Elvis
British musician Yola will play singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Baz Luhrmann’s musical drama “Elvis” at Warner Bros. Pictures. Tharpe was a rock and roll pioneer who gained popularity through experimental gospel recordings and was an early influence on Elvis Presley.
Luhrmann co-wrote the script with Craig Pearce and Sam Bromell and the story revolves around the veteran manager and the young singer who changed music forever. Filming begins this spring with Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Rufus Sewell co-starring. [Source: Variety]
The Independent
Kumail Nanjiani (“Eternals,” “The Big Sick”) has signed on to star as an idealistic journalist in Amy Rice’s “The Independent” which is being introduced at the European Film Market. Parter, Ryan Cunningham, Sam Bisbee and Theodora Dunlap will produce.
A top-ranked Black List script by Evan Parter, the story follows the journo who uncovers a major political conspiracy just as America’s first viable independent presidential candidate is poised for electoral victory. [Source: THR]
The Chair
Sandra Oh and Jay Duplass will star in Netflix’s six-episode half-hour dramedy series “The Chair”. The story centers on the chair of the English department (Oh) at a major university.
The series is co-created by Amanda Peet who will serve as showrunner and executive produce with “Game of Thrones” creators Dan Benioff and D.B. Weiss – this marking their first project under their $200 million Netflix deal. Bernie Caulfield and Oh will also executive produce. [Source: THR]
Samaritan
The NFL’s Jared Odrick and “Three Billboards” actor Michael Aaron Milligan have joined the Sylvester Stallone-led and Julius Avery-helmed thriller “Samaritan”. Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton, Pilou Asbaek, Dascha Polanco, Martin Starr, and Moises Arias co-star in the film currently shooting in Atlanta.
The story follows a young boy (Walton) who is out to discover if a mythic superhero, who vanished 20 years earlier following a tragic event, is still alive. MGM is releasing the film on December 11th. [Source: Deadline]
Lullaby
Oona Chaplin will star in the horror feature “Lullaby,” based on the mythology of Lilith, for Alcon Entertainment. John R. Leonetti (“Annabelle”) is attached to helm from a screenplay by Alex Greenfield and Ben Powell and filming begins in Toronto on March 24th.
The story follows a new mother who discovers a lullaby in an ancient book and soon regards the song as a blessing but her world transforms into a nightmare when the lullaby brings forth the ancient demon Lilith. Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove produce. [Source: Variety]
