Jodie Foster Onboard For Neill Blomkamp’s ‘Elysium’

Having successfully handled a depressed Mel Gibson armed with a hand puppet (it happens), Jodie Foster’s next onscreen appearance will be in the latest violent sci-fi/allegorical piece from District 9 filmmaker Neill Blomkamp, entitled Elysium.

Foster has committed to starring in the South African director’s next project, which will reunite Blomkamp with D9 star Sharlto Copley and could feature Matt Damon in a starring role as well.

Media Rights Capital is financing Blomkamp’s Elysium, which will be another moderately-budgeted (re: less than $100 million) F/X-heavy sci-fi flick set on a distant planet some 150 years in the future. Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class) is producing the project, which Deadline says has not yet been shopped around to potential distributors. With Blomkamp at the helm and a cast that includes Foster, Copley, and possibly Damon, Elysium should have no problem attracting studio interest.

Details are being kept under wraps on Elysium, which Blomkamp has indicated will mix gruesome violence with a more thought-provoking narrative that addresses certain social/political issues in a manner similar to his District 9, appropriately enough. The latter arguably lent itself to a sequel but Blomkamp has selected to work on a more original project for the time being.

Elysium will mark Foster’s first venture in the sci-fi genre since she starred in the cinematic adaptation of Carl Sagan’s novel, Contact, back in 1997. That film featured a breed of extraterrestrials not bent on world domination, but instead aiding humankind to reach its full potential. Look for the non-Earthlings in Blomkamp’s new movie to have more of a temperamental relationship with their homo sapien counterparts.

Jodie Foster in 'Contact'.

District 9 meshed elements of a thought-provoking sci-fi parable with a faux-documentary and a healthy dose of gory violence. There was even a touch of Transformers during the film’s climax when Wikus got his hands (well, by that point, claw and hand) on a deadly mech suit and aided extraterrestrial Christopher Johnson in his attempt to reach the alien mothership.

While Elysium may not be as much of a stylistic mashup, it will likely have a similar air and design to that of Blomkamp’s debut film. Now laden with expectations from fans, the project won’t be the sleeper hit that District 9 was; however, Elysium will hopefully either match or exceed the quality of that flick and allow Blomkamp to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump.

Stay tuned for more news about Elysium in the near future.

Source: Deadline

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‘Ghostbusters 3′ Casting Call; Is Anna Faris Onboard?

Ghostbusters 3 has shown rejuvenated signs of life over the past few months, and now the project – which has been in some form of development for around two decades now – may actually be moving forward.

Sony Pictures has reportedly sent out a casting call to Los Angeles and Chicago actors for the third Ghostbusters, which apparently could begin production by May 2011.

Here’s the unofficial description of The Office writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky’s screenplay for Ghostbusters 3 (via Feature Film Auditions):

A ragtag group of paranormal researchers reopen their notorious ghost removal service, and a new generation of Ghostbusters is brought on board to be green slimed and trained to contain the mischievous spirits.

The Ghostbusters 3 script has apparently been fine-tuned and “handed over to Dan Aykroyd,” which seems to fit with the news that, despite his recent comments to the contrary, the screenplay is NOT being actually rewritten by the comedic actor after all.

While franchise stars Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Signourney Weaver are all listed as members of the Ghostbusters 3 cast, actress Anna Faris (the Scary Movie series) is is listed as a star of the flick as well. There’s no information about her role in the pic, but, assuming that this IS legitimate (and, considering the project’s history, it’s impossible not to be skeptical), we should find out more about her part in the near future.

Will Anna Faris appear in 'Ghostbusters 3'?

Ivan Reitman is listed as being back in the director’s chair for the Ghostbuster’s third outing, which we can only hope will be a return to form for the Oscar-nominated filmmaker, who has been at the helm of only three films over the past decade, including the so-so comedy Evolution; the painfully unfunny My Super Ex-Girlfriend; and next January’s rom-com, No Strings Attached.

The “passing the torch to a new generation” storyline of Ghostbusters 3 seems like a risky proposition, given what a pivotal role the onscreen chemistry between Aykroyd, Ramis, and Murray played in the success of Ghostbusters. It’s difficult to envision a whole new crew of comedic talents being brought in for a third film and being able to recapture the sly humor of the original. Plus, is there anyone out there who’s mastered the art of deadpan like Murray?

Sony Pictures is aiming to release Ghostbusters 3 in theaters by Christmas 2012. Do you think they’ll actually keep to that date this time around?

Source: Sony Pictures (via Feature Film Auditions)

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