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Ryan Reynolds has emerged as front runner in a pack of top young actors vying to star alongside Denzel Washington in Safe House, the David Guggenheim-scripted Universal Pictures drama that will be directed by Daniel Espinosa (Snabba Cash). Up for grabs is a great role of a young CIA agent who must transport a dangerous criminal to safety after both are attacked at a safe house.
Washington signed on weeks ago to play the criminal, and I’ve heard Reynolds, Shia LaBeouf, Taylor Kitsch, Washington’s Unstoppable co-star Chris Pine, Sam Worthington, Garrett Hedlund, Zac Efron, Channing Tatum, Chris Hemsworth and Jake Gyllenhaal are all in contention. No offer has been made, but it will happen soon as the studio, Washington, Espinosa and producer Scott Stuber make a decision shortly. 
Production begins early next year, with Argentina and South Africa among the places being scouted. Safe House becomes the latest must-have role that has prompted meetings, or in a bunch of cases, competitive auditions. The big derby still playing out is David Fincher’s search for a young actress to play the potential career-making role playing complex computer hacker Lisbeth Salander in the Sony Pictures Entertainment adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the first installment of a trilogy. Sony drew a slew of young thesps earlier this summer to compete for the Spider-Man role that went to Andrew Garfield, and another competition will be held shortly to find his girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson. 
And before that it was Captain America, a role that went to Chris Evans after a long search. Marvel Studios gets a crowd for every one of its superhero pictures.
It is hardly surprising this is going on. The star landscape is shifting endlessly, and winning the right role can mean everything. That was proven when Robert Downey Jr. pursued Iron Man aggressively, even though he wasn’t initially Marvel’s top choice. Downey won the job in the room, and the role redefined him from a superb actor to a bankable star around whom studios are building big budget movies.
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I can only hope that what is attracting all this talent is a radically reworked script, ’cause the SAFE HOUSE spec was pretty fuckin’ awful….
Laying on the hater aid, eh disgruntled writer. I think your name says it all. The script doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but its damn effective. Even a hack like you should be able to see that.
There are two SAFEHOUSE scripts making the rounds for totally different movies with the same title.
I couldn’t agree more. There’s a scene held at a soccer stadium that was so random and needless that screamed amateur. The writer even intercut clips of the soccer game. Reason? No idea.
I feel like I’m living in the Twilight Zone. Did people not even read this script?
I read it. It was a good script and very well-written/structured. These tools are either jealous or stupid. Not sure which. The soccer stadium scene was perfectly fine. Bitter, bitter, bitter McBitters! Hurry off to your shifts at Starbucks fellas!
Joseph.Gordon.Levitt.
Agreed. For me, Joseph Gordon Levitt would trump all the names listed here.
and the winner is…. shia.
I realize CIA agents come in just about any age but come on!
Most of those actors listed as contenders have got to be about a decade too young to be playing even a “young” CIA agent.
Just go ahead and cast Justin Bieber– I understand he’s really hot right now.
hey … that’s a good idea -thanks
I hope it’s Taylor Kitsch. He’s the best (and less famous) actor.
Disagree on that. Ryan R is any
Chris Pine or Joseph Gordon Levitt trumps Reynolds…. the others, not so much.
The script was OK back when it was called “16 Blocks,” why anyone would want to re-make that mediocrity in Mexico is beyond me.
And the CIA? Yawn. Anyone paying attention to the news the past ten years knows the agency is a joke, a farce of incompetence and failure. Why does Hollywood insist on cranking out movie after movie about CIA super-spies?
The CIA is not a farce…most of them are dedicated men and women who serve their country…..tool
because fox news and cnn have such a good grasp of what the CIA does. it’s a movie…calm down – would you rather it be mexico city policia?
Same reason why every TV Dramais based on Cops, Lawyers and Doctors, no originality.
the cia is a joke? anybody who has been living in America the past ten years owes them for bad guys not getting something off here that would melt your face.
You really think all British spies are James Fucking Bond?
The fantasy that the CIA has no rules of engagement allows for all sorts of nonsense and comic book heroics. Anyone with a real tale of espionage is prohibited from telling it by NSDD 84.
Yeah it does seem to share that 16 BLOCKS vibe, at least from a simple log line.
The Jack Ryan series of movies? The Jason Bourne series of movies? Need I go on?
none of those are “top actors”; the only young actor bursting on the scene that has any talent is Andrew Garfield. Ben Whishaw is also good, but he doesn’t have any potential blockbuster projects in his future. And surprise, surprise, neither of those actors were raised in America.
Get Tom Hardy
yes, yes and yes.
Yeah, this script was all-kinds of over-hyped. It was perfunctory.
Are there like no new young actors in Hollywood who aren’t white. Every time I hear about some heavily coveted role in Hollywood sought after by young actors it’s the same names over and over again: Shia LeBeouf, Sam Worthington, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Pine, Zac Efron, Channing Tatum, Garrett Hedlund, Chris Hemsworth, Chance Crawford. I’m surprised Robert Pattinson isn’t in the mix as well.
Wake up man. this is hollywood, where an asshole like mark gordon can use the n-word publicly and ABC sweeps it under the rug. that idiot isaiah washington called someone a “fag” and he got fired, like they endured 400 years of slavery. whisper an anti-semitic word and you can forget about working in this town ever again. hire a young black actor? really? are you fucking kidding? diversity is a joke, unfortunately. it will never ever be an even playing field.
Thank you for that comment.
Jesus, it like Black Men don’t exist here in Follyland!
Not to be a snark, but it’s for a role opposite Denzel, who is obviously African American.
Whether fair or not, you can’t have both leads be African American, or the film risks becoming an ‘Urban’ movie, loses alot of its foreign value and the overall box office potential plummets.
Not to mention that I can’t really see Nick Cannon, Bow Wow or Brandon Jackson holding up against Denzel, although Gaius Charles (‘Smash Williams’ from ‘Friday Night Lights’) just might have a career in him…
Did anyone see the hurt locker. Hello? You in there? Jeremy Renner… He teaches an acting clinic in every movie. He can go toe to toe with DW! I would pay $10 to see that.
…unless they make this movie in 3D. Then you’ll pay $20 to see that.
Either Taylor kitsch or joesph gordon levitt, two guys who will most def. hold there own against denzel, and act the shit out of there role.
Shia, and Efron as well as Tatum and Worthington should be off the list. Also Pine should come off.
No way I am going to believe, Shia and Efron are CIA agents at 22 and 24 years old.
Tatum and Worthington cannot act. Pine already is starring in a movie with Denzel coming out soon if i remember correctly. I don’t need to see him starring opposite Denzel another time so quickly.
“Pine is already starring in a movie with Denzel coming out soon if I remember correctly”
Um, what made you remember that? Was it the third line of the second paragraph of this article that reads, “Washington’s Unstoppable co-star Chris Pine…”
God, doesn’t anyone actually READ anymore???!!!
Unoriginal plot, it’s been done a million times. But damn, Denzel sure can play the villian well! Although I don’t love him in any other serious roles, I thought Reynolds was very good in Smokin Aces. Definitely had a little bit more emotion and realness to him instead of the cocky, witty pretty boy he usually plays.
If Zac Efron, Shia LeBeouf, or Sam Worthington get this role than the movie will suck in my opinion.
As a matter of fact every actor listed is of appropiate age for CIA enlistment. Some are as young as 24 believe it or not. Its a new day and age people. Get used to it. They come in all different shapes and sizes. And I think Shia or Worthington have this one in the bag. Gyllenhall a definite maybe. Pine just worked with Washington so he’s out.
Actually, the CIA is fairly young these days, with the most experienced people jumping ship to various contractors (much, much better pay there than as a government employee).
Having said that, a “young” agent would likely be in mid- to late 20s, so some of these names are questionable, if only because they are primarily known for playing high school kids, despite their actual age. (This is probably the real problem — people in their 20s are cast as teenagers all the time, so now we have a warped idea of how old these guys actually are and how old mid-20s should actually look.)
tim riggins!
Zac Efron a CIA agent? Really?
Pretty sad that there isn’t a black/latino male actor (25-35) that the studios or the trades feel can headline a film with Denzel. I’m not even speaking on the business at large, but won’t someone of color with charisma and personality step to the forefront and be seen (like the names mentioned above). I guess the only one I can think of Chiwetel Ejiofor and he’s worked with Denzel a few times already.
Hollywood WON’T let that happen. They gotta take care of these extremely TIRED, UNTALENTED, UNINTERESTING, SHALLOW, SELF CENTERED, BORING, DEAD INSIDE, ENTITLED JERKS that are listed above in the previous posts.
Jeezz, I wonder why the “mac guy” hasn’t been mentioned yet? I’m sure he’s just dying to nail this roll!
What is pretty boy Zac Efron doing among this people? I can’t. I’m laughing every time i try to imagine Zac as some tough guy with gun, running around, shooting… And Shia… He is good at screaming and running from robots. But i can’t imagine him as CIA agent. Other actors are OK.
And who is missing among this list? Well Justin Timberlake of course. He is like big Hollywood man now?
Chris Pine hasn’t been successful solo. He can’t open a movie unless it has “Star Trek” in the title.
Shia LaBeouf is a proven money maker, but putting him up against Denzel will be a very uneven match up.
Taylor Kitsch just isn’t great IMO.
Efron is talented like Shia, but again, see Shia.
Hedlund is too unknown right this second, and he is a gamble right now because “Tron Legacy” is months away.
Channing Tatum is someone who people trash online, but he is always working and is a believable tough guy.
Chris Hemsworth, see Hedlund. Also “Thor” is looking like a SyFy Channel Original.
Jake Gyllenhaal was good in “Prince of Persia” but the movie stunk.
Guess that leaves Ryan Reynolds as the last man standing.
Jesus you people are angry hacks.
…and 16 Blocks was awesome when it starred Clint Eastwood and it was called The Gauntlet. That said, I liked both of those movies and thought Safe House was anfun read so what the eff do I know?
Garrett Hedlund or Reynolds. Please and Thank you.
What happened to Denzel in the Bittersweet Life adapt? That I would pay to see.