GRACELING Book Trilogy Heads to the Movies

Kristin Cashore's "Graceling" young adult fantasy novel trilogy (which includes "Fire" and "Bitterblue") will be made into a movie by a producer of Paranoia, Deepak Nayar, and a producer from Life of Pi, Tabraz Noorani. It's about a world in which everyone born with a great skill - called a "Grace" - are feared and exploited. The main character, Katsa, was born with the talent of killing, a Grace which is fully exploited by her uncle, the King, who sends her to do his bidding. Reliance Entertainment is behind the film they describe as combining elements of The Hunger Games with "Game of Thrones."

Here is a description of the book, thanks to "Lucy" at Goodreads.com: 

In the seven kingdoms, there are some children who are born different. They are marked with eyes of two different colors, and they are called Gracelings. Gracelings have abilities beyond the natural, and they are feared and shunned by most people. There are many different Graces—some are benign, like the Grace to swim long distances, or to juggle. And some are deadly.

Katsa, niece to King Randa of Middluns, has a killing Grace. Since she was a small child she has been able to kill a grown man easily with her bare hands. She lives as King Randa's enforcer—he sends her to maim, torture and kill those who defy him.

But Katsa has a secret. Far from just being King Randa's mad dog, she is also a part of a secret Council that does its best to watch over the seven kingdoms and bring justice and right to its people. When a Council mission brings her face to face with Po, a Lienid prince Graced with combat skills, Katsa has met her match for the first time. Po isn't afraid to meet her mismatched eyes. And Po can match her in a fight, blow for blow.

Together, Katsa and Po begin an investigation into a mystery that has deadly roots in the most unexpected of places, and they will face a terrifying enemy who can confound even Katsa's Graced skills.

At stake is nothing short of the fate of all seven kingdoms.

Source: Variety

Summit's DRAFT DAY About, Yes, NFL Draft Day

The title is pretty clear, Draft Day starring Chadwick Boseman (the star of 42), Jennifer Garner (The Odd Life of Timothy Green), Sean "Diddy" Combs and Kevin Costner (Man of Steel) is about the NFL Draft Day. Specifically, it will focus on the Cleveland Browns and how the General Manager tries to trade up to be the first pick so he can get the player he wants and save football in Cleveland.  has a role as does Denis Leary (Ice Age movies), Terry Crews (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs), Josh Pence (Fun Size), Brad Henke (Pacific Rim), Ellen Burstyn ("Big Love"), and Frank Langella (The Muppets...Again!), among others. Ivan Reitman (My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Ghostbusters) will direct for Summit Entertainment. 

The funny thing about Chadwick Boseman starring in the film is that he's said the only sport he really knows how to play is basketball, so it's ironic that he's been cast as a baseball and football player now. 

Ryan Reynolds Ponders Being SELFLESS in THE HOSTish Movie

Ryan Reynolds (The Croods, The Proposal)  is in talks to star in Selfless, about an old rich guy who is dying and pays to have his brain transplanted into the body of a younger man who just died. One problem: the younger guy (Reynolds) was murdered and so once he's brought back to life, he's being chased by the people who still want him dead. Mirror, Mirror director Tarsem Singh (who I think dropped his last name and now just calls himself Tarsem) will helm. Endgame Entertainment and Film District, who together made the amazing Looper, are producing and putting this project together. 

The concept sounds like The Host but without the aliens and romance. It's also like a really funny Steve Martin-Lily Tomliin movie from 1994 called All of Me which was just released on Blu-Ray/DVD - in that one an older wealthy lady has her soul transferred into the body of a younger woman but something goes wrong and she lands in the body of her lawyer. 

AnnaSophia Robb and Jake T. Austin Earn Animation Stripes

AnnaSophia Robb (Race to Witch Mountain, "The Carrie Diaries") and Jake T. Austin (Hotel for Dogs, "Wizards of Waverly Place") will voice characters in Khumba, an animated movie about a zebra who only has half his stripes (Austin) and becomes a scapegoat for the drought his herd is experiencing. He teams up with a narcissistic ostrich and an overprotective wildebeast and defeat a leopard dictator and his herd. Steve Buscemi (The Incredible Burt Wonderstone) and Anika Noni Rose (Tiana from The Princess and the Frog)  just joined the cast which includes Liam Neeson (Wrath of the Titans), Laurence Fishburne (Man of Steel) and Loretta Devine (Lottery Ticket, "Doc McStuffins"). South Africa's Triggerfish Animated Studios is behind the film. 

Source: Deadline