Quickhits: Makowski Dances with Paramount, Armstrong Really Likes Gyllenhaal and Stevenson Joins Potter Cast

Posted Aug 23rd 2006 7:03AM

Odds and ends from Tuesday:

Paramount digs murder and the mob after acquiring an untitled action drama, in which they've brought on Max Makowski (who took the Sundance and Cannes scene by storm with his crime thriller, One Last Dance) to serve as director. Written by Dave Callaham, the noir-style pic is said to revolve around the murder of a mob boss and the current and former bodyguards who look to avenge his death.
According to a story in the New York Daily News, cyclist Lance Armstrong has privately confirmed to sources at ESPN that Jake Gyllenhaal will indeed portray him in an upcoming biopic. Armstrong had been spending a lot of time with Gyllenhaal and Matthew McConaughey in hopes that one of them would take the role. Unfortunately for McConaughey, Gyllenhaal looks better in spandex.
The Harry Potter Fan Zone has confirmed that Jessica Stevenson (Shaun of the Dead) has been brought on by Warner Bros. to play the part of Mafalda Hopkirk in next summer's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Those of you Potter fans will remember Hopkirk as a witch from the Improper Use of Magic Office. [via Coming Soon]

'Fone Finds