Matt Damon Readies Directorial Debut With Co-Writer John Krasinski

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After many rumors and much hoopla, [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/14867/personmain.jhtml"]Matt Damon[/url] is finally lining up his directorial debut.

[url="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118044753"][i]Variety[/i][/url] has learned that Damon and "The Office" star [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/379390/personmain.jhtml"]John Krasinski[/url] have co-written a currently untitled script that Damon will now helm. The idea originated between Krasinski and "Away We Go" writer Dave Eggers, and then Damon came on board. The film would follow a salesman who reevaluates his life after moving to a small town, with Damon playing the salesman. The flick is currently set up at Warner Bros, and should start shooting soon on the east coast.

Check out the rest of today's casting news after the jump!

[b]Mark Romanek And Tom Hanks Find "The Lost Symbol"[/b]
Move over Ron Howard, "Never Let Me Go" director [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/96310/personmain.jhtml"]Mark Romanek[/url] is helming the next film in Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series. [url="http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/mark-romanek-frontrunner-for-sonys-the-lost-symbol/"]Deadline[/url] is reporting that [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/82404/personmain.jhtml"]Tom Hanks [/url]is likely to return for the third adaptation of Brown's best-selling novels. The previous two films, "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels & Demons," grossed more than $1.2 billion worldwide.

[b]John Cusack And Johnny Knoxville Headed To "Carnaval"[/b]
Josh Stern's upcoming comedy "Carnaval" is bringing together the unlikely duo of [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/14511/personmain.jhtml"]John Cusack[/url] and [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/260496/personmain.jhtml"]Johnny Knoxville[/url], [url="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-cusack-johnny-knoxville-carnavale-249349"][i]The Hollywood Reporter[/i][/url] learned. The flick will follow Cusack as a sports scout sent to Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval to find the world's best soccer player. Knoxville will play his best friend, a musician who comes along for the trip and ends up hooking up with a woman who is actually the players' girlfriend. The movie starts filming in Rio in January.

[b]Tom Felton Joins Miniseries "Labyrinth"[/b]
"Harry Potter" star [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/198113/personmain.jhtml"]Tom Felton[/url] is reteaming with his "The Apparition" costar Sebastian Stan for the Christopher Smith-directed TV miniseries "Labyrinth." [url="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118044657"][i]Variety[/i][/url] reports that he's playing Raymond-Roger de Trencavel, the Viscount of Carcassonne who died in 1209 while trying to save his people from the French Catholics. The four-hour series also stars John Hurt, Tony Curran, Vanessa Kirby and Stan.

[b]James Franco Says No To "Iceman"[/b]
At long last,[url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/264077/personmain.jhtml"] James Franco[/url] can finally take [url="http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/01/25/james-franco-circling-lovelace-biopic/"]one of his many projects[/url] off the list. [url="http://justjared.buzznet.com/2011/10/18/james-franco-iceman/"]Just Jared[/url] has learned that Franco is backing out of the thriller "The Iceman" due to "key contractual issues." The project has been long in gestation, and now it is believed that it might fall apart because of Franco's departure. The cast also includes Ray Liotta and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

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