* Nicolas Cage will star in the forever-developing adaptation of Pay the Ghost, a supernatural thriller based on Tim Lebbon's short story. Dennis Illiadis (Plus One) had been attached to direct but he has since dropped out and the search for a new helmer is on. Dan Kay's screenplay follows "a hard-working NYU English professor bucking for tenure when his 8-year-old son mysteriously vanishes from a Halloween day parade." The boy's presence begins to make itself known in frightening ways a year later, leading to a search through New York City and the discovery of a vengeful spirit. [Variety]
* As far as generic movie titles go does it get any worse than Kidnap? That's the film Halle Berry has just become a part of, which is directed by Luis Prieto (that Pusher remake nobody saw) and is about a mother who will stop at nothing to rescue her kidnapped son. Well, The Call sounded super lame too and Berry took it to $70M so maybe the joke will be on us again.
* Olivia Thirlby, last seen fighting crime in Dredd, has come aboard Phoenix, directed by Robert Redford's daughter, Amy. Justin Bartha and Constance Zimmer also star in the romance about "a one-night stand between love-averse strangers that sends them on a 4,000-mile trip from Brooklyn to the Grand Canyon and back." [ScreenDaily]
