It would seem that casting news for Young Adult Hollywood revolves around just a few hot and very in-demand names, and what a busy bunch they are! But because things change in showbiz faster than it takes James Franco to start on a new project, the names on that list are changing all the time. So to that end, we here at YA Mag will undertake the hefty task of keeping you up to date each month on who’s playing what, who’s not, and who should. The roles and stars everyone can’t stop talking about are all here…
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Standout young actor Emjay Anthony from the recent Chef has joined the cast of Insurgent, joining Rosa Salazar of Parenthood and American Horror Story. The sequel to Divergent will uncover radical new twists and secrets on the eve of the looming Faction war, and what it means for Tris and company. Anthony will play Hector, a Dauntless-born boy, while Rosa will portray his sister Lynn, also from Dauntless. Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ansel Elgort and Kate Winslet will reprise their roles in the film, and other newcomers to the franchise include Daniel Dae Kim, Keiynan Lonsdale, Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, and Suki Waterhouse.
Latest additions to The DUFF are Alison Janney (American Beauty, The Help) who will play the titular character’s mother, and Romany Malco (Weeds, The 40-Year-Old Virgin) as the high school principal.
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James Franco is keeping it all in the family, casting his brother Dave in The Disaster Artist, which he is also starring in and directing. The film follows the making of the alleged worst movie ever made, The Room, and the awkward relationship between the director and star.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, get ready for a big screen adaptation of the Trolls! You didn’t think they’d stop at The Smurfs, did you? The 90s invasion is continuing in a major way with this update of those crazy-haired dolls, and Anna Kendrick is the first star to be attached as voice talent. Lets see who follows suit…
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In Superhero land, we are finally, finally going to be able to see an aquatic superhero come to life! Jason Momoa, best known as Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones, will play Aquaman in Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice.
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Steve Martin will be back to his manic shenanigans in Father of the Bride Part III, this time updating things when his son reveals his engagement to another man, the son of a Navy SEAL.
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IN DEVELOPMENT
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We Were Liars, based on the book by E. Lockhart, is a coming-of-age story centered on a teenage girl who survives a horrific accident at her family’s summer home two years prior, which she can’t remember. She returns to the scene determined to remember the incident, but comes to discover a shocking revelation about herself.
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As seen with next year’s highly-anticipated film Pixels, video game movies are soon to be all the rage. And who better to seal the deal than Sonic the Hedgehog? Yup – Columbia Pictures is developing a film based around the character, who is already over 20 years old. Rumor has it that
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the writers they’ve hired are also at work on a film version of The Jetsons!
Beth Reekles’ novel The Kissing Booth has been optioned and will be going into production! We wonder who they’ll cast in this story of a teenage girl who gets to kiss her secret crush at the school fair kissing booth, only to realize that everything is not as it seems.
Last but not least, another remake is officially in the works—Gremlins! Just don’t feed them after midnight…
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