While it had seemed, for a few hours, that Getaway would forever kill all car-related cinema, the seventh installment of a decade-old franchise is here to save that particular golden calf. With a release date set for next summer, Fast & Furious 7 has been assembling quicker than car-driving criminals dragging a safe through the streets of Rio, the newest members of a large, hard-to-always-keep-track-of ensemble being signed left and right — and, after Denzel Washington turned down an offer to take part in the action, a suitable replacement has just been found. Perhaps an even finer option, too.

According to Variety, the much-missed Kurt Russell will step back into the mainstream spotlight with Fast & Furious 7, his role only presumed to be crucial in light of who it had, originally, been presented to. (If nothing else, my own hopes for a resurrection of Stuntman Mike are unlikely to be fulfilled.) The rest is for them to know and for you to find out when the project illegally speeds into your multiplex on July 11, 2014, courtesy of horror master James Wan.

Regarding a film sure to be nothing like Fast & Furious 7, Deadline report that Richard Gere has accepted the lead role of writer-director Andrew Renzi‘s feature debut, Franny. Seeming to follow a narrative / thematic pattern established by last year’s Arbitrage — not to mention the fact that Treehouse Pictures, its producers, will return here — the project sees him as “a hedonistic philanthropist who ingratiates himself into the lives of a newlywed couple in order to re-create the life he once had.” No fellow members of the cast have yet been announced, but, as cameras are set to roll within a month’s time, the supporting players ought to be secured shortly

In Variety, once again, news has come forth that Kathleen Turner will be seen in Dumb and Dumber To, a film yours truly has a significant degree of difficulty believing will ever come to fruition. But, amazingly, Peter and Bobby Farrelly will go forward, thanks to by Universal and a screenplay from John Morris & Sean Anders (We’re the Millers, Hot Tub Time Machine). As a callback to Dumb and Dumber, Turner will play, in the directors’ own words, “Fraida Felcher–the legendary hose-hound from Cranston.”

When it comes to more replacements, Deadline have been told that Philip Seymour Hoffman, though only recently cast (and done so late in the proverbial game), is no longer part of Daniel Espinosa‘s period thriller Child 44. Taking his place is Vincent Cassel, who, in a situation somewhat similar to the Fast & Furious 7 bit, is being handed a role that goes undisclosed; circumstances would make it sound as if this is a relatively important role, based on the high-profile names going around, so count us curious.

With a cast that also includes Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace, and Joel Kinnaman, Child 44 is expected to release next year.

Finally, TheWrap tell us Justin Timberlake will produce The Idolmaker, a title once meant to serve as the directorial debut of Ryan Gosling. No helmer, screenwriter, or star is yet attached — their new talent could take up that lattermost position, depending on how things come together in the next few months — for the remake of Taylor Hackford‘s 1980 drama, itself a picture based on the exploits of musical talent scout Bob Marcucci. The musical connections at hand are no coincidence.

Which of these additions / replacements are you most encouraged by? Does any project grab your attention?

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