Kevin Durand Visits "Cosmopolis"

Don DeLillo's novel "Cosmopolis" seems almost impossible to adapt for some filmmakers, basically because the book takes place mostly in a limo riding through a city. But if there was one director I would trust to make it, it's David Cronenberg. The project has already put together an excellent cast and it's looking to add another solid actor to the fold.

According to Variety. Kevin Durand ("Robin Hood," "I Am Number Four") is in final negotiations to join the cast of Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis."

An adaptation of Don DeLillo's popular novel, Robert Pattinson plays a financial whiz who risks his immense fortune by betting against the yen on one particularly chaotic day. His decisions eventually make him the target of an assassination. Most of the film is set inside a limousine as Pattinson's character is transported from one location to another. Durand would play his chief security officer.

The cast of the film is truly stacked, with Samantha Morton, Juliette Binoche, Paul Giamatti and Sarah Gadon also starring. Cronenberg is making the film a full service project, with him writing, directing and producing.

The book was one of my favorites by DeLillo, and you'd be hard pressed to find a better director to tackle the project. Adding Durand to the cast is a great choice, especially to play a security guard. The actor is super-underrated and has given some great performances in his career, including on "Lost" as well as in "Robin Hood," "Smokin' Aces" and "3:10 to Yuma."

The film is set for a 2010 release.

Wachowskis Update Robin "Hood"

The rich better watch out, and the needy better put their hands out, because Robin Hood is back. The Wachowskis are set to do a contemporary update of the Robin Hood myth in "Hood" for Warner Bros. Pictures according to Heat Vision.

Andy and Lana (formerly Larry) Wachowski wrote the script for the film, but like many of their projects, the plot details are shrouded in secrecy. According to reports the duo are already reaching out to actors, including Will Smith.

Although the plot details are under wraps, this type of project could be perfect for the pair. Their visual style mixed with their affinity for comic book-type art should be a great combination to get the mood and tone of the film just right.

The project follows a popular move in Hollywood these days, taking a well-known classical tale or character and putting a new spin on it. It worked beautifully with "Sherlock Holmes" and a handful of other projects such as the upcoming "Three Musketeers" films as well as an in-development "Frankenstein" are on the horizon.

The duo has been working on their Iraqi war movie, "CN-9", which is told from the point of view of archeologists piecing together events from the U.S. occupation of Iraq using found footage and includes two male soldiers falling in love and a plot to assassinate George W. Bush. While the project has been slow to find financing, the pair have shot some talking-head sequences with Arianna Huffington, Salman Rushdie, Jesse Ventura and Cornel West.

While that project sounds infinitely interesting, I'm glad to see the duo return to a project that should really bring out their talents. I think "The Matrix" was an unbelievable achievement, and although the sequels were mediocre at best, I recently rewatched them and I have to say once I took myself away from all the hype and anticipation that surrounded the films, I see now that they really weren't as bad as I had thought. Not perfect by any respect, but definitely better.

Although the pair flopped with "Speed Racer", I think "Hood" could be one that puts them right back on the map.