Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Olsen, Anton Yelchin to star in Naomi Foner's 'Very Good Girls'

 
Recognize the name Naomi Foner? Eh, you might not, even though she's an Academy Award nominated screenwriter and Golden Globe winner. Chances are her old last name will ring a bell: Gyllenhaal. Yep, her kids are Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal, meaning the apple didn't fall far from the tree.  Or she forced them into acting. Anyway, Foner earned a Best Original Screenplay Golden Globe for Sidney Lumet's Running On Empty, but in all these years she's never stepped behind the camera herself. That's about to change as a project she's been attached to for a few months now has locked up an impressive cast of fast rising stars.

 First reported last May, Foner will direct Very Good Girls, based on her own script about two best friends trying to lose their virginity over the summer after high school graduation. Problems arise when they both fall for the same older guy. Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Olsen were set to be starring in the film when last we heard about it, and now Deadline reports they've entered final negotiations to play the two leads.  Anton Yelchin is set to play the object of their affection, that lucky bastich.

Sissy Spacek, Dustin Hoffman, and Peter Sarsgaard were circling the film last year, but it's unknown whether that is still the case. It's likely Yelchin is taking on the role Sarsgaard was up for.

Foner now has arguably last year's two hottest young talents in Olsen and Yelchin fronting her film. Olsen may be looking at her first Best Actress nomination for her stunning performance in the psycho-thriller, Martha Marcy May Marlene. Yelchin starred in the underrated summer dud, Fright Night, but established himself as a true romantic lead in Like Crazy opposite Felicity Jones. He also starred in The Beaver, as Mel Gibson's rebellious son. While her sister was all over the place in 2011, Dakota Fanning basically took the year off, only making a cameo The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.

Filming should take place in New York in June, so this one may be done in time to be a player during Oscar season. I'll certainly be keeping a close eye on it.