Sebastian Stan Joins 'Ricki and the Flash'; 'Fan Girl' Adds Meg Ryan and Kara Hayward

 It may sound like some comic book team-up movie, but Ricki and the Flash is actually a rock music drama starring Meryl Streep, her daughter Mamie Gummer, Kevin Kline, and now Captain America: The Winter Soldier's Sebastian Stan. Stan is high-demand of late, as he just recently joined the massive ensemble for Ridley Scott's The Martian.  Ricki and the Flash is directed by Jonathan Demme with a Diablo Cody script, and centers on a woman who chased her dream to be a rock star to the exclusion of her family, only to be given one final chance to get both right. Stan will play Streep's estranged son. [Deadline]

Meg Ryan, Kara Hayward (Moonrise Kingdom), and Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men) will star in Fan Girl, from director Paul Jarrett. The film is "about a 15-year-old post-Millennial teen who lives for making movies and idolizing her favorite band. Given only a few days to complete a final film project, she comes up with an idea that could bring her two passions together." Good to see Ryan getting back into the swing of things again, and also to see Hayward, who hasn't done much since starring in Wes Anderson's film.

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Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan Reunite in 'Ithaca'

The combination of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan used to be a powerful thing, capable of dominating box offices in everything from Joe vs. the Volcano to rom-com classics You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle. Things have changed considerably for them as they've gotten older, especially for Ryan who hasn't had a feature film since 2009. But now, twenty-four years after their first pairing. Hanks and Ryan will be reunited, although it won't be as romantic leads.

Hanks is set to produce Ryan's directorial debut, Ithaca, which she also plans to star in alongside Sam Shepard, Melanie Griffith and Jack Quaid. Based on William Saroyan's novel The Human Comedy, the Erik Jendresen-adapted film "is set in 1942 in a small town in California’s San Joaquin Valley, where 14-year-old Homer Macauley is determined to be the best and fastest bicycle telegraph messenger anyone has ever seen. His older brother has gone to war, leaving Homer to look after his widowed mother, his older sister and his 4-year-old brother. As spring turns to summer, Homer delivers messages of love, hope, pain and death to the good people of Ithaca."

Perhaps Hanks can be convinced to make a small cameo? Production is set to begin this summer.  [Deadline]

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Meg Ryan making directorial debut with Into the Beautiful

I used to be madly in love with Meg Ryan back in the 80s and 90s, but admittedly she's sorta fell of the radar. It's proven to be a nearly 15 year struggle for her to break free of the mousy innocent shtick she cultivated in so many romantic comedies. Her turn to the "mature" side in 2003's In the Cut was a total flop sandwich. Even though she's made a handful of movies over the last few years, the last thing I saw her in was 2004's Against the Ropes. I couldn't make it all the way through The Women. But now it looks like she's ready to embark on the next phase of her career, as Variety broke the news that Ryan will be making her directorial debut in a film titled Into the Beautiful.

Not much is known about it except it's being primed as a modern day spin on "The Big Chill", which means a bunch of middle aged folks getting together after years apart.  Wendy Finerman(The Devil Wears Prada) is producing the film, which is based on a script by Anne Meredith. Ryan is not expected to be featured in the cast. Shooting is set to begin in September in New York. 

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