Corona | Coming Attractions

Entertainment Weekly ran a photo of a bald Matt Damon from a moment we'll see in Elysium. The Playlist ran a scan of the photo first, so let's single them out with some kudos.

Character actor William Fichtner (Drive Angry 3D) is in talks to join Elysium's cast. He's said to be in final negotiations. No information about Fichtner's character is known at the present time.

Wagner Moura, cast member of the well-received Brazilian action movies The Elite Squad and its sequel, has been cast as an ex-con in Elysium.

Sony Pictures has also announced the release date for Elysium, and it's March 8, 2013.

Sony Pictures has beat out the competition and will distribute Elysium worldwide when it comes out in 2012. Filming starts in July on location in Vancouver before moving on to Mexico City. Deadline has confirmed that legendary visual conceptual design Syd Mead (Aliens, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Blade Runner) will be involved in creating the future landscapes for the film, which is set 100 years into the future.

Director Neill Blomkamp said, "I literally could not be happier.  I have a brilliant relationship with Sony. I loved them during District 9, they 100% get this film and they get me. Elysium is in very good hands."

According to Deadline, Jodie Foster is the third cast member to join Neill Blomkamp's Elysium. The part that the two-time Oscar-winning actress will play is unknown but she joins the previously announced Matt Damon and Sharlto Copley. She's currently filming God of Carnage, Roman Polanski's next film.

Matt Damon is in the early phase of talks to join the cast of Elysium.

A lot of news about this project came out today from Deadline. Among the data points that were dissected:

• Sharlto Copley will be reteaming with his buddy Neill Blomkamp in the new movie.
• Blomkamp and Media Rights Capital, the company that the filmmaker is working with on Elysium, are taking meetings with studios and that there is a "lot of interest" in the project.
• A graphic novel will also come out with the movie.
• The story isn't just set on another planet but also takes place in the future.
• Deadline's source describes Elysium's storyline as filled with "many sociopolitical ideas wrapped up inside a Hollywood action film."
• Meetings have started with the representatives of actors (none were named except for Copley.)

According to these guys, the rumors that Neill Blomkamp will be directing The Hobbit are untrue. They also tell us that the District 9 director is writing the script for Elysium, his next film -- and that it's set on another planet.

While talking about his hit film District 9 at this year's Comic-Con, director Neill Blomkamp teased the audience about a new science fiction project that he's thinking about:

"I've got one science fiction idea that I'm absolutely in love with, which I'm pretty sure is going to be my next film. 99% sure…It's totally original, it's my own story…It's set on another planet, but it's cool. It's violent, very violent, and very unique hopefully. We'll see."