Casting Net: Alice Eve joins 'Criminal'

• Alice Eve (Stark Trek Into the Darkness) has signed on for Criminal, joining Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Tommy Lee Jones, and Gary Oldman. Ariel Vromen will helm the thriller, which tells the story of a convict who has a dead CIA operative’s memories implanted into his brain in the hopes that he can complete the agent’s mission. Douglas Cook and David Weisberg wrote the script. Chris Bender, J.C. Spink, Mark Gill, and Matt O’Toole are producing. Avi Lerner, John Thompson, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, Lati Groman, Christa Campbell, Christine Crow, and Jason Bloom are executive producing. [THR]

• Jillian Bell (22 Jump Street) has joined Sony’s untitled Christmas Eve comedy project. The film also stars Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anthony Mackie. Jonathan Levine (50/50) wrote the script and will direct the film from Sony, Good Universe, and Point Grey Pictures, which follows a group of friends whose annual Christmas holiday reunion results in chaos. Bell will play Betsy, wife to Rogen’s character, who provides the drugs for the friends’ one last hurrah. Nathan Kahane and Joe Drake will produce for Good Universe. Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Weaver will produce for Point Grey Pictures. Ariel Shaffir and Kyle Hunter will also produce. [Deadline]

• Beau Knapp (The Signal) has signed on for Southpaw. The Weinstein Company film follows a welterweight boxing champion, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who rises in his career while his personal life crumbles. Knapp will play Jon Jon, best friend to the fighter since their days in foster care. Kurt Sutter wrote the script. Antoine Fuqua will direct. [Deadline]

• Cullen Douglas (Scandal) has been cast as Vincent Bogel in the indie flick Wrong Side of Right. The film, directed by Alex Ranarivelo, follows a woman who goes undercover to reveal an inhumane dog breeder. Nico Evers-Swindell will also appear in the film. [Deadline]