Casting Net: Chris Hemsworth boarding 'In the Heart of the Sea.' Plus: Stephen Colbert, Ray Winstone, Anton Yelchin

* Chris Hemsworth is attached to play the first mate on the whaling ship the Essex in the harrowing real-life naval thriller In the Heart of the Sea. Based on the 2000 book by Nathaniel Philbrick, the story chronicles the grim fate of the Essex's crew after the ship was attacked and capsized by a sperm whale, inspiring Herman Melville's Moby Dick. The project has been circulating Hollywood for years; Charles Leavitt (Blood Diamond) is set to pen this attempt at a production. [Deadline]

* Speaking of fact-based films set in the 19th century, Alfre Woodard has joined the formidable cast of Twelve Years a Slave, director Steve McQueen's follow-up to Shame about a free man (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who is dragooned into slavery. The film costars Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano, and Sarah Paulson. See what I mean about formidable? Yowsah! [THR]

* Stephen Colbert, Allison Janney, Ellie Kemper (Bridesmaids), Ariel Winter (Modern Family), and Stephen Tobolowsky (Groundhog Day) will lend their voices to Mr. Peabody & Sherman, the DreamWorks Animation adaptation of the beloved animated shorts from the Rocky and Bullwinkle family. Colbert will take on the role of Paul Peterson, archrival of Mr. Peabody (Ty Burrell); Janney will play Peterson's wife Paula, and Winter his daughter Penny. Young actor Max Charles (The Amazing Spider-Man) is voicing Sherman. Rob Minkoff (The Lion King) is directing. [THR]

* Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast, Snow White and the Huntsman) is in talks to play the heavy opposite Russell Crowe in Noah, Darren Aronofsky's big-screen take on the Old Testament story. Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, and Douglas Booth round out the cast. [Deadline]

* Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Like Crazy) is joining Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, and John Hurt in Jim Jarmusch's vampire romance Only Lovers Left Alive. Because why not a Jim Jarmusch vampire romance? [Deadline]

* Alessandro Nivola (Jurassic Park III) has joined the West Memphis Three feature film Devil's Knot. He'll play Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of one of the three murdered boys at the heart of the internationally famous case; recent documentaries West of Memphis and Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory both allege Hobbs was responsible for the murders, but he has denied any involvement. Reese Witherspoon will play Hobbs' wife Pam. [Deadline]

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