them as she tries to investigate who’s behind it. The script comes from City On A Hill’s Matthew Nemetz. [Saloni Gajjar]

June Diane Raphael joins Zach Cregger’s Weapons

At this point, we could do a whole weekly feature on new updates to the cast of Weapons, the upcoming horror flick from Barbarian writer-director Zach Cregger. We still don’t know anything about the actual plot of the movie, but this week, we learned that June Diane Raphael (Grace And Frankie) is on board. She joins Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, and probably more in the coming weeks. [Emma Keates]

Vince Vaughn in talks to star in new action comedy

Vince Vaughn is reportedly circling a role in a new film from writer-director BenDavid Grabinski, titled Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice. (What did we just say about SEO optimization?) Plot details are still vague, but Deadline reports that this film is a “buddy action comedy set in the criminal underworld.” [Emma Keates]

Laura Dern and Margaret Qualley to lead new series based on Taylor Jenkins Reid novel

The Taylor Jenkins Reid-iverse is expanding. Laura Dern and Margaret Qualley are set to star in Forever, Interrupted, a new Netflix series based on Jenkins Reid’s novel of the same name. Jenkins Reid is also the author of bestselling books like The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six, which inspired its own limited series on Prime Video. Here’s a summary of Forever, Interrupted from : “Elsie (Qualley) and Ben’s whirlwind romance is electric—within months they’re married and living happily ever after—when Ben’s unexpected death forces Elsie to come face to face with Susan (Dern), the mother-in-law who doesn’t know that she exists. Told through a dual timeline, the series recounts Elsie and Ben’s once-in-a-lifetime love, intercut with Elsie and Susan’s unexpected journey as their at first turbulent connection ultimately brings both women cathartic new beginnings.” [Emma Keates]