Casting Tidbits: Eugene Levy, Jeremy Piven and Casey Affleck« FirstShowing.net

We're now a quarter of an inch tall, and sixty four feet from the Casting Tidbits. That's an equivalent of three-point-two miles. That's a long way. Even for a man of science. First up,Varietyreports the hilariousEugene Levyhas snagged a role in the hockey centric comedyGoon, an adaptation ofDoug Smith and Adam Frattasio's bookGoon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey Into Minor League Hockey. The film follows a bouncer (Seann William Scott) who joins a rag-tag hockey team and inspires them to greatness and Jay Baruchel is already signed on to play his best friend. No word on what character Levy will play, but a good bet might be the coach.

Second, in a press release from Dimension Films, the entire cast has been announced for Robert Rodriguez's action adventure family filmSpy Kids 4: All the Time in the World. Though we've previously mentioned most of the cast members in previous Casting Tidbits, one name has not yet been revealed.Jeremy Pivenis playing the villain known as the Timekeeper who threatens to take over the planet and forces retired agent Marissa Cortez Wilson (Jessica Alba) back into action along with her two twin step-kids with the help of the original Spy Kids Carmen and Juni Cortez (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara). Robert Rodrigiuez is back as director, director of photography, editor and visual effects supervisor on the film.

Next,THRreportsCasey Affleck(Gone, Baby, Gone) andJudd Hirsch(Independence Day) have joined the ever-growing cast of Brett Ratner's action comedyTower Heist. The film follows an overworked manager (Ben Stiller) of an illustrious tower residence who leads a team of defrauded workers in a heist of its penthouse tenant, a Bernie Madoff-type Wall Street capitalist (Alan Alda) who pulled a Ponzi scheme and swindled the staff. Affleck will play Stiller's character's friend who works with him in the high-rise, but wants no part of the heist and wants to turn him and his co-workers in for their scheming. No word on which character Hirsch will play in the film.

Also,EmpirereportsRichard Griffiths(Uncle Vernon from theHarry Potterfranchise) will play King George II inPirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The casting was revealed in a quick chat with Geoffrey Rush who recalled his trend of taking roles advising royalty fromElizabethand the sequelThe Golden AgetoThe King's Speech. Then he continued by saying Barbosa is a privateer in King George II's court where he mentors the historical leader as well.

Finally,Varietyreports the charmingAngela Lansbury(Beauty and the Beast,"Murder, She Wrote") has joined the cast of the adaptation ofMr. Popper's Penguinsstarring Jim Carrey. The story follows Mr. Popper, a high-powered, New York businessman who suddenly inherits six penguins. He soon realizes the difficulties of raising the animals and faces major challenges at work and home. Lansbury is playing Mrs. Van Gundy, the owner of a local tavern that Mr. Popper attempts to buy. She joins a cast that already includes Carla Gugino (Watchmen) and Philip Baker Hall (Magnolia).

Well, that's all for this edition ofCasting Tidbits. Be sure to stay tuned for more casting updates on the way.

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