Thursday, September 24

• Facebook Movie Casts Justin Timberlake, Jesse Eisenberg, and Andrew Garfield

  Last week, MTV Movies asked Jesse Eisenberg about the upcoming Facebook movie, pressing him for an answer as to whether he was part of the rumored cast, which also included Justin Timberlake and Andrew Garfield. Eisenberg simply responded, "They are rumors; that is true."

  Well, now we can freely say that all these rumors are true. Variety is reporting that all three are now officially attached to The Social Network, which is being directed by David Fincher (Benjamin Button, Zodiac, Fight Club) and produced by Kevin Spacey.

  The script for the movie was penned by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, Charlie Wilson's War) and tells the story of how Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook in 2004 while a sophomore at Harvard. In the five years since, Facebook has amassed more than 200 million users. Sorkin adapted his script from the Ben Mezrich book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal.

  You might remember Eisenberg from his memorable performance in The Squid and the Whale as writer-director Noah Baumbach's alter ego, a maladjusted youth with daddy issues. That role, we're sure, had an influence in the choice to cast him as Zuckerberg, who has been characterized as highly intelligent, ambitious, and socially awkward. Eisenberg also appears opposite Woody Harrelson in Zombieland, which comes out next Friday.

  Timberlake has been cast as Napster co-founder Sean Parker, who became Facebook's founding president. Garfield will portray Eduardo Saverin, who helped Zuckerberg launch the networking site, but later abandoned the relationship due to quarrels over financial issues.

  The movie is expected sometime in 2010. No other casting decisions have been announced as of yet.

  
  

  Posted 09/24/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: David Fincher | Kevin Spacey | Jesse Eisenberg | Justin Timberlake | Aaron Sorkin | Andrew Garfield | The Social Network

Thursday, September 17

• Jesse Eisenberg Addresses Rumors About Role in Facebook Movie

  During an interview for the upcoming Zombieland, MTV Movies asked Jesse Eisenberg about the rumors he will star as Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, which begins filming in October and will be released sometime next year.

  When asked very pointedly if the rumors were true, Eisenberg evasively answered, "They are rumors; that is true." He then fumbled for a graceful exit from the conversation, but definitely left some room for interpretation.

  The Social Network is being helmed by David Fincher, who also directed Benjamin Button, Zodiac, and Fight Club. This prompted Eisenberg's Zombieland co-star Woody Harrelson, who was also present for the interview, to ask Eisenberg how he could possibly say no. Eisenberg simply responded (unconvincingly, in our opinion), "I'm sure you could find a reason to say no."

  The script for the movie was penned by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, Charlie Wilson's War) and tells the story of how Zuckerberg created Facebook in 2004 while a sophomore at Harvard. In the five years since, Facebook has amassed more than 200 million users. Sorkin adapted his script from the Ben Mezrich book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal.

  Kevin Spacey is acting as one of the producers and has already expressed great excitement over the project. Other rumored stars include Justin Timberlake and Andrew Garfield.

  
  

  Posted 09/17/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: David Fincher | Kevin Spacey | Woody Harrelson | Jesse Eisenberg | Justin Timberlake | Aaron Sorkin | Andrew Garfield | The Social Network

Sunday, July 12

• Ryan Reynolds to Star in Green Lantern Movie

  The wild rumors and speculation are finally over: Ryan Reynolds (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) will play the title role in the upcoming live-action comic-to-movie adaptation from DC Comics and Warner Bros., Green Lantern.

  According to Variety, Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) and Jared Leto (Fight Club) were under option to play Green Lantern as well, but only Reynolds' option was extended, effectively making him the "last man standing" in the casting selection process. Other actors recently rumored to have been up for the role include Justin Timberlake (Alpha Dog) and Nathan Fillion (Serenity), who was recently the subject of a popular fan-made Green Lantern trailer that used his likeness.

  One of the most popular characters in DC Comics' pantheon of heroes -- but not very well known to non-comic book fans -- Green Lantern is Hal Jordan, a fearless test pilot who receives a ring of unimaginable power from a dying alien member of the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic peace-keeping force. When donned, the ring becomes an extension of Jordan's will, manifesting green constructs of whatever he can imagine. To raise awareness of the character, DC Comics recently released the Green Lantern: First Flight animated feature.

  Reynolds is not a stranger to comic book adaptations. He has played two characters from Marvel Comics -- vampire hunter Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity and, more recently, Wade Wilson/Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine -- and was often rumored to be interested in playing Wally West/The Flash, another DC Comics character and the teammate of Green Lantern in the Justice League of America.

  There is no word how, if at all, Reynolds being cast as Green Lantern will affect the proposed X-Men Origins: Wolverine spin-off film about Deadpool that Fox is supposedly developing for him.

  
  

  Posted 07/12/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Bradley Cooper | Nathan Fillion | Justin Timberlake | Jared Leto | Ryan Reynolds | Green Lantern | Green Lantern: First Flight

Friday, July 10

• Justin Timberlake Hoping to Play Green Lantern?

  There have been a lot of actors rumored to play DC comics hero Green Lantern, from Ryan Gosling to Sam Worthington to one fan making his own trailer with Nathan Fillion in the part. Apparently, Justin Timberlake is the next name to be added to that list.

  AICN reports that Warner Bros. is rumored to be seriously considering Timberlake for the role and that the singer has even "suited up" for a screen test. However, this by no means indicates that he will be cast. During the Thor casting process, actor Alexander Skarsgard went so far as to wear the costume before he was passed over for Chris Hemsworth.

  In what may seem like a surprising casting possibility to comic fans, it could in fact be a wise move by Warner Bros. How so? Let's compare the two: Green Lantern is part of an elite group called the Green Lantern Corps while Timberlake was in the elite boy band 'N Sync. In the comics, Green Lantern had his soul corrupted by a creature of pure fear called Parallax; Timberlake dated Britney Spears. Wow, the two really are similar. Timberlake could even record his own theme song! Convinced yet, fanboys?

  No? Then take comfort from Fillion meeting with DC Comics yesterday. Maybe that fan's video did the trick after all.

  
  

  Posted 07/10/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Nathan Fillion | Justin Timberlake | Green Lantern

Thursday, August 23

• Casting news: Timberlake and Howard

  Justin Timberlake will be joining Mike Myers, Jessica Alba and Romany Malco in the next Myers flick, The Love Guru. In it, Myers plays an unorthodox self-help guru who is hired by a hockey star to provide marriage counseling. Timberlake will take the role of a rival hockey player who threatens to break up their marriage.

  And Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow, Crash) has signed to star as a veteran street fighting coach in an untitled Dito Montiel (A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints) movie. He will play a mentor to Channing Tatum's character (She's the Man, War of the Worlds).

  Source: Variety.

  
  

  Posted 08/23/2007 by reelz

  Related: Channing Tatum | Terrence Howard | Dito Montiel | Justin Timberlake | Untitled Dito Montiel project | The Love Guru