2/11/2014

Jennifer Aniston Joins 'Cake'; Jack Black Hops 'The D-Train'; Stellan Skarsgard is 'Our Kind of Traitor'



* Fresh off the unexpected $270M success of We're the Millers, Jennifer Aniston is taking on something smaller and far more depressing. She'll join the indie drama, Cake, directed by Daniel Barnz (Beastly), and centering on "an acerbic woman who  becomes fascinated by the suicide of another woman in her chronic pain support group. As she uncovers the details of the suicide, she also grapples with her own personal tragedy." Sounds like a riot. [Variety]

* Jack Black and James Marsden are hopping aboard The D-Train, a new comedy written and directed by Yes Man scribes Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel. Black plays a former high school loser who must now do everything in his power to lure the most popular guy in school (Marsden), now a failed actor, to arrive for the event. Mike White (School of Rock) will produce and co-star as Jack's only friend, with Nat Faxon (The Way Way Back) in talks to come aboard. [THR]

* There's been a ton of changes for the latest John le Carre adaptation, Our Kind of Traitor, but it seems to finally be settling in with Susanna White (Generation Kill) directing and Ewan McGregor taking one of the lead roles. Now the espionage thriller may be adding Stellan Skarsgard (Thor) ahead of this summer's start date. Written by Hossein Amini (Drive), the story centers on an American couple who get caught up with a money-laundering Russian mob boss, placing them in the crosshairs of British intelligence. [ScreenDaily]