Ryan Kwanten and Amy Smart in Talks for 7500; Dylan McDermott Joins DOG FIGHT

CBS Films acquired a pitch from The Grudge director Takashi Shimizu this summer under the reported title Flight 75.  Bloody Disgusting reports the studio is currently in talks with Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) and Amy Smart (Crank) to star in the “claustrophobic thriller,” now going by the title Flight 7500.  (100x better!) [Update: We have been informed that the title is actually 7500.]  The story is set on “a transpacific airliner from Los Angeles to Tokyo where the passengers encounter what seems to be a supernatural force.”   Smart would play one of the passengers; the specifics of Kwanten’s role are unknown.  Taka Ichise and Roy Lee are reuniting with their Grudge director to produce 7500.  The premise is fertile, and Kwanten and Smart are amiable stars: CBS may have something on their hands.

Hit the jump for news of Dylan McDermott‘s casting in Dog Fight.

To me, the most horrific thing about American Horror Story is its potential to make people think Dylan McDermott is a star.  Now that the FX series is a bona fide hit, the charisma-free actor has landed his first post-AHS role.  And while a supporting role in a political comedy is nothing to write home about, it is not a good omen, folks.  Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis topline Dog Fight, the story of two rival politicians in a small congressional district in South Carolina.  Deadline says McDermott will play Tim Wattley*, a consultant who runs Galifianakis’ campaign.  Jason Sudeikis, Sarah Baker, and Katherine LaNasa also star. Jay Roach (Dinner for Shmucks) is directing Dog Fight from a script by Chris Henchy (The Other Guys).  Filming starts in November.

McDermott notwithstanding, I am excited to see Ferrell and Galifianakis face off on screen in a duel of silly accents (presumably).

*The name is unique enough that even under a different spelling, Bryan Cranston should own the fictional character name “Tim Whatley.”