Yahoo News Film News Roundup: Louis Gossett Jr. Replaces James Earl Jones on ‘Foster Boy’ Drama
In today’s film news roundup, Louis Gossett Jr. replaces James Earl Jones in “Foster Boy,” David Wojnarowicz is the subject of a documentary and “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” gets a Norwegian director.
REPLACEMENT
Louis Gossett Jr. is replacing James Earl Jones as a judge in the reality-inspired feature film “Foster Boy,” currently in production.
Jones departed due to a competing commitment. Matthew Modine and newcomer Shane Paul McGhie star in “Foster Boy,” a legal drama about a high-powered litigator who takes on the case of a disadvantaged African-American young man. They uncover the abuses of the for-profit foster care system.
Other cast members include Julie Benz, Amy Brenneman, Greg Germann, Evan Handler, Jordan Belfi, Lex Scott Davis and Krystian Lyttle.
The script is written by attorney-turned-screenwriter Jay Paul Deratany, based on his experiences as a litigator in Chicago. “Foster Boy,” which is shooting in Los Angeles, is directed by Youssef Delara. It’s produced by Deratany, Peter Samuelson, Anne-Marie Mackay, and Andrew Sugerman.
DOCUMENTARY LAUNCHED
World of Wonder has commenced production on “Wojnarowicz,” the first documentary on the late writer, multi-media artist and activist David Wojnarowicz.
The documentary is produced by World Of Wonder co-founders Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey and will be directed by Chris McKim. This trio most recently collaborated on the Emmy-winning documentary, “Out of Iraq.”
The filmmakers have been granted access to his archives and the full cooperation of his estate. Wojnarowicz was a painter, photographer, writer, filmmaker, performance artist, song-writer/recording artist and AIDS activist prominent in the New York City art world. He died in 1992 at the age of 37.
World of Wonder’s documentary credits include “Becoming Chaz,” “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures,” and “The Last Beekeeper.”
DIRECTOR ATTACHED
Norwegian helmer André Øvredal, who directed “The Autopsy of Jane Doe” and “Trollhunter,” has been hired to direct “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” at CBS Films.
Guillermo del Toro had originally planned to direct. He will produce with Sean Daniel, Jason Brown and Elizabeth Grave.
The film is based on the trilogy of books by Alvin Schwartz in which a group of teens attempt to unravel a series of disturbing deaths in their small town. “The Lego Movie” writers Kevin and Dan Hageman wrote the adaptation. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
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