You might not know this, because hardly anyone is talking about it, but Comic-Con is happening this week. All kidding aside, this is an exciting week in the geek community as major movie studios, comic book companies, and video game developers all converge on San Diego for a week of pure nerd bliss. It’s also around this time that we start to get a lot of announcements and surprises from the studios looking to generate fan buzz. Today we have casting announcements for the upcoming “Annie” remake, news on another comic book character coming to life, and a female lead to star opposite of George Clooney in “Tomorrowland.”
Variety has learned that Rose Byrne is in talks to star in “Annie” as Daddy Warbucks’ assistant Grace. Jamie Foxx has already been cast as Warbucks, with Cameron Diaz as the mean Miss Hannigan while newcomer Quvenzhane Wallis is starring as the titular character. Will Gluck, who previously handled “Easy A” and “Friends with Benefits,” will direct the remake which shoots this fall.
Meanwhile, THR is reporting that MMA fighter/actress Gina Carano is teaming up with comic creator Rob Liefeld to work on a movie based around Liefeld’s comic creation “Avengelyne.” The comic was first published in 1995 and follows a fallen angel who came to Earth in order to find and protect a person known as “The One” from the forces of evil. The story is being reworked so that it’ll be similar in tone to films like “Underworld.” Carano has slowly been making acting inroads, of course kicking ass in Steven Soderbergh‘s “Haywire” and appearing in “Fast & Furious 6” with “In The Blood” on the horizon.
Finally, actress Britt Robertson has been confirmed for the lead role in Disney’s “Tomorrowland.” The film is being directed by Brad Bird from a script written by Bird, Damon Lindelof, and Jeff Jensen. Robertson, who can be seen on the new hit CBS show “Under the Dome,” joins a cast that includes George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy, and Thomas Robinson. In the film, Robertson will play a high school girl with an unconventional understanding of technology who is launched on a journey to reclaim her future. The movie arrives on December 12, 2014.