Ryan Gosling Eyed for 'Doctor Strange' and DC's 'Suicide Squad' Along with Will Smith and Tom Hardy

So far in his career Ryan Gosling has yet to star in a major tentpole film. When he had the chance to star in a potential blockbuster in the Logan's Run remake he backed out, but when it comes to superhero movies he's totally avoided them. That may be about to change, though, as THR says Gosling has been spending some time at the Marvel offices to talk about Doctor Strange, while he's also being courted for roles in Warner Bros.' Suicide Squad and Summit's film on Harry Houdini.

With Joaquin Phoenix having pulled his name out of the running, Marvel has expanded their Doctor Strange search to a series of other A-listers. Ewan McGregor, Matthew McConaughey, and Oscar Isaac are just a few of the names that have emerged recently, and apparently they've met with Gosling about the role, too. Reports are Marvel feels they can get just about anybody for the role which is why they've been approaching actors who, like Phoenix, have mostly stayed away from franchises and long-term contracts. Gosling seems like a long shot for this one, but you never know.

Gosling is also Warner Bros.' pick to lead their newly-confirmed and dated Suicide Squad film, which will be directed by David Ayer for release in 2016. They're aiming pretty high for this one by sending out offers to Will Smith, his Focus co-star Margot Robbie, and Tom Hardy for the antihero film about a team of villains forced to work as expendable black ops agents for the government. Given the recent rumors about the Suicide Squad lineup it's likely they want Gosling for the role of Deadshot or Captain Boomerang and Robbie as Vixen. As for Smith or Hardy? Your guess is as good as mine.

There's also an offer out there for Gosling to star in the forever-developing adaptation of The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero, which Dean Parisot is directing. Johnny Depp had been attached to it briefly but will be busy cranking out a fifth Pirates of the Caribbean. Right now it doesn't seem likely Gosling will take any of these projects. Let's not forget he was close to starring in Green Lantern but made the wise decision to turn it down. He may be looking at that as a sign to steer clear from the genre altogether.

Read More

Johnny Depp in Talks for Long-Developing 'The Secret Life of Houdini'

For a long time there were two movies developing on famed magician and escape artist Harry Houdini. One was a more traditional biopic that had Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) attached at one point. The other was an Indiana Jones meets Sherlock Holmes adventure movie titled The Secret Life of Houdini, based William Kalush and Larry Sloman's book. Gary Ross and Joe Wright circled the latter film at various stages, but it was Dean Parisot (Galaxy Quest) who settled into the directing job last year, and now it may have a pretty big star in Johnny Depp.

Depp is looking to add to his roster of crazy characters by playing Houdini in The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero, which features a script by The Maze Runner's Noah Oppenheimer. There won't be much truth to this version of Houdini's story as the book claims he was a spy for Britain, helped the Secret Service, dabbled in the occult, and was in cahoots with police organizations.

Lionsgate is targeting a November start date after Depp wraps on Whitey Bulger biopic, Black Mass. If that schedule holds true it would push production on Pirates of the Caribbean 5, which still isn't officially green lit, well into 2015. [THR]

Read More