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 you can say ‘The next Superhero to hit the screen is…‘ 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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Firstly, so thrilled to be reporting that this sequel is well underway! It has been confirmed that Brittany Snow will reprise her role in PITCH PERFECT 2 alongside Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson. The plot is still being kept under wraps, but we’re excited nonetheless.
Also, start getting scared! Dylan Minnette of Let Me In, Prisoners, Labor Day and ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has joined Jack Black and Odeya Rush in Sony’s GOOSEBUMPS, based on those creepy books from when we were little! The film doesn’t pull its plot from any of the books directly, but instead centers on a boy (Minnette) who moves in next to children’s horror author R.L. Stine (Black), whose scary stories have all begun to come to life. Minnette and Stine’s niece (Rush) team up to try to stop the madness.
It looks like Kill Your Darlings co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan will be re-teaming for COLLEGE REPUBLICANS, which follows a young Karl Rove (DeHaan), who leads a dirty campaign for the position of College Republican Chairman under the tutelage of Lee Atwater (Radcliffe). Paul Dano and Shia LaBeouf (clearly indisposed) were previously in talks at various points to join the film.
After his wild success at Sundance with Whiplash, Miles Teller will join Aaron Eckhart in writer/director Ben Younger’s sports biopic BLEED FOR THIS, the true story of Vinny Pazienza, a boxer who broke his neck in 1991 in a devastating car accident. Despite being told he’d never walk again and his career was over, Pazienza defied the doctors and went on to a 50-10 lifetime boxing record. Teller plans to play Pazienza while Eckhart will play his trainer.
Happy Endings fave Nick Zano will co-star in ONE BIG HAPPY, which follows a lesbian who gets pregnant just as her straight male best friend (Zano) meets and marries Prudence, the love of his life.
Noah star Emma Watson has joined Ethan Hawke in REGRESSION. The plot is being kept under wraps, as is her role. Alejandro Amenábar (“Agora”) will direct from his own script. Fernando Bovaira will produce.
And now onto the world of TV, with some super superhero developments:
Candice Patton has joined the cast of upcoming highly anticipated superhero saga THE FLASH. She will play Iris West, Allen’s fast-talking, quick-witted best friend who is also the daughter of Detective West. Another series addition is Blue Bloods’ Tom Cavanagh as Harrison Wells, a rock star in the world of physics, and the mind and money behind Central City’s S.T.A.R. Labs Particle Accelerator.
And finally, Gotham has found its Detective James Gordon: Southland and OC alum Ben McKenzie will star as a young version of DC Comics’ famed Commissioner Gordon. Fox announced that the show will feature the origin story of Gordon along with Gotham City’s notable villains. A young Bruce Wayne will also be featured, as “Gotham” follows Wayne from his pre-teen years to the moment when he puts on the Batman cape for the first time.
A couple more quick TV casting tidbits:
Grace Victoria Cox will join the upcoming second season of UNDER THE DOME. She will play the lithe, mysterious, beautiful and almost regal Melanie, who catches the eye of Joe.
Dylan Sprayberry of Glee fame will appear in the fourth season of TEEN WOLF. He’ll play Liam, a cocky and handsome new freshman.
How I Met Your Mother’s Ahna O’Reilly will star in the pilot IDENTITY as Mia, a grounded, whip-smart but restless young New Yorker who finds her world upended when she learns she needs an organ transplant to survive and her only living relative is a newfound half-brother from a wealthy and powerful family in Charleston, SC.
IN DEVELOPMENT
And for those exciting new projects announced that don’t yet have stars attached, you heard it here first! Find out about new YA-interest films and TV shows below!
First off, good news! THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, ARROW, SUPERNATURAL, THE ORIGINALS and REIGN have all been renewed by The CW.
Next, Black Swan 2, anyone? FLESH AND BONE has been given the go-ahead by Starz. The project centers on a troubled ballet dancer who joins a prestigious dance academy with a dark and corrupted past.
Some exciting new TV projects to look forward to:
CW has greenlit IZOMBIE, based on the DC Comic. The story centers on a med student-turned-zombie who begins working at a morgue to eat brains so she can remain human.
Additionally, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are writing and exec producing PREACHER, based on the DC comic of the same name. The project focuses on a preacher who finds out that God has abandoned his responsibilities, prompting the preacher to find him.
It’s a good day for DC:
Syfy has picked up DMZ…based on the DC comic! The story is about a man stuck in Manhattan, which has been turned into a demilitarized zone in the wake of a second American Civil War.
Feel the beat! DRUMLINE: A NEW BEAT is in development at VH1 as a TV movie and a sequel to Nick Cannon’s beloved Drumline. The proposed film centers on a girl from New York who goes to school in Louisiana in hopes of revitalizing her college’s once-prominent drumline.
CW is developing THE MESSENGERS. The series centers on a group of strangers who think they are killed when a strange object crashes from the sky. However, when they wake up, they are tasked with preventing the apocalypse.
QUEEN OF EVERYTHING is being developed by Fox. Sounding vaguely reminiscent of Once Upon A Time, this project features an evil queen in a fairytale land, who tries to right her wrongs because her staff and servants can’t stand her.