* Dakota Fanning and Theo James (Divergent) have joined Richard Gere in Franny, from writer/director Andrew Renzi developed at the Sundance Screenwriters Lab. Gere plays a rich, hedonistic philanthropist who ingratiates himself into the lives of a newlywed couple (Fanning and James) in order to recreate the life he once had. [Deadline]
* Tobey Maguire's Bobby Fischer biopic Pawn Sacrifice has been in the works for years, but it took a major step forward when Ed Zwick recently came aboard to direct it. With Maguire set to play the famous chess champion, Peter Sarsgaard and Liev Schreiber are the latest to come aboard. Schreiber will play Russian champ Boris Spassky, who Fischer had his historic world championship match against. Sarsgaard is Fischer's priest and close friend who helped him through the stressful period when he was a pop culture icon. [THR]
