Malin Akerman Joins 'Breacher'; 'Twilight' Actor Xavier Samuel Feels 'Plush' & 'Catching Fire' Adds Two More

First, recently renamed Arnold Schwarzenegger project “Breacher” (formerly “Ten”) – which will see the muscleman joined by writer-director David Ayer and co-stars Sam Worthington, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello and Dawn Olivieri – has found a way to inject some more estrogen into the project in the form of actress Malin Akerman (“Watchmen,” “Wanderlust”). Akerman is currently in negotiations to join this hard-boiled crime iteration of mystery writer Agatha Christie’s “Ten Little Indians,” with the film set to follow the tale of an elite DEA task force who rob an underground drug cartel while operating under the guise of a warranted raid. They think they’re in the clear, until they all start being bumped off one-by-one. Akerman will lend her acting chops to the DEA team in Ayer’s latest cop drama/thriller picture.

A lengthy career in Hollywood and credit for kick starting the enormous “Twilight” film franchise pretty much guaranteed that the fantasy flop “Red Riding Hood” wouldn’t keep helmer Catherine Hardwicke benched for long. And she's returning to her filmmaking roots of “Thirteen” and “Lords of Dogtown” with the upcoming “Plush,” and has now dipped into the “Twilight” casting pool, adding Australian 'Eclipse' star Xavier Samuel to her latest. The film follows a rising rock star (“Sleeping Beauty” actress Emily Browning) who runs headlong into a downward spiral when her brother and band mate dies from a drug overdose. Her faith is apparently renewed by a replacement guitarist (Samuel) who seemingly begins to court her as she advances artistically do to this seemingly new love interest – until she learns of his dangerous past. “Twilight” actor Cam Gigandet will play Browning’s husband, who we’re guessing will take the Jacob role in this love triangle? Or maybe we’re just drawing too many “Twilight” parallels here. Filming starts at the end of this month in Los Angeles.

From talk of one big book franchise to another, “The Hunger Games” sequel 'Catching Fire' has now added actor Bruno Gunn (“Bad Teacher,” “Oz”) and Alan Ritchson ("Blue Mountain State") to the cast. For the former will play an ex-Career victor from District 2 while the latter will play Gloss in the upcoming Francis Lawrence-directed adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ novel. They join an already packed cast that includes 'Hunger Games' holdovers Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Huctherson, and Liam Hemsworth (obviously), along with fresh faces like Jena Malone, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Toby Jones. “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” will pick your pocketbook on November 22, 2013, just in time for some Thanksgiving film-going. [Variety/Variety]