Steve Buscemi may try to film “Burt Wonderstone” during his next break from the land of cardboard collars. 

Steve Buscemi used to be known mostly for playing oddball sidekicks and second bananas.  He always was the kind of actor that other actors and directors liked to work with, but most audience members would have referred to him this way: ”Oh yeah, that guy, I saw him in that other thing, what was that? Where he played the…you know. Yeah, he was good.”

After being cast in the lead role of Nucky Thompson, kingpin of Prohibition-era Atlantic City in HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” he’s won a much higher profile, so hopefully more people at least have his name down. And hopefully he’ll have time to join the cast of “Burt Wonderstone,” the magician movie starring Steve Carell and Jim Carrey. Deadline says Buscemi has been offered the role of Anton, the partner of Wonderstone (Carell) in their successful magic act. When Anton leaves the act, Wonderstone goes into a tailspin and gets tangled in a rivalry with another magician, played by Carrey.

For Buscemi, it’s just a case of trying to fit it into his hiatus from “Boardwalk Empire.” Last year he squeezed in a role in “Rampart,” the Oren Moverman film starring Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster, which will be out for an awards qualifying run in November, then open wider in January. It also looks like he played some kind of role in the adaptation of “On the Road” coming out next year, but IMDb didn’t list who he played. Interesting. Anyway, I’m sure the producers of “Boardwalk Empire” can make sure Buscemi has time for “Burt Wonderstone.” Otherwise he’ll start watering down the liquor in the HBO execs offices.

The great Lon Chaney Jr. in the 1941 “Wolfman.” 

I love it when a movie is in progress and still doesn’t have a title! That inspires so much confidence in the decisiveness and artistic vision of the creators (”I don’t know…why don’t we just get started and see how it looks later?” “Yeah, or we could focus group it.” “Right, that’s what we’ll do–let the focus group name it.”).

The latest untitled in question is a werewolf film at Universal that has just begun filming. Yes, werewolfs are the new vampires, or zombies. Quick, titles for a werewolf movie:

• “Werewolf!”
• “Night of the Werewolf”
• “Moonlight and Werewolves”
• “I Loved a Werewolf!”
• “I Am a Werewolf”
• “The Werewolf Game”
• “True Wolf”
• “Wolf Blood”
• “Legend of the Were”
• “Teen Wolf” (oops, already taken).

Anyway, Universal is so excited about this movie–the one that they haven’t even temp titled–that they issued an enormous press release, which I will share with you:

There’s no safe place to hide as the all-new supernatural Untitled Werewolf Thriller begins principal photography in and around Bucharest, Romania. Universal celebrates its storied history of creatures and horror with an exhilarating original adventure that embraces the popular cultural resurgence of the age-old werewolf myth. Breathtaking action and nail-biting suspense collide as an army of bounty hunters descend on a tiny hamlet in search of the most terrifying monster they have ever fought. The latest entry in the hugely successful DVD Originals™ line from Universal 1440 Entertainment, a production entity of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Untitled Werewolf Thriller will be released on Blu-ray™, DVD, Digital Download and On Demand in time for Halloween 2012.

“Universal introduced the movie-going public to the ‘creature feature’ more than a half century ago,” said Glenn Ross, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Universal 1440 Entertainment. “Today, audiences are once again enthralled by supernatural creatures in books, on television and in movies. Audiences young and old will enjoy this completely new take on a timeless story that is an essential part of Universal’s legacy.”

Untitled Werewolf Thriller stars Stephen Rea (V for Vendetta, The Crying Game), Steven Bauer (Scarface, Primal Fear), Ed Quinn (”True Blood,” “Eureka”), Nia Peeples (”Pretty Little Liars,” “Walker Texas, Ranger”), Guy Wilson (Almost Kings, Little Black Book), Adam Croasdell (”Supernatural,” “East Enders”) and Rachel DiPillo (”Law & Order,” “The Gates”).

Louis Morneau (Joy Ride II, Hitcher II: I’ve Been Waiting) directs the nightmarish hunt through an idyllic countryside shattered by an unstoppable beast. The film is produced by Mike Elliott (The Devils Rejects, Smokin’ Aces 2), from a screenplay by Michael Tabb and the writing team of Louis Morneau & Catherine Cyran. A top-flight production team has also been assembled, including director of photography Philip Robertson, production designer David Hirschfield and costume designer Oana Paunescu. The editor is Mike Jackson.

SYNOPSIS

A monstrous creature terrorizes a 19th Century European village by moonlight and a young man struggles to protect his loved ones from an unspeakable scourge in Untitled Werewolf Thriller, Universal Studios’ all-new addition to its time-honored legacy of supernatural thrillers. During his studies with the local doctor (Stephen Rea), Daniel (Guy Wilson) witnesses the horrific consequences of werewolf attacks. Watching as the beast’s fearsome reputation draws bounty hunters, thrill seekers and charlatans to the tiny town, Daniel dreams of destroying the ruthless predator. So when a mysterious stranger (Ed Quinn) and his team of skilled werewolf hunters (Stephen Bauer, Adam Croasdell) arrive to pursue the monster, he offers to join them, despite his mother’s (Nia Peeples) protests. But it soon becomes clear that this creature is stronger, smarter and more dangerous than anything they have faced before. As casualties mount and villagers see their neighbors transformed into ravening monsters, the townsfolk take up arms against each other to find the true identity of the werewolf. Amid the hysteria, Daniel begins to suspect he’s closer to his target than he ever dreamed. 

As you may have read above, this will go straight to video and VOD. Good heavens.

Justin Timberlake may go acoustic for the Coens. 

Remember when Justin Timberlake sang? No, seriously, jump into the time machine and go back to…wow, 2006, when “FutureSex/LoveSounds” was released. He brought sexy back and was on top of the musical world. And decided he wanted to act. Since then, no studio albums, no major song releases. Sure, he’s done some singing since then (”Saturday Night Live,” of course), but no real musical appearances while he concentrated on his movie career.

Now, though, we have some news that makes you wonder if we soon will see Justin Timberlake singing onscreen again. Variety reported the other day that the Coen brothers have offered Timberlake a lead role in their next film, “Inside Llewyn Davis.” Oscar Isaac is playing the title role and Carey Mulligan is also in the cast.

The film, set in the folk music scene in Greenwich Village in the 1960s, tells the story of Llewyn Davis, a talented musician who just can’t seem to find his big break. The story is supposedly based on real life singer Dave Van Ronk, who was friends with Bob Dylan and other stars of the era but who you’ve never heard of, because, well, he just never got his big break. Timberlake has been offered the role of Jim, the husband of Mulligan’s character Jean. Jim is supposed to be a musician, and the Coens have never been shy about using music in their movies, so it seems like Timberlake would have to sing.

I don’t mean to make this seem like I, or anyone else really, is sitting around crying in our soup because Justin Timberlake hasn’t been doing any music-related projects. I find it interesting for two other reasons, though: if he accepts it, I would think that means that he has decided he has made it as an actor and doesn’t have to worry about being labeled as a “singer who does some movies sometimes.” I also think it kind of means you can only run from your true self for so long.

Timberlake wisely started out taking on supporting parts in movies, with his big breakthrough (like the one Llewyn Davis never got) coming with his role as Napster founder Sean Parker in “The Social Network.” Since then he’s played the lead in two very different movies, the romantic comedy “Friends with Benefits” and the scifi action film “In Time.” The former did well for what it was, a relatively low budget comedy; the bigger deal “In Time” struggled this weekend, but I don’t think you can blame that on Timberlake.

So we await the word on whether he’ll take the Coens’ offer or not. Most actors would jump at the chance to work with them, so you’d think he’d have to say yes. If Timberlake says no, you’d think he had some reason why he pretty much never wants to sing again.

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