Casting : Star Trek 2, Lone Ranger, A.C.O.D, Sworn to Silence, Hitchcock

Seems “The Lone Ranger” is galloping again.

The Johnny Depp-Armie Hammer two-hander, directed by “Pirates of the Caribbean” alum Gore Verbinski, will be sprinting towards the shooting stables on February. You’ll recall it was originally due to shoot this year but was delayed because of it’s escalating budget. Once everyone involved agreed on reduced fees and the scripties cut back the script enough to unearth some extra pennies, Disney put the film back in the race.

According to Deadline, casting has begun on the supporting roles. Tom Wilkinson, next seen in a pivotal but unbilled part in “Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol”, will play the villain Latham Cole, while “Luther” star Ruth Wilson is the female lead. Also committing are James Badge Dale (“The Pacific”), Barry Pepper (“The Green Mile”), Helena Bonham Carter (“Ed Wood”), and Dwight Yoakam (“Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”).

Excited “Lone Ranger” fans?

So now that Benicio Del Toro has pulled himself out of the running to succeed the late Ricardo Montalban as Khan, who might step up? According to Variety, two names have surfaced in connection with the highly-coveted role – Edgar Ramirez and Jordi Molla. Ramirez, who hails from Venezuela, was the bad guy in “The Bourne Ultimatum” and played the title role of ‘The Jackal’ in the mini-series “Carlos’; Molla was seen in “Knight & Day” and “Columbiana”.

Del Toro was offered the role of the villain of J.J Abram’s space-set blockbuster but walked on the part over money.

Speaking of “Star Trek 2”, a few days back Peter Weller was announced as joining the cast. EW (via /film) now have details on his role; the site says the “Robocop” star is playing a “C.E.O”.

The family-come-to-blows comedy (the acronym stands for “Adult Children of Divorce”) has snagged the services of seasoned actor Richard Jenkins (“Hall Pass”, “The Visitor”), says Deadline. R

Reuniting Jenkins with his “Step Brothers” co-star Adam Scott, the Stuart Zicherman-directed film “centers on a man (Adam Scott) caught in the crosshairs of his parents’ bitter divorce for the past 20 years. It all rears up when his brother gets engaged and the parental feud blooms anew, with the details revealed in a definitive book on children of divorce. Jenkins will play dad, whose uncompromising lifestyle and vehement distaste for his ex-wife threatens to destroy the wedding.” Shooting begins in March

Former “Party of Five” star Neve Campbell is returning to series television for a new lifetime series “set in the Amish farming community of Painter’s Mill, Ohio, which was shaken up by a series of brutal murders 15 years ago. Kate Burkholder (Campbell), who as a young girl survived the terror and left the Amish life behind, now returns to Painter’s Mill as its Chief of Police. But Kate’s renewed life in her hometown is shattered when a murder investigation triggers deep-seated emotions from her childhood and exposes dark secret that could destroy her.”

“I’ve always admired Neve’s work,” Lifetime Networks’ president and general manager Nancy Dubuc said. “She is a proven talent who will bring a high level of intensity and presence to this role and Sworn to Silence.”

Deadline says a Stephen Gyllenhaal directed telemovie, serving as a backdoor pilot for the series, is coming first.

After years in development, the Sacha Gervasi directed biopic is inching closer towards a Nikon. The project, starring Anthony Hopkins as the famous filmmaker behind “Psycho”, “North by Northwest” and “Strangers on a Train”, was originally set up at Paramount but has now been transferred over to the cats at Fox Searchlight.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Oscar Winner Helen Mirren (“The Debt”) is in talks to play Hitchcock’s wife Alma Reville.

The project looks to shoot in April.