Casting Net: Viola Davis boarding 'Prisoners.' Plus: Kristen Stewart to 'Focus' on grifting

Viola Davis
Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Viola Davis has joined Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, and Melissa Leo in Prisoners, a thriller about a father (Jackman) striving to find his kidnapped daughter while a big city detective (Gyllenhaal) stands in his way. Denis Villeneuve (Incendies) is directing from a script by Aaron Guzikowski (Contraband). [TheWrap]

Kristen Stewart is in negotiations to star in Focus, about an experienced con artist (Ben Affleck) who takes on a rookie (Stewart). Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love) are set to direct from their script. [THR]

Imogen Poots (Fright Night) will romantically spar with Zac Efron in the comedy Are We Officially Dating?, about three guys who vow to each other to remain single, and then, wouldn’t you know it, they fall in love. First-time feature filmmaker Tom Gormican is directing from his script. [Deadline]

Bar Paly (The Ruins, next year’s Pain & Gain) has signed onto the thriller Non-Stop, playing a model traveling on a threatened international flight, causing its air marshall (Liam Neeson, who else) to spring into action. Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), Anson Mount (AMC’s Hell on Wheels) and Scoot McNairy (Argo) costar. Jaume Collet-Serra (Unknown) is directing the script by reality TV vets Christopher Roach and John W. Richardson (Big Brother, Wipeout). [Deadline]

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