Chris Cooper to Play J.D. Salinger; Richarg Gere Joins 'Oppenheimer Strategies'

Great character actor Chris Cooper will portray Catcher in the Rye author J.D. Salinger in the poorly-named coming of age story, Coming Through the Rye. As with most stories dealing with Salinger, this one isn't actually about him, instead it's set in 1969 as two teenagers hit the road to find Salinger, finding friendship along the way. Alex Wolff (Hair Brained) and Stefania Owen (The Lovely Bones) star, with writer/director Jim Sadwith basing the story on his own experiences with Salinger.

Richard Gere will take the lead in Oppenheimer Strategies, produced by Oren Moverman (Rampart) with Joseph Cedar writing and directing. Gere will play "Norman Oppenheimer who - on the verge of vanishing into obscurity - charms a rising Israeli politician Micha Esher who ascends to prime minister three years later. Once elevated into his inner circle, however, Oppenheimer is faced with tough decisions when the state of world politics is threatened." [ScreenDaily]

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Richard Gere to Star in Oren Moverman's 'Time Out of Mind'

Few directors have come out of the gate quite as hot as Oren Moverman, with military drama The Messenger and cop flick Rampart two exceptional efforts. The wait for him to step behind the camera once again has been excruciating, but it's all about to change as he's just signed up for a new project with none other than Richard Gere as his leading man.

According to Deadline, Moverman's next film will be Time Out of Mind, which means it's moving ahead of the Brian Wilson biopic he's been developing. Based on a script by Jeffrey Caine (The Constant Gardener), the story centers on "a New Yorker who enters a shelter when he runs out of housing options, then struggles to put the pieces of his life back together and fix a troubled relationship with his estranged daughter." Sounds like perfect material for Gere, who has been hitting on all cylinders ever since Arbitrage a couple of years ago, and it's a step in a new direction for Moverman.

This one's developing fast as production begins in March.

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Sure Shots: Ben Foster; Oscar Isaac; Gregg Araki

* Ever since The Messenger proved to be a phenomenal success for it's star, Ben Foster, and director Oren Moverman, the two have been inseparable. Foster pops up for a scene stealing supporting role in his cop flick, Rampart, and the two have even begun their own production company. Screen Daily reports that the two are set to team up again on Foster's as yet untitled directorial debut, which may shoot as soon as this summer. No details are available yet, other than Moverman will co-produce the feature. Foster is one of the more exciting actors around, always taking the less conventional roles, so I expect he'll do something equally challenging for his debut as a filmmaker.

* As Oscar Isaac gears up for what will probably be his most important role yet as part of The Coen Brothers' folk music film, Inside Llewyn Davis, he's already keeping an eye towards what he'll be doing afterwards. Variety reports he'll star in Inertia, a Spanish-language action thriller directed by Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego(Apollo 18) and produced by Jaume Collet-Serra(Orphan). Filming should begin this summer, with Lopez-Gallego hopefully not falling back on the "found footage" style that flopped so badly last time.

* What? Gregg Araki, the director behind the super violent, homosexual flights of fancy like Nowhere, The Doom Generation, and The Living End is making a cop film? Say wha!? Apparently that's the case, as he's said to be casting up his next film, The Womb, described by a producer as a "twisted cop thriller". Ok, "twisted" I get, and since this is Araki don't be surprised if space aliens turn up or if every member of the force is snorting blow off eachother's badges. Araki's last film was the college set sex comedy, Kaboom, starring Juno Temple.

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