2011-12 Season Network Rankings: Fox Still On Top But Down, … 
HLN Set To Air Daytime Emmy Awards 
Grant Bowler Cast As Richard Burton Opposite Lindsay Lohan … 
UPDATE: Dish Network And Broadcasters Ask Courts To Decide … 
Cannes Surprise Screening: Change Of Plans On Juan Antonio … 
Kevin Hart In Talks To Join Kevin James In ‘Valet … 
Anthony Hopkins Up For ‘Red 2′ Villain; Can … 
Cannes Conflicted Over ‘The Paperboy’ As … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘American Idol’ Posts … 
Ghost Of 2004 Hovers Over L.A. Screenings As Int’l … 
On The Road To Awards Season? Kerouac Book Finally Makes It … 
Michael Bay’s Name Pushed Paramount To Settle Injured … 
Several More New Series In Recasting Mode; Returning Ones … 
‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ Moving To March 2013 To … 
Directors Fortnight Says It Must “Police … 
‘Chronicle’ Helmer Josh Trank Takes On … 
Will ‘Pan Am’ Take Flight With Amazon? 
TOLDJA! ICM Management Buyout Complete 
DESPERATE: HuffPo & Oprah Team Up Now 
Hot Trailer: ‘The Great Gatsby’ 
How Did Women Pilot Writers Fare For 2012? 
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.
Loading ...
I agree with another poster about young minority actors. Where are they? Regarding AA’s, all of them are late thirties or over 40 (ie Will Smith, Denzel, Terrence Howard, Jamie Fox etc etc). I’m sure young minority actors can perform if given a chance. The list mentioned in the article are the same young actors mentioned in every film the past 2yrs. Some interesting choices would be Joseph Gordon Levitt, Cilian Murphy and a wildcard pick Dev Patel.
There’s an assumption here that Washington is a great actor. Really? Could it be that the scrambling is about the desire to be associated with a successful “name”?
Are there no black CIA agents. Why can’t someone like Anthony McKie also be in the running. He is who I would love to see.
Like I am going to belive Shia and Efron are CIA agents.
Tatum can’t act and neither can Worthington.
Pine is a no no, as someone else said, his name won’t be opening a movie that isn’t Star Trek. Jake is also a no no.
Reynolds is everywhere already I don’t think I need to see him so damn often.
The only white young actor I can think of is Joseph Gordom Levitt.
However, get some black and hispanic actors in the running.
Chris Pine would not be opening this movie “solo” since he would be starring alongside Denzel Washington. Star Trek is also an ensemble of characters, with the main ones being Kirk and Spock.
In Chris Pine’s case, I thought he was not a contender anyway. He has other movies to work on, including Star Trek next year. I think he could play the Safe House role well enough – whatever he does, he does well. However, he is supposed to start filming a reboot of the Jack Ryan series playing Jack Ryan himself, which sounds better than the character he would be playing in this movie.
I think that some of the contenders look a bit young for the role. Even if many of the actual real-life recruits are young, I doubt that they would necessarily send a rookie to escort a dangerous criminal from one place to another. Surely, they would look for someone older and more experienced.
What about Gosling?!
…unless they make this movie in 3D. Then you’ll pay $20 to see that.
DiCaprio is 36. These guys can’t be in the same room with Leo.
My man Leo can play 30…clean him up the man is God Like.
What is Stuber thinking? Why gamble when you can play with house money and make a fortune. Leo. I know you screwed up on one hire already…The Production Designer? Who made that choice Mr. Producer. Now the next decision will be pushed on you and what I see is a Safe House with a Trap Door to mediocrity at best. Washinton/DiCaprio Big Salaries for these boys..A
Zac Efron is a joke next to a star like Denzel. He looks like a little kid. Shia does, too. He belongs only in teen movies. Taylor has the right look, wide-eyed inexperience, in over his head look, but yet tough enough you could believe him as a CIA agent at the safe house. Hopefully he is the only one left alive to do the job and his more experienced agents get killed in the movie.
Ryan Reynolds is a bit too snarky. Jake Gyllenhaal. Please can’t stand looking at his dopey face. Taylor, even though I haven’t seen any of his work. LOL.
Hey bobmcbob, fuck yourself and then guess what? Fuckin move out of the country. Puss!
Taylor Kitsch –
John Carter of Mars…for Pixar, The Bang Bang Club as Kevin Carter.
He for sure has the chops and is here to stay
Taylor Kitch. Trust me, this will make any script sexy. He absolutely has the range, wounded good looks of Pattinson plus the All-American brawn (tho Canadian) of a movie CIA man.
Shia Lebouf or Ryan Reynolds to play the CIA, but what about Mark Valley? He’s good
Zac Efron? Might as well try Ryan Pattinson… I’m sure Denzel would have something to say about that. This guy is going to play a CIA agent, not a little girl who he’s going to be a bodyguard for (Dakota Fanning).