Richard Ayoade‘s directorial debut Submarine was a nice little indie comedy, and now we’re finally getting a look at his follow-up, The Double.  Based on the novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the film stars Jesse Eisenberg as a government clerk whose life is destroyed after what he believes to be an exact copy of himself begins working in his office and attempts to ruin his life.  According to Empire, Ayoade’s dramedy “intends it to reflect on loneliness and our inherent need to love and be loved.”  Judging by these images, Ayoade has created a radically different look than what he brought to Submarine, and I’m eager to see the finished film.

Hit the jump to check out the images.  The Double also stars Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, Rade Serbedzija, James Fox, and Yasmin Paige.

Why Stop Now? tells the bittersweet story of Eli Smith (Jesse Eisenberg), a piano prodigy who, on the day of his audition for a prestigious music program, plans to enter his loving mother (Melissa Leo) into rehab for drug addiction.  But, things don’t quite work out as planned and Eli soon finds himself having to work with her drug dealer Sprinkles (Tracy Morgan) while trying to make his own dream come true.

During this recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, actor Jesse Eisenberg talked about why he was interested in being a part of Why Stop Now?, what made his character so relatable, preparing to do the piano playing himself, getting to work so closely with Melissa Leo, and what surprised him about Tracy Morgan, as a dramatic actor.  He also talked about what he’s looking forward to with the animated sequel Rio 2, working with Richard Ayoade on The Double (a comedy about a man who is driven insane by the appearance of his doppleganger), creating the unique world of Now You See Me (a thriller about FBI agents tracking a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances), getting ready to shoot Night Moves (in which he’ll play an eco-terrorist), and being mistaken for Mark Zuckerberg at the Olympics.  Check out what he had to say after the jump.

Opening tomorrow is director Akiva Schaffer’s (Hot Rod) sci-fi comedy The Watch (previously titled Neighborhood Watch).  The film stars Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Ben Stiller and Richard Ayoade as a group of neighbors who form a local neighborhood watch group and end up stumbling onto an alien plot to destroy the world.  The film also stars Billy Crudup, Will Forte, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Nicholas Braun.  For more on the film, here’s the latest trailer, a red band trailer, an outtake reel, my video interview with Schaffer, and all our previous coverage.

The other day I got to speak with Stiller, Vaughn, Hill and Ayoade.  We talked about the filthy dialogue, what was in the script versus improv, what scene had the most takes, and who broke the most during filming.  In addition, at the end of the interview I got updates on the 21 Jump Street sequel, Zoolander 2, The Internship and The Double.  Hit the jump to watch.

We have a couple of quick casting stories to report this morning.  First up, Mia Wasikowska will star opposite Jesse Eisenberg in The Double.  Directed by Richard Ayoade (Submarine) and based on the novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the film stars Eisenberg as a government clerk whose life is destroyed after what he believes to be an exact copy of himself begins working in his office and attempts to ruin his life.  There’s currently no word on Wasikowska’s role in the comedy, but Screen Daily reports that filming is set to begin shooting in the UK in the spring/summer.  Wasikowska will be seen later this year in The Wettest County and she’s also attached to star in Jim Jarmusch‘s crypto-vampire movie Only Lovers Left Alive.  In December, she was reportedly offered the lead female role in Spike Lee‘s remake of Oldboy.

Hit the jump for news on Kate Hudson starring in Everly.

There have been few spy movies in the past decade without a middle east centered plotline. The Double, starring Topher Grace, Richard Gere, and True Blood’s Stephen Moyer, is a throwback to the cold-war espionage films of the ’60s. When a US Senator’s murder bears the trademark of an infamous assassin, rookie FBI agent (Grace), must team up with a retired CIA operative (Gere) to find the killer’s whereabouts. But when true identities are called into question, each must decide who’s playing who.

At the film’s press day, I sat down with Grace and Moyer, who has a small but integral role as a Russian convict. After joking about their Internet habits, on-set pranks, and Moyer’s love of The West Wing (Martin Sheen plays a FBI honcho), we didn’t have time for much else. The two actors, who have a great banter,  also discuss their favorite spy films and getting into character. Hit the jump for the full interview.

The Double looks like it could have been a solid spy flick.  You had Richard Gere and Topher Grace playing government agents trying to track down an assassin code-named Cassius.  Nothing genre-shattering but it could be well executed. Well you know those irritating trailers that give away the entire damn plot?  This trailer for The Double blows them all away.  It gives you a major plot twist that would have been somewhat interesting if not wholly believable within the context of the movie.  It takes you deep into the third act of the film.  It shows you pretty much everything it can in a desperate big to make you want to see this movie and now any desire I had to see the flick has been extinguished by this trailer.  Great job, whoever cut this.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer/condensed version of the entire movie along with the equally terrible poster.  The film also stars Stana Katic, Stephen Moyer, Martin Sheen, and Odette Annable.  The Double opens September 23rd.

Image Entertainment has released the first images from The Double.  The flick centers on a former CIA operative (Richard Gere) who’s called out of retirement and must team up with a rookie FBI agent (Topher Grace) when a US senator turns up dead and bearing the distinctive trademark of a Russian assassin known as “Cassius”.  I’m always up for a good spy thriller and I tend to think Grace is fantastic in everything.  The film also stars Martin Sheen, Stephen Moyer, Odette Yustman, and Stana Katic.

Hit the jump to check out the images along with the official synopsis.  The Double opens September 23rd.

We’ve got a couple of casting stories for you this evening. First up, Jesse Eisneberg is set to star in director Richard Ayoade’s (Submarine) adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novella The Double. Vulture reports that in a spot-on bit of casting, Eisenberg will take on the lead role of a government clerk whose life is destroyed after what he believes to be an exact copy of himself begins working in his office and attempts to ruin his life.

Additionally, Nick Nolte has joined the cast of Taylor Hackford’s revenge thriller Parker. Stars Michael Chiklis and Wendell Pierce tweeted their enthusiasm on the first day of filming, revealing Nolte’s casting (via The Playlist). Based on Donald Westlake’s series of crime novels, the film is intended to start a new franchise with the title character, this time played by Jason Statham. The cast includes Statham, Chiklis, Pierce, Jennifer Lopez and Clifton Collins Jr.

In the new Disney comedy You Again, actress Odette Yustman is playing Joanna, the beautiful, popular girl in high school, who was also the arch nemesis to the shy, quiet Marni (Kristen Bell). When Marni returns home, now a successful publicist with a promising career ahead of her, she realizes that Joanna is marrying her brother Will (James Wolk). And, when Joanna acts, not only like nothing bad ever happened between them, but that she doesn’t even remember Marni, Marni sets out on a mission to prove that the sweet young woman that her family all seems to love is not who she appears to be.

During the film’s press day, Odette Yustman talked about her own mean girl in high school, working in romantic comedy for the first time and planning her own real life wedding. She also talked about her upcoming projects – Group Sex, Operation: Endgame, And Soon the Darkness and The Double – as well as doing a voice for Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2. Check out what she had to say after the jump:

Michael Brandt’s The Double has gotten a double-dose of hotness as Stana Katic (ABC’s Castle) and Odette Yustman (The Unborn) have joined the cast of the upcoming spy thriller.  The story follows a retired CIA operative (Richard Gere) who partners with a young FBI agent (Topher Grace) to track down the killer of a senator.  Stephen Moyer (True Blood) signed on to the project earlier this week.

Katic will play “a feisty Russian prostitute who fiercely protects key information.”  You had me at “feisty Russian prostitute.”  As for Yustman, she’ll being playing “Grace’s character’s wife, a strong woman who raises a family while coping with her husband’s Bureau career.”  Filming is set to begin June 21^st in Detroit.  Hit the jump for images of these two actresses being all sexy and stuff.

Update: We were just given the full press release.  Hit the jump to check it out

We have two pieces of casting news for you this morning.  To start off, True Blood star Stephen Moyer has landed roles in two projects.  First up, he’ll be starring alongside Richard Gere and Topher Grace in the spy thriller The Double.  Co-written and directed by Michael Brandt, the film “centers on a retired CIA operative (Gere) forced to partner with a young FBI agent (Grace) to hunt down the killer of a senator in Washington.”  Heat Vision doesn’t mention what role Moyer will play.

The actor has also signed on to star opposite Jessica Lange in The Big Valley.  The film is an adaptation of the 1960s ABC western-drama TV series that starred Barbara Stanwyck as the matriarch of the Barkleys, a family of ranchers in 19th century California.  Lange is playing the Stanwyck role while Moyer will play “Jarrod Barkley, the family’s respected attorney who represents ranchers fighting to keep their land from being taken by railroad companies.”  Daniel Adams (The Lightkeepers) wrote the screenplay and will direct.

Hit the jump to learn about Dania Ramirez’ casting in Premium Rush.

Topher Grace has signed on to co-star with Richard Gere in Michael Brandt’s upcoming thriller, The Double.  According to Screen Daily, “The Double centers on a retired CIA operative who partners with a young FBI agent to investigate the murder of a US senator that bears the hallmarks of a Soviet assassin long believed to be dead.”  Dammit!  What’s the point of winning the Cold War when there are still Soviet assassins running about?

The Double will be Brandt’s directorial debut.  He previously wrote the screenplay for Wanted and 3:10 to Yuma.  He co-wrote The Double with writing partner Derek Haas.  Filming is set to begin this June in Detroit.

Executive vice-president of production Patrick Aiello will produce along with Haas, Industry Entertainment’s Andrew Deane, and Hyde Park Chairman Ashok Amritraj.  Hit the jump for some quotes from Brandt and Amritraj.