* I rag on Jim Sturgess a lot around here, basically for being the go-to actor when Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw, or any number of similar looking actors pass up a major role. He's the bland pinch hitter guy, and you can see him doing his best Hugh Grant impression right now in One Day opposite Anne Hathaway. Whishaw continues to be a very busy guy despite being so vanilla. He's just joined the cast of Cloud Atlas
, the adaptation of David Mitchell's complex novel directed by The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer. No word on who his character will be, but then again we don't know who any of the cast will play at this point. The story encompasses six time spanning stories, beginning from the 19th century to the far flung future. Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Ben Whishaw, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, and Bae Doona star. [USAToday]* Comedian Gabriel Iglesias has joined the cast of Steven Soderbergh's male stripper film, Magic Mike, and judging by the looks of him I'm hoping he keeps his shirt on. Based partially on the early career of star Channing Tatum, the film revolves around an experienced dancer who guides the career of an up 'n comer(Alex Pettyfer). Iglesias will be on the wheels of steel as deejay at the club owned by Matthew McConaughey's character. [ThePlaylist]
* It's been something like two or three years since I last heard anything about a remake of 1984's Romancing the Stone
, an adventure/rom-com featuring a spry Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner back when she was doable. Well it's still going forward apparently, although it looks like things are starting from scratch. Apparently gone is director Robert Luketic(Killers
, The Ugly Truth
), with Fox looking for new blood behind the camera. Strange then that reports are that Luketic's favorite gal, Katherine Heigl, is said to be in contention for one of the two leads, with possibly her Ugly Truth co-str Gerard Butler in tow. Taylor Kitsch has also been mentioned as a possibility. To be honest, I'd rather see Douglas, Danny Devito, and Turner come back for the third film we were supposed to get years ago. [Moviehole]
