Yancy Butler Returns For 'Kick-Ass 2'; Dawn Olivieri Feels 'Plush' While Amy Smart & Joshua Leonard Fly With 'Ravens'

Just a day after “Kick-Ass 2” solidified its existence further by casting Donald Faison in the role of Dr. Gravity, the comic book adaptation can safely count another cast member on board, this time with a returning actress from the first film, while in other news two other independent productions have found their leading ladies.

It's well known that the “Kick-Ass” sequel will find Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) back in the villain role once more, but with news that Yancy Butler has signed on as Angie D'Amico, naturally so will his mother who was featured in the first film. Most well known to those who saw the short-lived “Witchblade” series, the actress has proved herself more than capable of handling a comic-book tone twice now, and she'll join Aaron Johnson, Chloë Moretz, and Nicolas Cage (in a rumored cameo) in finally locking down the original cast. However, Matthew Vaughn has stepped down from directing the sequel to solely handle script duties and instead left the seat open for “Never Back Down” helmer Jeff Wadlow to fill. Not the most inspiring of choice, but with a September start date planned and a stellar cast returning, we suppose it's a miracle that the film has formulated outside of Mark Millar's whispers at all. [Coming Soon]

A bright spot in what is otherwise a pretty dismal show, actress Dawn Oliveri will take a break from Showtime's “House of Lies” to star in Catherine Hardwicke's latest film, an erotic thriller entitled “Plush.” The film follows Emily Browning as a rock star who loses her bandmate brother to a drug overdose but finds solace away from her husband (Cam Gigandet) and in with the attractive guitarist who replaces him (Xavier Samuel). As their relationship grows more involved, Browning realizes her new lover may be a madman lying in wait. Oliveri will play the band manager, and while the project does possess a slight Lifetime vibe, Hardwicke has always been able to elevate material with her direction, and having a leading lady like Browning doesn't hurt either. [THR]

Since “The Blair Witch Project,” Joshua Leonard hasn't let that film's rampant reputation drive him to become a pot farmer/author, instead opting to stay in film and deliver some great work in projects such as “Humpday” and “Higher Ground.” Now he'll join Amy Smart in the dark comedy, “An Unkindness of Ravens,” which follows a troubled couple navigating their marriage while attempting to throw a Fourth of July party for their friends, and whose lives are changed forever by an encounter with a nature photographer. The Russell Friedenberg/Randy Redroad-directed film also stars Natalie Imbruglia, Christian Campbell, Victoria Smurfit, Calum Grant and Castille Landon and is shooting now in Idaho. [THR]