In a perfect storm of movie casting for ambitious young acting talent, some major movies that could make (or break) the next rising star are all in a simultaneous casting process. Here’s a look at the latest developments:

• Michael Bay is set to start screen testing actors for leads in Transformers 4, which centers on Mark Wahlberg’s character, his daughter and her boyfriend, a race car driver.
• Divergent, which carries heavy Hunger Games or Twilight-sized franchise hopes, is narrowing its scope for the male lead opposite Shailene Woodley.
• DreamWorks’ Need for Speed adaptation is looking for other racers to fill in the cast alongside leads Aaron Paul, Imogen Poots and possibly Dominic Cooper.

Hit the jump for much more on each picture.

The last season of Weeds threw viewers for a loop by pushing forward three years to find Nancy (Mary-Louise Parker) finishing a stint in federal prison which didn’t stop her from restarting her drug dealing in New York City, and now Showtime has announced we’ll definitely see the next chapter come through with the cable network announcing an order for an eighth season of the series. Consisting of thirteen episodes, the new season will go into production sometime in 2012, and while the press release (which you can find after the jump) doesn’t mention it, some insiders have speculated that this could be the final season for the long-running series.

There are some big changes in store for the characters on Showtime’s popular and top-rated comedy series Weeds, now entering Season 7. With three years having passed, and Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker) out of jail since having turned herself into the FBI rather than face certain death at the hands of her vengeful ex, Esteban Reyes (Demián Bichir), she and her sons, Silas (Hunter Parrish) and Shane (Alexander Gould), have reunited and are making a fresh start in New York City. Still harboring anger towards his mother from having found out that his father is not who he thought he was, Silas and Nancy have an interesting dynamic that he’s trying not to let affect the family pot-selling business.

During a recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, actor Hunter Parrish talked about the fun of playing a character with such a crazy life, being given a fresh start with the changes this season, the new dynamics between all of the characters with the show jumping ahead three years, how the cast and crew feels like a family after seven seasons together, getting to work with guest star Martin Short, and that he hopes they get at least one more season, before they have to wrap things up. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

While Jennifer Lawrence is now set in the lead role of Katniss in Gary Ross’ adaptation of The Hunger Games, producers are currently looking to fill out the other lead roles in the cast. Apparently Lionsgate is testing a number of actors today for the two male lead roles in the film: Peeta, a boy from Katniss’ town who reveals his love for her as the Hunger Games (life-or-death games played out in the post-apocalyptic future) begin, and Gale, a character who teaches Katniss the “way of the hunter” while she’s in the games herself.

Actors testing for Peeta include the previously mentioned Hunter Parrish (Weeds), Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) and Evan Peters (Kick-Ass). Testing for Gale are Liam Hemsworth (The Last Song), David Henrie (The Wizards of Waverly Place) among others. Hit the jump to see the full list of actors testing for each part.

While fans are keeping a close watch on Gary Ross’ (Seabiscuit) film adaptation of the best-selling book series The Hunger Games, it looks like casting is in full swing. A few days ago, it was reported that Winter’s Bone actress (and Academy Award nominee) Jennifer Lawrence is poised to the land the lead role of Katniss, and now the inevitable, ever-changing shortlist of actors in contention for the male lead of Peeta is heating up with actor Hunter Parrish (Weeds) confirming that he’s met with producers about the role:

“I’ve met the producers. I’d be grateful to get the opportunity. Like, really grateful. It would be amazing. I read the books all last year, and I guess they’re starting filming soon.”

E! Online caught up with the actor last night at Alternative Apparell’s 2011 and got him talking. For more from Parrish, including who he’d like to see cast as Katniss, hit the jump.

Along with Dexter, Weeds has established the brand of Showtime in its ambition to match the success of fellow pay cable station HBO with original programming.   The show’s success has undoubtedly informed the development of the network’s other comedies, namely The United States of Tara, Nurse Jackie, and the upcoming The Big C, all of which center on strong but flawed female characters (I have no explanation for the thoroughly misogynistic Californication).  In season four, Weeds left its sunny California suburb for a small town on the border between San Diego and Tijuana which, while no less sunny, proved a much darker setting for the Botwins.  In season five, creator Jenji Kohan expanded on these bleak themes to fashion Weeds into the very blackest of comedies.

For a review of season five of the increasingly polarizing Weeds, hit the break.