Filming has commenced on director Pascal Chaumeil’s (Heartbreaker) adaptation of the Nick Hornby novel A Long Way Down.  The story revolves around a group of strangers who coincidentally meet on the top of a London skyscraper on New Year’s Eve where they individually had gone to commit suicide.  The four strangers make a pact to stay alive until Valentine’s Day at least, and the story follows this group of unlikely friends “as they try to pull back from the brink.”  The ensemble cast includes Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Aaron Paul, and Imogen Poots, with Sam Neill and Rosamund Pike (Pride and Prejudice) also signing on.

The four central strangers are played by Brosnan, Collette, Paul, and Poots, who are set as a once-beloved TV personality, single mother, failed musician turned pizza-delivery boy and a “sassy teen” respectively.  Hornby is the author behind such great works as High Fidelity, About a Boy and Fever Pitch, so the source material is a solid foundation.  Jack Thorne (How I Live Now) wrote the screenplay and production is taking place in England and Spain.  Hit the jump to read the full press release (which includes a synopsis) and to check out the first image.

Some casting news to share with you today.  Check the bullets:

• Anthony Mackie (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) is in talks to join Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake in the gambling drama, Runner Runner.
• Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four) will topline Diamond Dogs, an English-language thriller by director Pascal Chaumeil (Heartbreaker).
• Tim Roth (The Incredible Hulk) will join Jean Dujardin (The Artist) and Cecile De France (Hereafter) in the spy-thriller, Mobius.

Hit the jump for more.

Heartbreaker, Pascal Chaumeil’s new action-packed romantic comedy with a French twist, pairs two of France’s biggest stars:  Romain Duris, who played the charismatic concert pianist in The Beat that My Heart Skipped and Vanessa Paradis, the well-known singer, model, actress and long time leading lady of American actor Johnny Depp. A smash hit in France, Heartbreaker was also featured at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.

We sat down with Romain Duris, Vanessa Paradis and director Pascal Chaumeil at a roundtable interview for their new film. Pascal talked to us about the American influences that inspired his feature directorial debut and why he feels love and laughter are universal languages. Romain discussed what it was like making the transition from darker roles as a French bad boy to playing a suave, roguish leading man in a romantic comedy. Vanessa described the fun they had working together on their Dirty Dancing routine and how she balances her multi-faceted career.  Hit the jump to read what they had to say: