Ya Casting Roundup

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 reboot a franchise (and that’s pretty fast!), 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…

Ryan HansenVeronica Mars is about to get very meta. A spinoff is happening based off of none other than Mr. Dick Casablancas himself, but with a twist. Actor Ryan Hansen, who portrays Dick in the series and in the recent big screen update, will play himself in Play It Again, Dick (yes folks that’s really the title). The show will be about…actor Ryan Hansen trying to get a V Mars spinoff of his own started. Weird/funny, huh? That’s meta for ya! Expect to see a whole gaggle of Martian Marshmallows as guest stars!

Rebel WilsonRebel Wilson will be reprising Goldie Hawn’s Oscar-nominated role in Private Benjamin, about a privileged society girl joining the army! We’re wondering what it’ll look like to have Rebel be playing the straight-laced ‘in’ girl at the beginning. It’s guaranteed she won’t remain straight-laced for long.

Mockingjay news! Michelle Forbes will be joining the cast as a bodyguard of sorts for Katniss, Lieutenant Jackson. For any die-hard True Blood fans out there, you’ll remember Michelle as Maryann from Season 2, i.e. the best villain on that whole show (along with Russell, of course).

For Stephen King fans, some exciting news about the long-rumored Stand remake. Rising star Nat Wolff (giving a standout performance in the Tribeca Festival entry Palo Alto) will be a part of the project, although it’s not yet clear whom he will play. But the other interesting news is that the film is set to be directed by Josh Boone, whose second film The Fault In Our Stars will be arriving in a matter of weeks. Wolff is also in TFIOS, which we can’t wait to see!

LEFT TO RIGHT: MICHELLE FORBES JOINS THE CAST OF ‘MOCKINGJAY, PART 1”; NAT WOLFF JOINS THE CAST OF UPCOMING “THE STAND” REMAKE
Gregg Sulkin#PLL
cutie Gregg Sulkin, also of MTV’s Faking It, will be starring in the creepily titled horror flick Don’t Hang Up. Sulkin will play a prank phone caller who bites off way more than he can chew (but we’re still wondering—does anyone actually prank call anymore? In 2014? In the age of omniscient caller id?)

 

 

 

 

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!

 

Power Rangers Film posterIf it’s been more than 5 years since anything has been made, a remake/reboot/recycled heap of used plastic from the prior franchise’s Happy Meal tie-in is fair game. First more Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, now…The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers? You bet—Lionsgate (the ones behind Hunger Games) is looking to further its reach with brands that truly have a global appeal. The Power Rangers are one of the few to be wildly popular both domestically and in Asia (meaning, China!). Now, the studio is partnering up with the huge corporation that owns the Rangers to produce a sharper and smarter reimagining of the concept. It all depends on how it’s handled, but lets hope this doesn’t go the way of Dragonball-Z (don’t remember that film adaptation? Exactly.).

Flintstones posterAnd speaking of rehashes, it’s been announced that Will Ferrell is co-executive producing a proposed Flintstones reboot, to be animated. We wonder if he’ll voice Fred?

Gotham promo imageAs for happenings in the TV world, Fox series Gotham is going to series! The show follows that early days/origin story of Commissioner James Gordon before Batman was the biggest deal on the scene. The happy stars include Ben McKenzie, Jada Pinkett Smith and David Mazouz.

Flash promo imageThe CW, for their part, have ordered more of The Flash spin-off to Arrow! We can’t wait to see more of it either.

Disney has put live action spy caper comedy KC Undercover in the works as a series, following a high school math nerd who hides a secret identity as a superspy like her parents.

And over at ABC Family, Samantha Logan (of Melissa & Joey) has secured the lead on Recovery Road, about a popular party girl who is forced into rehab. Joining her will be Justin Prentice and Kyla Pratt.

LEFT TO RIGHT: SAMANTHA LOGAN, JUSTIN PRENTICE, AND KYLA PRATT CAST IN UPCOMING “RECOVERY ROAD” ADAPTATION