James and the Giant Peach: Sam Mendes (Skyfall, SPECTRE) is in early talks to develop and then direct a live-action version of James and the Giant Peach, based on a book by Roald Dahl. First published in 1961, the book follows a young orphan boy and his adventures inside a gigantic peach. Henry Selick directed a stop-motion animated version in 1996 (above). Nick Hornby (Wild; Brooklyn) has been tapped to write a new script for Disney. [Deadline]
Inner City: Denzel Washington (The Magnificent Seven, above) is considering a starring role in legal drama Inner City. Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler) wrote the original screenplay and is attached to direct. If things work out, Washington will portray a lawyer dealing with a major change at his company. The movie is said to be a character study in the vein of Paul Newman's The Verdict. [Variety]
New Mutants: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (The Fault in Our Stars; The Spectacular Now, above) are working on the screenplay for New Mutants. The X-Men spin-off will be directed by Josh Boone, who previously teamed with the writers on The Fault in Our Stars. The movie revolves around a team of young misfits with superpowers. [THR]
Jack Goes Home Trailer: Written and directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Thomas Dekker, Jack Goes Home stars Rory Culkin as a young man who returns home to help his mother and soon uncovers unsettling secrets and lies. Britt Robertson, Natasha Lyonne, Nikki Reed and Lin Shaye also star; the movie will open on October 14. [Movieclips]
