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A new bloom on ‘Violet & Daisy’

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EXCLUSIVE: “Violet & Daisy” is fast becoming one of the more eccentric/eye-catching projects out there.

When news of it broke a few months ago, it had Oscar winner Geoffrey Fletcher -- best known for writing the emotionally charged drama of “Precious” -- making his feature directorial debut in a movie described as “Thelma & Louise” meets “Superbad” with a helping of “Pulp Ficton.” Carey Mulligan and Saiorse Ronan were attached to star, which we suppose would make them this generation’s Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon.

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Now we’re hearing Bruce Willis is in talks to come aboard the film (which we suppose would make him...Brad Pitt). Willis is generating heat in “Red,” his action romp about a veteran assassin and is, at the age of 55, working as hard as ever. He’s set for the lead in an array of current and upcoming productions, including the video-game adaptation “Kane & Lynch,” the time-travel hit-man picture “Looper” and the action film “Catch .44”

Also negotiating to star in “Violet & Daisy,” sources say, is Danny Trejo, one of the few actors who works harder than Willis. Longtime character actor Trejo is set for his close-up in the upcoming “Machete,” in which he plays the mythic title character.

The casting moves coincide with a switch behind the camera on “Violet & Daisy.” Wendy Finerman, the A-list producer behind “Forrest Gump” and “The Devil Wears Prada,” had been slated to produce “Violet & Daisy.” But Finerman has ceded her role, and the movie will now be produced by entertainment veteran Bonnie Timmermann, who has been getting her producer on lately, also coming on to produce a John Belushi biopic with “Hangover” director Todd Phillips.
Timmermann and Willis have a relationship dating back to the 1980s, when Timmermann helped launch Willis’ career by casting him on an episode of “Miami Vice,” on which she served as casting director. She also put Willis in the apocalyptic hit “Armageddon,” which worked out pretty well at the box office. “Violet & Daisy” is likely to shoot in the fall. We can only imagine how these, um, seeds will grow.

--Steven Zeitchik

http://twitter.com/ZeitchikLAT


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