The American Film Market (AFM) is about to begin, which means movies are being "packaged" for buyers in order to sell international rights and therefore provide the funding to make the films.  This means bringing on bankable actors, which is what the following movies have done:

  • Michael Fassbender is in negotiations to star in the gangster film, Trespass Against Us.
  • Ethan Hawke will star in Alejandro Amenábar’s drama Regression.
  • Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, and Alfred Molina will lead Boychoir.

Hit the jump for more on all of these films.

According to Variety, Fassbender is in talks to play "Chad Culter" in Trespass Against Us, the narrative feature debut of British director Adam SmithAlastair Siddons' script is reportedly "infused with action, crime and a strong sense of humor," according to production company Protagonist Pictures.  Per Variety, the story

"is set across three generations of the rowdy Cutler family, who live as outlaws — hunting hares, ram-raiding stately homes and taunting the police. The family have always lived this way but, defying the expectations of his father, Chad Cutler is looking for a way out of the criminal life."

It sounds like an interesting film, but even more exciting is that The Chemical Brothers will write and perform the original score (fans of Hanna, rejoice).  Smith already has a relationship with the musical group having directed "music-related films like 'The Chemical Brothers — Don’t Think,' and promos for The Streets ('Blinded by the Light,' 'The Irony of it All') and The Chemical Brothers."  He's also directed episodes of the U.K. series Doctor Who, Little Dorrit, and Skins.

As for Fassbender, he's currently shooting Slow West and in January will start filming on an adaptation of Macbeth alongside Marion Cotillard.

the-purge-ethan-hawke

Moving on, Ethan Hawke will work with The Sea Inside director Alejandro Amenábar on Regression.  Unlike Trespass Against Us, details on Regression are being kept under wraps.  As far as tone, longtime partner Fernando Bovaira tells Variety that the story plays "with our deepest primal fears to make us feel once again both profoundly human and extremely vulnerable,” and FilmNation CEO Glen Basner adds "This suspenseful and thrilling story, coupled with what we know will be a truly atmospheric setting, is going to be unforgettable for years to come."

It seems like a good fit since Hawke has been no stranger to horror-thrillers lately with The Purge and last year's Sinister.  He recently completed filming on Michael Almereyda’s modern day adaption of William Shakespeare’s Cymbeline.

Finally, Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, and Alfred Molina will lead Boychoir, the new film from The Red Violin director Francois Girard.  Working from a script by Ben Ripley (Source Code), the story will have Hoffman playing "Choir Master Carvelle, who runs a boys choir school on the East Coast."  According to THR, "the story follows a troubled and angry 11-year-old named Stet who is sent off to the school."  Molina will play Drake, one of the school's teachers, and Bates will portray the headmistress.

Hoffman will next be seen in Jon Favreau's Chef, and Bates can currently be seen on American Horror Story: Coven.  She's also co-starring in the Melissa McCarthy comedy, Tammy.  As for Molina, he recently provided voice work for Monsters University, and will also be lending his voice to The Prophet.