Morgan Freeman, Rachel McAdams, Michael Caine, more casting news

* Morgan Freeman is finding his way back to the world of Christopher Nolan. No, the Dark Knight director hasn't signed Freeman onto his highly anticipated next original project. (Though Anne Hathaway might make the leap to sci-fi for that film, Interstellar.) Freeman is in final negotiations to star in the directorial debut of Wally Pfister, Nolan's longtime cinematographer. Nolan is producing the film, called Transcendence. Plot details are being kept under wraps for the sci-fi film, but it's been described as in the vein of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Inception. Already signed on are Johnny Depp, Kate Mara (127 Hours), Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind), and Rebecca Hall (The Town). Alcon Entertainment announced Freeman's casting news via press release on Thursday.

* Another favorite actor of Nolan's, Michael Caine, also scored a new gig today. The British actor, along with Ben Kingsley, has joined the cast of Eliza Graves, a film loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe's 1845 short story The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether. Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) signed on to star earlier this month. The film, which also features Kate Beckinsale (Underworld), will start filming this June. [Deadline]

* Rachel McAdams (The Notebook) is in talks for the next movie from Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous director Cameron Crowe. Story details — and the title — have not yet been revealed, but the cast alone makes this film worth some early excitement. Two of the industry's currently most popular young stars, Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) and Emma Stone (The Amazing Spider-Man) also star. McAdams will play a former lover of Cooper's character. [Deadline]

* Alan Arkin (Argo) will star opposite Jon Hamm in Disney baseball drama Million Dollar Arm. The film is based on the real-life story of sports agent J.B. Bernstein (Hamm), who discovered baseball players Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel through a reality show he staged in India with cricket players. Singh and Patel, who both pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, won the reality show in 2008. Arkin will play a retired baseball scout. [Variety]

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Casting Net: Anne Hathaway may re-team with Christopher Nolan

Casting Net: Jessica Lucas, Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel