Joss Whedon

THE SKINNY: New Line Cinema has a top secret plan for a new franchise to take the place of their well-milked LORD OF THE RINGS cash cow. Its name is OSIRIS RELEASE, and the idea is to line up a cast of international hot young things in a super-powered action extravaganza.

The studio is in talks with TV dreamboats Ian Somerhalder (LOST), Matthew Bomer (TRU CALLING), Jason Behr (ROSWELL), Jared Leto (MY SO-CALLED LIFE), Kevin Zegers (ZOOM), Mitch Morris (QUEER AS FOLK) and Bryan Greenberg (ONE TREE HILL) for the main American roles.

And to reach the international market, they are casting foreign actors such as France’s Gaspard Ulliel (HANNIBAL RISING), Britain’s Lee Williams (NEW STREET LAW), Italy’s Riccardo Scamarcio (CRIME NOVEL), German actor Knut Berger (WALK ON WATER), Brazilian Reynaldo Gianecchini (BELISSIMA), and Argentine actress Emilia Attías.

Director Hideo Nakata left the project and now a new director is being sought after. Joss Whedon, Takashi Shimizu, Alejandro Amenabar and James McTeigue are in talks to take the empty chair.

OSIRIS RELEASE concerns five young men who discover that they are the reincarnations of ancient Egyptian Gods. Situated in the modern day world, the new gods will have to use their super powers to protect the world from the apocalypse and a group of enemies yet to come.

Scheduled for a late 2008 release, the studio expects OSIRIS to launch a new franchise.