What is Casting Couch? The day’s casting news, all in one place, because you’re a very busy person. At this point we don’t know anything concrete about the secret project Brad Bird is directing over at Disney. It’s largely being developed under the code name 1952, but for a minute it was being called Tesla. It’s rumored to be a science fiction film involving aliens, but in what regard isn’t clear. It’s said that Disney is thinking of it as a major tentpole release, but why it would have such mass appeal is being kept under wraps. All we have is rumors. And the latest rumor for the pile, courtesy of Variety, is that The Facts of Life star George Clooney is currently negotiating to star. If this proves to be true and Bird lands Clooney, that would be a pretty big step toward making this the blockbuster sort of feature that Disney wants it to be. And, generally, what Disney wants, Disney gets.

Not only is it the title of Scott Derrickson‘s next project, Beware the Night is just good advice. It’s scary out there, what with all the werewolves and ghosts and whatnot terrorizing the streets when the sun goes down. According to The Wrap, Derrickson will be delivering this public service announcement in the form of a supernatural story where an NYC policeman investigates demons and other things of a terrifying nature. That’s certainly a healthy step for a writer/director with a ton of momentum. After emerging in the horror world in 2000, Derrickson really made a mark with The Exorcism of Emily Rose, took a big budget shot with the Day the Earth Stood Still remake, but has found better success in the low budget world – particularly with the forthcoming buzz-earning Sinister and as the writer of the Atom Egoyan project Devil’s Knot. On a more basic level, this project just sounds fun. The logline feels a bit like what R.I.P.D. could be like with a real-life cop and less comedy. At the very least it’s great to see a fresh horror voice emerge and for more horror to find its way onto the big screen, especially when it’s so educational.