Donald Sutherland never “stopped being great,” though it took an action blockbuster to remind everyone what true value the man adds to his projects. It’s with this mindset that I casually look upon Shoot the Breeze, an independent war thriller which, according to TheWrap, he’s being courted to star in — alongside Gia Skova and under the guidance of writer-director Raza Mallal.

His screenplay revolves around a “a renegade Moscow detective (I’m guessing this is Sutherland)” who, with a Chechen war reporter’s murder, is compelled to conduct an investigation that could only reveal some kind of conspiracy. Skova, an up-and-coming actress herself, has been locked to play a friend of the dead reporter’s. (Or former friend, technically.)

That’s all we have on Shoot the Breeze at this moment; not much, though Sutherland, nevertheless, creates a bit of curiosity on my own part. Mallal will commence production in the spring, with “some major financing” to his benefit, after which we can see where this thing’s really headed.

Next, Variety give a nice little surprise in telling us Jennifer Jason Leigh got herself signed for The Spectacular Now. Well, they didn’t crack that exclusive; I actually noticed the casting when Mary Elizabeth Winstead tweeted a photo of her, Leigh, and Miles Teller on the film’s set. This would provide a two-fold confirmation — that our newest addition is the main character’s mother, and that its own news-breaker is his sister — but it almost goes without saying.

Shailene Woodley (The Descendants), Brie Larson, Kyle Chandler, Bob Odenkirk, and Andre Royo (The Wire) are also part of The Spectacular Now, a dramedy directed by James Ponsoldt (Smashed) that centers on a teenage boy (Teller) who is set back on the right track by his new girlfriend (Woodley) and supportive family (Chandler being the father). Shooting has been underway for a bit now, with the film expected to come sometime in 2013.

Could Sutherland elevate Breeze? Does Leigh increase Now‘s prospects?