In Bloom: James Gandolfini and Saoirse Ronan will star in Violet and Daisy, the directorial debut of Geoffrey Fletcher, who won the Oscar for adapted screenplay for Precious. The film is centered on a pair of teenage assassins (one of whom will be played by Ronan) who are drawn into what is meant to be “just another quick and easy job.†However, they quickly find it to be much more complicated, as the man they are meant to kill (Gandolfini) is “not whom they expected.†A chance for Tony Soprano to see things from the other side, it would seem. [Variety]
Macy Gets Freaky: William H. Macy has signed on to star in Freaky Deaky, an adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s crime novel about sixties radicals who use their skills for blowing stuff up for entrepreneurial purposes in the seventies. Macy will play Woody Ricks, an alcoholic millionaire with “a passion for show tunes, showgirls and a knack for avoiding getting blown up.†What more could you want in a man? [Deadline]
Payback Time: Christian Slater will star in the indie horror thriller Payback. He’ll play a “sinister cop†who plays an integral role in “exposing a small town’s deepest, darkest secret.†The story is set into motion when high-school students looking into their “town’s infamous past†end up “unwittingly unlocking an evil that preys upon their classmates.†So much vague creepiness going on here. [Variety]
Post-Call: JC Chandor, who just finished writing and directing the “indie financial crisis thriller†Margin Call, will next write Portofino, an international thriller designed as a potential vehicle for Leonardo DiCaprio. [Deadline]
Return of Claire: Much-missed Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under) will star opposite Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux in the David Wain comedy Wanderlust. Ambrose will play a member of the commune that Rudd and Aniston encounter on their trek from New York to Atlanta. [Variety]
Wanted Gets Dated: Gucci Mane’s sophomore album, The Appeal: Georgia’s Most Wanted, has received a release date: September 28. The disc will feature appearances from Bun B, Swizz Beatz, Ray J, Nicki Minaj, Pharrell, Wyclef Jean, and Estelle. [Billboard]
Fusco’s Day: John Fusco (Hidalgo) will write the script for historical action film Day of War, an adaptation of the first book in military veteran Cliff Graham’s Lion of War series, which focuses on the “early life and adventures of David before he became king of Israel.†[Risky Business/HR]