Bob Nelson, Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Alexander Payne's Nebraska, has gathered a terrific cast for his directorial debut, The Confirmation. Clive Owen, Maria Bello, Patton Oswalt, Tim Blake Nelson, Robert Forster, Matthew Modine, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Jaeden Liebherer (St. Vincent) will star in the film about "8-year-old Anthony (Lieberher) and his estranged father (Owen) spending two days together for the first time in forever, as the boy’s mom (Bello) and new husband (Modine) head off to a religious retreat. Their mutual unease is exacerbated when the father’s truck breaks down, his landlord locks him out of his house, and the toolbox that provides his living gets stolen. As they search for the stolen tools with help from an odd neighbor (Oswalt), the father and son begin to establish a connection." [Deadline]
Bates Motel and Ouija star Olivia Cooke is eying a role in the Ben-Hur remake directed by Timur Bekmambetov. If she agrees, which is up in the air because of other high-profile projects she's been offered, Cooke would play Tirzah, Ben-Hur's sister. Jack Huston stars as the Jewish prince forced into slavery by his former friend. Morgan Freeman, Ayelet Zurer, and Toby Kebbell are also on board with a release date set for February 2016. [TheWrap]
Imogen Poots has dropped out of the untitled adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel, The Blunderer, with Haley Bennett (Kaboom) coming aboard to replace her. Andy Goddard is directing the film, which stars Patrick Wilson and Jessica Biel. The story takes place in 1960s New York and follows "Walter Stackhouse (Wilson), a successful architect married to the beautiful Clara (Biel); they lead a seemingly perfect life. But Walter's fascination with an unsolved murder leads him into a spiral of chaos as he is forced to play cat-and-mouse with a clever killer and an overambitious detective while at the same time lusting after another woman." [THR]
