First Clint Eastwood in Trouble with the Curve and now another big name celeb is headed to the Atlanta area to shoot a baseball flick. Harrison Ford will be here and in Chattanooga to film 42, about the life of baseball hall of famer Jackie Robinson, whose jersey number was 42. Ford is to portray Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodgers executive who signed Robinson, the first black ballplayer in the major leagues. Chadwick Boseman (Lincoln Heights, Persons Unknown) will play Robinson. Also among the cast are Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Nicole Beharie (The Express, American Violet), and Brad Beyer (Jericho, GCB). Filming is slated for the Atlanta area from May 10th to July 20th.
Speaking of Trouble with the Curve, filming has taken place in Athens at the Globe and the Oconee Hill Cemetery, at the Georgia Tech baseball stadium and the Silver Skillet in Midtown Atlanta, Luther Williams Field and Cheers restaurant in Macon, the Amicalola Lodge in Dawsonville, and the long-standing George’s Restaurant and Bar in Virginia-Highland.
Amy Poehler joins her Parks and Recreation co-star Adam Scott for A.C.O.D., filming here through April 14th (including scenes at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and No. 246 restaurant in Decatur). Also on board are Jessica Alba (Sin City, Machete), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgirm vs. The World, Live Free or Die Hard) and Catherine O’Hara (Best in Show, For Your Consideration).
Jason Bateman is returning to Atlanta – he previously shot The Change-Up here – for the comedy ID Theft with Melissa McCarthy. According to deadline.com, in addition to starring in the movie, Bateman is also serving as producer along with Scott Stuber (Role Models, Safe House). The film is slated to shoot April 23rd through June 25th.
A few more details have emerged on No Good Deed, shooting here from April 20th to May 16th. According to Screen Gems, the plot revolves around “a former DA-turned-stay-at-home mom and her two small children who are terrorized and kidnapped from their home when she invites a good-looking mysterious stranger in to wait for help after his car ran off the road.” Idris Elba (Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Thor) joins Taraji P. Henson (Date Night, Hustle and Flow) in the cast.
The John Hillcoat-directed The Wettest County that was filmed in the Coweta County area has changed its title to Lawless. The film, starring Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Guy Pearce, Gary Oldman and Jessica Chastain, is set for an August 31st theatrical release date.
J.J. Abram’s (Lost) and Eric Kripe’s (Supernatural) sci-fi pilot Revolution is shooting here through April 9th. The NBC drama follows a group of people struggling to survive and reunite with loved ones in a world where all forms of energy have mysteriously ceased to exist. The cast includes Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, Do the Right Thing), Andrea Roth (Rescue Me), JD Pardo (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2) and Zak Orth (Romeo + Juliet, Vicky Cristina Barcelona). John Favreau is directing.
Queen Latifah, who filmed Joyful Noise in Atlanta last year with Dolly Parton, returns to the city to shoot the African-American version of Steel Magnolias for Lifetime television. Latifah will star as M’Lynn Eatenton – the role played by Sally Field in the 1989 big screen version. Also among the cast are Alfre Woodard (Desperate Housewives, Memphis Beat, True Blood), real life mother daughter duo Phylicia and Condola Rashad (The Cosby Show), Jill Scott (Why Did I Get Married? and Why Did I Get Married Too?) and Adepero Oduye (Pariah). The project shoots from April 2nd through 28th.
The pilot for BET’s Single Black Female, currently in pre-production, will shoot here from April 23rd through May 11th. Gabrielle Union (Good Deeds, Bad Boys II) stars. Also in the cast are Richard Roundtree (Shaft) and Aaron D. Spears (The Bold and the Beautiful).
Natalie Zea, who plays Winona Hawkins on the FX show Justified, has joined the cast of the unnamed Kevin Williamson pilot that stars Kevin Bacon. Not sure if that means she will be leaving Justified or not. Also recently joining the cast is Maggie Grace (Lost). The show is set to finish shooting here in early April.
The Walking Dead will shoot its third season in Georgia from May 7th through November 16th.
Steve Harvey and crew will return to Atlanta to shoot Family Feud from April 24th through July 27th.
Paulding County is hoping for more film business to come to the area (Joyful Noise and Footloose filmed scenes there) with the recent opening of Atlanta Film Studios. According to the studio’s “in production” website, atlantafilmstudiospc.com, among the facility’s offerings are 11 acres of secured shooting space, two 20,000 square foot soundstages, mill space and production offices.
