By giving the kick-ass mercenary part, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the original, to Adrien Brody. Really? The Pianist who kissed Halle Berry when he won his Oscar? [Crickets chirp] Ummm … That’s the latest from Variety, which says he’s won the role as the guy who battles the alien hunters in 20th Century Fox’s reboot after lobbying hard for it. OK, then. I’m with ya, Adrien. And so must Predator director Robert Rodriguez.
In other casting news: Mark Wahlberg is heading to Iceland for his next gig. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he’s signed on to do Reykjavik-Rotterdam, an Americanized version of the Icelandic film about a security guard and former alcohol smuggler on the Iceland-Netherlands route who is tempted back into illicit business by a dubious friend after the security guard encounters financial problems. How do you say “Busted!” in Icelandic?
Chris Rock could definitely be your Black Friend. The comedian is set to star in the comedy Will You Be My Black Friend?, based on an GQ magazine article written by senior correspondent Devin Friedman. According to the Reporter, Friedman apparently set out to expand his social circle by putting an ad on Craigslist for black friends and got unexpected results. Wonder if this will inspire others?
And finally, Liam Neeson is going to do an extended cameo in The Next Three Days, playing a veteran escaped convict who writes a book about ways to escape prison. He stars with Elizabeth Banks — who plays a woman falsely imprisoned for a crime she says she didn’t commit — and Russell Crowe — playing the woman’s husband who decides to break her out. You know, I’m not entirely sure if this is supposed to be a comedy or a drama. I’m kinda hoping for the former.