Screen Talk: Happy-ever-after for Ullman

Tinseltown Insider

Plans for a film adaptation of Into the Woods may include Tracey Ullman (Getty Images)

Rob Marshall’s plans for a Disney-backed adaptation of the Broadway musical Into the Woods may include Tracey Ullman (pictured). She is in talks to join a roster likely to include Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Chris Pine, Jake Gyllenhaal and Emily Blunt, all of whom are also in negotiations. The play is a mash-up of classic fairy-tales.

Fassbender’s licence to kill

With Michael Fassbender attached to star, plans for a film take on the video game Assassin’s Creed are taking shape. Backers are in negotiations with veteran moviemaker Frank Marshall to produce the Mike Lesslie-written script. Ubisoft’s game is about a bartender who discovers he comes from a secret line of assassins.

Forces to Recon with

Ubisoft has also set up Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon at Warner Bros, with Michael Bay attached to produce and possibly direct, depending on the script and schedule. Red Storm Entertainment, a game development studio part-founded by Clancy, created Recon, which features a new US army special-forces unit.

Dern pulls some Strings

Laura Dern joins Josh Duhamel, Maria Bello and Lucas Till in the cast for Daniel Duran’s Strings. The music video-maker’s debut is written and produced by Oscar Torres. It follows a young, drug-addicted DJ ordered by court to live out his remaining underage years in the custody of his estranged father.

Hemsworth gets set to cut loose

Matt Shakman’s crime thriller Cut Bank is attracting a starry cast. Liam Hemsworth is the latest to join the likes of John Malkovich, Ben Kingsley, Michael Sheen and Teresa Palmer in the story of an athlete-turned-auto-mechanic desperate to flee his hometown. The story is written by Roberto Patino.

Sandler haunts a comedy remake

Adam Sandler is teaming with Chris Columbus for Hello Ghost, a remake of a Korean supernatural comedy. Universal is the backer, Sandler is set to star and produce. Columbus is due to direct and produce the tale of a man who tries to kill himself and is plagued by ghosts. Karen Croner wrote the remake script.