The star and director of 2005's The Upside of Anger will re-unite for Black and White, an on-the-nose title for a drama centering on racial issues.  Written and directed by Mike Binder,  Black and White is an indie that will star Kevin Costner as a man left widowed after his wife died in a car crash.  He's then left alone to raise his bi-racial granddaughter when his own daughter dies during childbirth.  The plot thickens when the child's paternal grandmother begins to wage a custody battle and raises questions about race and where the child should grow up.  Deadline reports that the indie will start shooting in New Orleans this summer.

Hit the jump for more casting news concerning Colin Firth (The King's Speech) in Woody Allen's next picture and Chris O'Dowd (Bridesmaids) in talks for The Coward

Deadline also reports that Firth is in talks to join Allen's next picture, an untitled film that already stars Emma Stone (The Amazing Spider-Man) as the female lead.  Little is known about the film so far, but the report indicates that it will be shot in the south of France.  Just earlier today we reported that Firth will star in Matthew Vaughn's The Secret Service and will next be seen in Atom Egoyan‘s West Memphis Three drama, Devil’s Knot.

Meanwhile, The Wrap reports that O'Dowd is in talks to join The Coward, directed by Max Winkler (Ceremony) and starring Adam Driver (Girls).  The period comedy set in 18th century England follows a cowardly nobleman who is descended from a long line men who have a history of losing duels to the death. After initiating a gunfight, he panics and finds himself hiring a common criminal as his stand-in.  The tables are turned when the scoundrel decides to steal his employer's identity and improve his own lot in life.

Winkler and Matt Spicer wrote the script, based on a Nick Jones play.  O'Dowd currently stars in The Sapphires, will  be seen in the HBO comedy series Family Tree and voices a role in Fox's animated family film, Epic.

 

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