Maribel Verdú to Star as Ezra Miller’s Mom in Warner Bros. Standalone “The Flash” Film

Maribel Verdú has landed the mother of a role…

The 50-year-old Spanish actress will star in Warner Bros.The Flash film.

Maribel Verdú,

Verdú, best known for her roles in Y Tu Mama Tambien and Pan’s Labyrinth, will portray Barry Allen’s mother in the upcoming Warner Bros. DC standalone movie.

Billy Crudup, due to a schedule conflict on the second season of Apple’s The Morning Show, won’t be reprising his role as Flash’s father.

Ezra Miller will be playing Allen/The Flash again. Cameras will roll in the spring to summer in London.

Andy Muschietti is directing off a screenplay written by Christina Hodson.

While the plot is under wraps, The Flash reportedly involves alternate dimensions with Allen trying to save his mother from being murdered. Also making cameos are alternate dimension Batmans, Michael Keaton from the 1980s Warner Bros. films and Ben Affleck from the millennium ones.

New Trailer Released for Rapace’s Sci-Fi Thriller “Alien: Covenant”

It’s another day in space for Noomi Rapace

20th Century Fox has released the new trailer for Ridley Scott’s upcoming sci-fi thriller Alien: Covenant, the latest chapter in the Alien franchise, starring the 37-year-old half-Spanish actress.

Noomi Rapace

The new clip audiences know that “the path to paradise begins in hell,” and begins with Katherine Waterston and the crew aboard the colony ship, Covenant.”

As the team explores undiscovered territory, danger and extraterrestrial species – including Xenomorphs – lurk all around. The sequel to Prometheus follows the team as it heads for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy. When the crew thinks it has found uncharted land, it discovers a dark and dangerous world. Uncovering a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.

Michael Fassbender stars as David, with Rapace reprising her role as Elizabeth Shaw. Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Jussie Smollett, Amy Seimetz, Carmen Ejogo, Callie Hernandez and Billy Crudup round out the cast.

Scott directs from a script by John Logan and Dante Harper.

Alien: Covenant arrives in theaters on May 19.

First Trailer Released for Rapace’s “Prometheus” Sequel, “Alien: Covenant”

Noomi Rapace is out of this world again…

After two days of non-stop teasing, the first official trailer for Alien: Covenant, starring the 37-year-old half-Spanish actress, has been released.

Noomi Rapace

While director Ridley Scott technically returned to the Alien franchise with 2012’s Prometheus, that film has only a tangential connection to the main series thanks to some continuity nods and a scene at the end. Covenant however is not, as it picks up where Prometheus left off and (presumably) leads directly to the events of the original Alien.

The story follows the crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, that discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but per usual discoveries it’s actually a dark, dangerous world containing a threat beyond their imagination and, as it happens, the android David (Michael Fassbender), one of the few survivors of the Prometheus mission.

Fassbender, Guy Pearce, and Rapace reprise their Prometheus roles, joined this time out by Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, Amy Seimetz, Jussie Smollet, Callie Hernandez, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England, Benjamin Rigby, and James Franco.

Jack Paglen, Michael Green, and John Logan wrote the script.

Alien: Covenant hits theaters on May 19.

Larrain’s “Jackie” Joins the Film Slate at This Year’s AFI Fest

Pablo Larraín’s latest film will get the AFI Fest treatment…

The 40-year-old Chilean director’s latest film Jackie has joined the American Film Institute’s slate of AFI Centerpiece Galas at this year’s AFI Fest.

Pablo Larraín

From Fox Searchlight and starring Oscar winner Natalie Portman, the film will screen on Monday, November 14, at the TCL Chinese Theatre.

Jackie, which debuted at the Venice Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival, is an intimate portrait of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, which takes us into the iconic First Lady’s world during the difficult days immediately following her husband’s assassination.

Jackie

Noah Oppenheim penned the screenplay.

In addition to Portman, the film stars Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup and Oscar nominee John Hurt. 

Jackie joins previously announced Mike Mills-directed 20th Century Women; Elle directed by Paul Verhoeven; and Damien Chazelle-helmed La La Land starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.

The AFI Fest runs from November 10-17.

Arias to Star in the Historial Epic “Ben-Hur”

It’s a (Hollywood) epic win for Moises Arias

The 20-year-old Colombian American actor and former Hannah Montana star has joined the cast of Ben-Hur, the historical epic Timur Bekmambetov is directing for MGM and Paramount Pictures.

Moises Arias

Arias will play Gestas, a teenage Jewish zealot whose family has been murdered by the Romans, who is desperate to fight for his people’s freedom.

Jack Huston, Morgan Freeman and Toby Kebbell star in the production, which will be shot in Europe ahead of a February 26, 2016 release.

In addition to be being a former Disney Channel star, having appeared on Hannah Montana and The Wizards of Waverly Place, starred in the 2013 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-nominated film The Kings Of Summer. He also lent his voice recently to Despicable Me 2 and appeared in Summit’s sci-fi film Ender’s Game.

He’ll next appear in the Sundance 2015 drama Stanford Prison Experiment opposite Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, and Billy Crudup, in which Arias will play one of several university students tapped for the real life role-play exercise that got dangerously out of hand.

Paramount May Distribute Gomez’s “Rudderless” in North America

Selena Gomez’s latest film project isn’t so rudderless

Paramount Pictures is reportedly close to finalizing a low-seven-figure deal on Rudderless, starring the 21-year-old Mexican American actress/singer, according to Deadline.com.

Selena Gomez & William H. Macy in Rudderless

Scripted by Casey Twenter and Jeff Robison, the film revolves around a grieving father in a downward spiral who stumbles across a box of his recently deceased son’s demo tapes and lyrics. Shocked by the discovery of this unknown talent, he forms a band in the hope of finding peace in the wake of his loss.

Paramount will acquire North American distribution rights and several additional territories for the film, which stars William H. Macy in his feature-film directorial debut.

Rudderless will begin with a theatrical run in a deal that is taking shape with Samuel Goldwyn Co. The film will be released later this fall.

Macy stars with Gomez, Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Laurence Fishburne and Felicity Huffman in the musical drama about the power of a parent’s love.

Gomez’s “Rudderless” to Close the Sundance Film Festival

Selena Gomez better invest in snow boots…

The 21-year-old half-Mexican actress/singer’s latest project Rudderless, the musical drama directed by William H. Macy, will be the closing night film at the Sundance Film Festival, which runs from January 16-26 in Park City, Utah.

Selena Gomez

Starring Gomez, the rock ‘n’ roll and roll film is Macy’s feature directorial debut. It centers on a grieving father who forms a band after finding his deceased son’s songs.

Along with starring Macy and Gomez, the film also stars Billy Crudup, Felicity Huffman, Anton Yelchin and Laurence Fishburne.

Rudderless will play at 6:30PM on the night of January 24th in the Eccles at the upcoming Sundance, which is celebrating its 30thanniversary gathering in 2014.

Lionsgate Acquires U.S. Rights to Saldaña’s “Blood Ties”

Zoë Saldaña’s next project will have blood ties to the United States…

Lionsgate’s Roadside Attractions has acquired the U.S. distribution rights for Blood Ties, Guillaume Canet’s English-language directorial debut starring the 34-year-old Puerto Rican/Dominican-American actress and Star Trek Into Darkness starlet.

Zoe Saldana

Lionsgate reportedly paid $2 million to close the deal on the film, which centers on two brothers, one a cop and one an ex-con.

It’s based on the French film Les Liens Du Sang, which starred Canet. He stayed behind the camera for this one with Saldaña, Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, Maroin Cotillard, Domenick Lombardozzi, Mila Kunis, Matthias Schoenaerts and James Caan starring.

Gomez to Star in “Rudderless” Film

Selena Gomez is going rudderless for her next project…

The 20-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer, who will be releasing a new album soon, has been cast in William H. Macy’s directorial debut film, Rudderless.

Selena Gomez

The film, which stars Macy and Felicity Huffman, is a musical drama about a grieving father who forms a band after finding his deceased son’s songs.

Macy co-wrote the original story with Casey Twenter and Jeff Robison, who adapted the script.

Filming will begin this month in Oklahoma.

The Spring Breakers’ co-stars include Anton Yelchin, Laurence Fishburne and Billy Crudup.

Saldaña May Star Opposite Megan Fox in Swindle

Zoë Saldaña could soon be sharing the screen with Megan Fox

Paramount Pictures has acquired the action-heist spec script Swindle as a starring vehicle for the 33-year-old half-Dominican/half-Puerto Rican American actress and Fox.

Zoe Saldana

The actresses will reportedly produce the film with Moneyball producer Michael De Luca, who is developing the project.

Paramount is remaining tight-lipped about the storyline for the project, which came out of a desire by Saldaña and Fox to do a movie together.

Saldana is currently shooting the J.J. Abrams-directed Star Trek sequel and will next star in the Guillaume Canet-directed Blood Ties, opposite Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, and Marion Cotillard.