Chris Evans, Michelle Monaghan, Anthony Mackie and More in First 'Playing It Cool' Trailer

So what is it that causes a movie with an A-list cast to get delayed indefinitely? While sometimes it has to do with legal issues, like with Dakota Fanning's Effie Gray, more often than not it's because the movie isn't very good. But even then the right cast usually trumps quality, and that would seem to be the case with Serena, the period drama with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. But what about the romantic comedy Playing it Cool? It's been gathering dust since 2012 and even though the first trailer is out the film still doesn't have a release date.

The reason for the delay can't have anything to do with the cast because it's pretty phenomenal from top to bottom. Chris Evans, Michelle Monaghan, Anthony Mackie, Aubrey Plaza, Luke Wilson, Topher Grace, Martin Starr, Giovanni Ribisi, and Philip Baker Hall lead this one about a screenwriter who really wants to do a big action movie but is encouraged to write a romantic-comedy instead. Naturally this proves to be a problem because he doesn't know the first thing about love and doesn't believe it exists...until he meets the perfect woman. And maybe that's the issue with this film, which used to go under the title A Many Splintered Thing, is that it sounds like any of a million other similar movies. But that shouldn't be a problem given the generic state of rom-coms nowadays, and their continued box office success.

Chances are Playing it Cool with arrive some time in 2015 but for now it's on the shelf.


Playing it Cool - Official Trailer (2014) Chris Evans by MovieSpawn

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Jennifer Aniston, Mark Duplass, and Ben Kingsley confirmed for Justin Reardon's 'Convention'

Those guys over at K5 International have been mighty busy. Just a day after picking up Henry Selick's The Shadow King (first look at it here), they also announced at the Berlin International Film Festival that they are selling the new comedy from Justin Reardon, Convention, and it's got a great cast confirmed to star.

Last May we learned that Mark Duplass and Ben Kingsley were attached to the comedy, which follows an inventor who creates a 5-sided box, but every time the fifth flap is opened it rips a hole in time/space. Duplass and Kingsley are now confirmed, along with Jennifer Aniston who had been circling the role of the inventor's sister. Here's the full plot breakdown....

Convention finds mild-mannered Paul (Duplass) and his feisty sister Abby (Aniston) setting out to change the box storage world with Paul’s invention of the 5-sided box. Breaking all the laws of physics with their new product, their fiercest competitors including maniacal box magnate Bobby Schroedinger (Kingsley) and Mathematical Construct, an atomic guardian of the natural order of universal mathematical balance, endeavour to stop them securing the deal of their lives – oh, and ripping a giant apocalyptic whole in the fabric of the universe. On discovering the damage he’s causing, Paul must race against time to put the galaxy back in order and save the girl of his dreams.

For a new guy, Reardon has shown a knack for attracting top shelf talent. He's currently in post-production on his anti-romantic comedy, A Many Splintered Thing, which stars Chris Evans, Michelle Monaghan, Anthony Mackie, and Giovanni Ribisi. Filming on Convention begins this summer.

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Luke Wilson joins Chris Evans and Michelle Monaghan in 'A Many Splintered Thing'

Justin Reardon has gathered an incredible line-up for his directorial debut, the romantic comedy A Many Splintered Thing. While it probably has more to do with the Black List-approved script by Chris shafer and Paul Vicknair, it's Reardon who will reap the benefits of a cast that includes Chris Evans, Michelle Monaghan, Anthony Mackie, Aubrey Plaza, Topher Grace, Giovanni Ribisi and Philip Baker Hall. As if that wasn't enough, the latest addition to the crew is none other than Old School's Luke Wilson.

Initially described as an "anti- romantic comedy" in the vein of Amelie and (500) Days of Summer, Evans plays a man disillusioned by love who meets a gorgeous woman(Monaghan) at a charity event by pretending to be a philanthropist. Turns out she's engaged to a man who (shocker!) dislikes her going out on dates. Taking on the challenge, Evans feigns a platonic relationship with her to try and win her heart. 

Most of the roles are still being kept under wraps, but it can be assumed most will either be Evans' buddies or the guys Monaghan goes out with. Filming is set to begin next month, and this seems like a prime candidate to appear on the festival circuit in 2013. Wilson can be seen on HBO's Enlightened, which has its second season debuting in January. [Deadline]

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