Fincher Eyes 'Sacrifice,' 'Heavy Metal' and 'Dragon Tattoo' and Downey Joins Cuaron's 'Gravity'

Plus word on 'Moneyball' and more 'Conan' Casting

By: Brad Brevet
Published: Monday, March 15th 2010 at 1:35 AM

Fincher Eyes Pawn Sacrifice, Dragon Tattoo and Heavy Metal: David Fincher appears to be setting up shop at Columbia Pictures as he will release The Social Network at the studio later this year and is now eying a pair of features for the studio. The first is Pawn Sacrifice written by Steven Knight (Eastern Promises) and telling the story of American chess icon Bobby Fischer leading up to his historic world championship match against Boris Spassky.

The second film is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo based on the late Stieg Larsson's bestseller, which was already made in the novel's native Swedish language and will hit domestic theaters this Friday, March 19. The Swedish version, which I saw just last week, tells two separate stories that become one as a journalist is hired to solve a 40-year-old missing person case all while a young female hacker hired to investigate the journalist takes a particular interest in his work. Fincher isn't guaranteed to be directing the American remake, but his name is at the top of the studio's list.

Finally, Fincher is also trying to get his Heavy Metal feature off the ground since it was scrapped by Paramount two years ago. Fincher is reportedly shopping a new version of the film that will have him directing one of nine individual segments along with the likes of James Cameron and Zack Snyder, all in 3-D animation. The film is inspired by the 1970s sci-fi fantasy magazine of the same name and will be infused with the spirit of the erotic and violent storylines that defined the magazine.

UPDATE: Deadline now reports David Fincher will begin shooting Pawn Sacrifice this fall with Tobey Maguire producing and likely playing the lead role of Bobby Fischer. [Variety, Deadline and Vulture]

Downey Jr. Negotiates Cuaron's Gravity: Only recently there was talk Angelina Jolie would star in Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity, but that ended up being incorrect and we now learn Robert Downey Jr. is in fact up for the lead role and word the film will be made in 3D. Gravity is a sci-fi film set up at Warner Bros. and Downey will play the leader of a team posted at a remote space station. While he and a female colleague are traveling outside the space station, the other team members are decimated by debris from an exploded satellite. The current plan is to have Downey shoot Gravity this summer in London at which time he will get ready to begin work on Sherlock Holmes 2 in the early fall. [Deadline]

Perlman and Taghmaoui Join Conan: The Conan cast continues to grow, but it doesn't necessarily include a group of names that makes it sound all that interesting, although the addition of Ron Perlman is about as interesting as it gets as he has signed on to fill the role once thought to belong to Mickey Rourke as Corin, Conan's father. Also, Said Taghmaoui (G.I. Joe) has signed on to star as a leader of thieves who is saved by Conan (Jason Momoa) and later offers him aid. Shooting is scheduled to start this week in Bulgaria for a 2010 release. [Vulture and Heat Vision]

Moneyball to Shoot this Summer: In an interview with The Playlist Jonah Hill confirmed his role in Moneyball as Paul Podesta and Brad Pitt is still aboard as Oakland A's GM Billy Beane who used sophisticated computer analysis system to piece together a team that regularly contended for the World Series despite possessing a payroll dramatically lower than big-market rivals like the New York Yankees. For the longest time Steven Soderbergh was set to direct until things went awry at Columbia, but now Capote helmer Bennett Miller is aboard to direct, with production slated to begin in July. Aaron Sorkin most recently did a rewrite of Steve Zaillan's original script adapted from the Michael Lewis book. [The Playlist]

Green Lantern Casts a Pair of Kiwis: New Zealand actors Taika Waititi and Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett from the Star Wars prequels) have joined the cast of Warner Bros. Green Lantern for director Martin Campbell with production beginning this week in New Orleans. Waititi plays the best friend of Hal Jordan, the test pilot who comes to wear the super-powered ring of the interplanetary police force known as the Green Lantern Corps. Morrison is playing Abin Sur, a member of the Corps who is instrumental in Jordan becoming the superhero. Warner Bros. will release the film in 3D on June 17, 2011. [Heat Vision]

Dustin Hoffman to Direct Quartet: Dustin Hoffman's directorial career is non-existent, but that appears to be changing as he has just replaced Richard Loncraine as director of Quartet starring Maggie Smith, Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay. The film is about retired opera singers is based on a 1999 stage comedy by Ronald Harwood (The Pianist). [Deadline]

Apparition to Release Welcome to the Rileys: Apparition has acquired domestic distribution rights to Welcome to the Rileys, the recent Sundance Film Festival feature starring James Gandolfini and Kristen Stewart revolving around a couple whose marriage is on the rocks when the husband meets a young prostitute (Stewart), on a business trip to New Orleans. He extends his stay to help her, as his wife finds a way back to him. Apparition plans a fall release. [Variety]

Payne's Descendents Fills Out: Alexander Payne (Sideways) began work on The Descendents over the weekend in Hawaii and now word on who else will join George Clooney in the feature has been released. Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, Matthew Lillard and Robert Forster have all joined the cast of the comedy, which sees Clooney playing an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-establish his relationship with his daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki. You can get a first look at Clooney on set right here. [THR]