Hereâs the latest casting news:
- Jason Sudeikis (Horrible Bosses) and Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids) are set to star in indie romantic comedy Tumbledown.
- 42 star Chadwick Boseman is closing in on a key supporting role in Ivan Reitmanâs football-oriented drama Draft Day, starring Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner.
Hit the jump for more on both projects.
Per The Wrap, Tumbledown sees the ever versatile Byrne starring as a Maine widow who meets cute with a New York writer (Sudeikis) in town to look into her folk-singer husbandâs death. First-timer Sean Mewshaw is set to direct, while the supporting cast is rounded out by Michael McKean, Beau Bridges, Olivia Munn, Blythe Danner and Joe Manganiello (True Blood). Both director Mewshaw and screenwriter Desi Van Til are unknown commodities at this point, but thatâs a pretty promising collection of onscreen talent. And the premise has my attention.
Meanwhile, fresh off playing Jackie Robinson in last weekâs chart-topper 42 (the highest-opening baseball flick of all time), Chadwick Boseman is circling another sportsy role in Draft Day, playing a Louisiana linebacker with a lot riding on the NFL entry draft; THR describes his role as âsupporting but key.â The film stars Kevin Costner as the general manager of the Cleveland Browns, who pulls out all the stops to improve his club at said draft (while also racked by considerable personal drama). Jennifer Garner plays his secretary/love interest, while Denis Leary has signed up to play the Brownsâ coach. Ellen Burstyn and Frank Langella are there too. The script for this one, from Scott Rothman and Rajiv Joseph, was #1 on the 2012 Black List, which keeps tabs on Hollywoodâs best unproduced screenplays.
Boseman joins the project just under the wire, as Reitman and co. are prepping to shoot at the actual 2013 NFL Entry, which takes place next week in New York. I have to say, this film looks like one to watch out forâthe premise is fresh and the cast capable; plus, Iâm interested any time the director of Ghostbusters climbs into the helmerâs chair, recent tepid efforts like No Strings Attached and My Super Ex-Girlfriend notwithstanding. Itâs also nice to see Boseman involved with another high-profile project; after going from TV bit-player to box-office king with 42, heâs a definite feel-good story.