Richard Pryor Bio: Director Lee Daniels (The Butler) has confirmed via social media that Mike Epps has nabbed the role of Richard Pryor in an upcoming biopic, sharing a photograph of the two along with Oprah Winfrey, who will play Pryor's brothel-running grandmother. He beat out Nick Cannon, who had been openly campaigning for the role. [Instagram/ET]
Inferno: Tom Hanks will reprise his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon in Inferno, based on a novel by Dan Brown. It's the third in a series featuring the character, following The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons; Ron Howard will once again direct. The new installment starts with Langdon waking up in a hospital with amnesia, yet determined to stop a madman's plan to unleash a worldwide plague. Filming is scheduled to begin in April 2015. [Deadline]
Freeheld: Steve Carell will replace Zach Galifianakis in the upcoming drama Freeheld, based on a 2007 documentary about the Domestic Partnership Act. The film stars Julianne Moore and Ellen Page; Carell will be featured in a supporting role as an advocate for equality. Carell and Moore previously appeared together in 2011's Crazy.Stupid.Love. Galifianakis dropped out due to "scheduling conflicts." Peter Sollett (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist) will direct. [Deadline]
The Interview Trailer: Let's reboot, shall we? James Franco and Seth Rogen star in The Interview as a TV personality and his producer who are recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. A new trailer offers a fleeting glance at a few seconds of new footage, replays the funny moments from earlier trailers, and establishes the (slightly) delayed release date: December 25. Ah, yes: perfect for Christmas! [MovieClips]
