Casting updates on two projects that Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class) is producing:

  • Dev Patel is in early talks to star opposite Sharlto Copley in Chappie, the next sci-fi project from Neill Blomkamp (District 9).
  • Stellan Skarsgard is in talks to join CinderellaLily James, Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett, and Helena Bonham Carter star in Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of the classic fairy tale.

Hit the jump for more on both projects.

Patel seemed poised for a breakout after Slumdog Millionaire won the Best Picture Oscar in 2009.  Instead, Patel got Airbender-ed, and is now resigned to a supporting role in The Newsroom as Neal the Bigfoot EnthusiastChappie could be a great second chance if Blomkamp's sophmore effort Elysium delivers on its promise next month.  Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell wrote the script based on Blomkamp's short Tetra Vaal, a parody commercial for a robotic police force in the South African slums.  Copley is set to play one of the robot officers.  According to Heat Vision, Patel is up to play the human lead, "a young man in the impoverished town."  That's all the detail we have for the secretive project, but you can watch Tetra Vaal below for clues:

Lily James is set to play Cinderella, with Richard Madden her handsome prince.  Blanchett is the wicked stepmother; Bonham Carter is the fairy godmother; Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger are the stepsisters.  Heat Vision says Skarsgard is in talks to play "the grand duke, the king’s adviser, who just may have ulterior motives."  Allison Shearmur and David Barron (the Harry Potter series) are producing alongside Kinberg, with plans for a fall production in London.  Cinderella is scheduled for release on March 13, 2015.

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