8/03/2011

Sure Shots: Chris Evans; Russell Brand; Ben Foster to play John Gotti, Jr.


* Even though Albert Hughes and Warner Brothers had some beef over that whole Akira thing, they remained on good terms. Which is why the Menace II Society director was picked to helm Detroit City, a revenge flick which is said to feature almost no dialogue. Twitch reports that Chris Evans(The Losers) has been offered the lead role in the film, about a crook who gets out of jail and seeks revenge on those who framed him.

* Considering Diablo Cody's success so far as a writer(Juno, Jennifer's Body), her directorial debut, Lamb of God, understandably has a lot of heat behind it. The film will follow a religious woman who loses her faith, and heads to Las Vegas to sin til her heart's content. Along the way she somehow finds her way back to God.  Twitch notes that Julianne Hough(Footloose) may be the top contender for the lead role. They also report that an offer has been made to Russell Brand(Get Him to the Greek) to play William, one of the men she meets in Vegas.

* Even though Joe Pesci is still filing suit against the producers of Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father for convincing him to eat like a pig for a major role and then pulling the rug out from under him, the production is still set to begin very shortly. The only role that hadn't been filled yet was the biggest by far, that of John Gotti Jr. Now that's been taken care of, as Variety reports Ben Foster has been cast in what is clearly the most prominent part of the entire film. Barry Levinson is directing, and even though the whole casting has been shady, it's hard to argue with the line-up assembled. John Travolta, Al Pacino, Kelly Preston, and Foster make up a foursome that's pretty tough to ignore.