Sam Raimi to Direct 'Love May Fail'; Stephen Chbosky Learns 'Santa is Real'

Remember a few months ago when there was all that attention on Sam Raimi doing more Evil Dead? Where's that been lately? Not much has been heard about it and now Raimi, who last directed Oz the Great and Powerful, has landed a new gig.

Deadline reports Raimi is in talks to direct Love May Fail, an adaptation of the upcoming book by Silver Linings Playbook author, Matthew Quick. Written for the screen by Mike White (School of Rock), the story follows a "woman who is coming off a demoralizing ending to her marriage to a cheating husband returns to her hometown determined to clear the name of her favorite English teacher, whose career was ended forcibly after a classroom scandal." She's joined in her journey to justice by a sassy nun, an ex-heroine addict, a metal-head little boy, and her mother who happens to be a hoarder.

So this is pure Quick with quirky characters and odd predicaments, and it will be interesting to see Raimi get away from the blockbusters for awhile.

Also, The Perks of Being a Wallflower author/director Stephen Chbosky has found his next project. He'll go in a different direction entirely by directing Santa is Real, which is also based on the book, Santa Claus Is for Real: A True Christmas Fable About the Magic of Believing. Penned by Larry Stuckey (Little Fockers), the family musical tells the true story of Hall, a struggling actor whose life is saved when he plays Santa in Radio City's Christmas Spectacular. [THR]

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Jennifer Aniston Joins 'Cake'; Jack Black Hops 'The D-Train'; Stellan Skarsgard is 'Our Kind of Traitor'

* Fresh off the unexpected $270M success of We're the Millers, Jennifer Aniston is taking on something smaller and far more depressing. She'll join the indie drama, Cake, directed by Daniel Barnz (Beastly), and centering on "an acerbic woman who  becomes fascinated by the suicide of another woman in her chronic pain support group. As she uncovers the details of the suicide, she also grapples with her own personal tragedy." Sounds like a riot. [Variety]

* Jack Black and James Marsden are hopping aboard The D-Train, a new comedy written and directed by Yes Man scribes Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel. Black plays a former high school loser who must now do everything in his power to lure the most popular guy in school (Marsden), now a failed actor, to arrive for the event. Mike White (School of Rock) will produce and co-star as Jack's only friend, with Nat Faxon (The Way Way Back) in talks to come aboard. [THR]

* There's been a ton of changes for the latest John le Carre adaptation, Our Kind of Traitor, but it seems to finally be settling in with Susanna White (Generation Kill) directing and Ewan McGregor taking one of the lead roles. Now the espionage thriller may be adding Stellan Skarsgard (Thor) ahead of this summer's start date. Written by Hossein Amini (Drive), the story centers on an American couple who get caught up with a money-laundering Russian mob boss, placing them in the crosshairs of British intelligence. [ScreenDaily]

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Mike White drops out as director of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

I guess since Mike White's only previous association with zombies(that I can remember) is his toilet scene from Zombieland, it was sortof odd that he was chosen to direct Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's 2009 novel. His only directorial effort was Year of the Dog, a rather tepid dark comedy starring Molly Shannon. Well, now it's no longer a concern as Deadline reports that White has dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts.  Scheduling conflicts? With what? Is he going back on The Amazing Race again, or something?

This makes the second director to remove himself from the production, with David O. Russell(The Fighter) being the first. So let the search begin for a replacement!

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Sure Shots: Scarlett Johansson; Studio Ghibli; Mike White

* On Tuesday it was reported that Cameron Crowe's list of potential actresses to star opposite Matt Damon in his upcoming adaptation, We Bought a Zoo, had grown to four. One of the names on that list, Scarlett Johansson, is now in final talks. Zoo is the story of Benjamin Mee and his family, who spend their life savings to buy and fix up a rundown zoo filled with exotic animals. Johansson will likely be playing his wife.

* A few months ago it seemed as if Studio Ghibli, the studio behind many of acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki's greatest animated features, was on it's last legs. The rumor, mostly pushed by Miyazaki himself, was that the studio needed a hit big time, and that a plan was already in place in case dissolution was necessary. Well, things must be looking up because the president of Studio Ghibli has announced another new project will be revealed on December 15th. It's widely assumed that this will be a new work from Miyazaki. A Porco Rosso sequel, maybe?

* We just learned that Lionsgate had Mike White(Year of the Dog) as their top choice to direct the Jane Austen/Zombie mash-up,Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, replacing the departed David O. Russell. Now a formal offer has been made, so expect  final cofirmation on that news in the  coming days. The question now turns to who will star...

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Mike White to direct Pride and Prejudice and Zombies?

Last month when David O. Russell won the gig to direct video game adaptation Drake's Fortune, it left Pride and Prejudice and Zombies with a job to fill. They already lost out on Natalie Portman starring as the main character of Elizabeth Bennet, but there was no worry that the production would suddenly fall into limbo. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is arguably the hottest property going right now, based on Seth Grahame-Smiths' novel merging the Jane Austen classic with undead braineaters.

The LA Times is reporting that Lionsgate is narrowing down the list of candidates for the directing gig, with Mike White emerging as the clear frontrunner. White has only one directing credit to his name, the 2007  comedy, Year of the Dog. Not a particular favorite of mine. In fact I wanted to walk out of the theater and strangle all of my dog loving friends afterwards. As a writer, White's accomplishments are much greater. He wrote the script for Jennifer Aniston's most solid film to date, The Good Girl, not to mention Jack Black's best flick, School of Rock. He appeared briefly in Zombieland last year(the dude on the toilet), and competed in The Amazing Race alongside his father. White's specialty is dark humor, a trait that would suit him well in a movie like this.

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