Casting Notes: Greta Gerwig In Arthur Remake; Kristen Stewart In On The Road; Tim Gunn In The Smurfs

It's breakout time for Greta Gerwig. She had a slightly (very slightly) more mainstream part than usual in Noah Baumbach's Greenberg and a great little role in The House of the Devil (pictured above). Now there's a report that she is in talks to take Liza Minelli's old role in the brewing remake of Arthur. Russell Brand is already set up with Dudley Moore role, as a drunk, self-indulgent playboy who falls for a charming blue-collar shoplifter (that would be Gerwig), while Helen Mirren is reportedly taking the droll role butler played by John Gielgud.

On one hand, this remake seems utterly absurd and pointless. On the other, Gerwig is a fantastic choice for the part. She's the first aspect of this equation that has made me thing, "yeah, ok, I might see that." [Deadline]

After the break, On the Road takes another step, and a fashionable guy gets Smurfed.

The Walter Salles-directed adaptation of Jack Kerouac's On the Road continues to slowly roll forward. Kristen Stewart is saying she has a part, alongside Garrett Hedlund as Dean Moriarty and, reportedly, Sam Riley as Sal Paradise. Stewart will play Mary Lou, the young bride of Dean Moriarty. (Moriarty being a surrogate for Neal Cassady and Paradise being an alternate version of Kerouac, you'll recall.) [USA Today]

Finally, the Smurfs keep racking up actors. This time, though, the latest addition isn't actually an actor — it's Project Runway mentor / voice of sanity Tim Gunn. He'll be part of the live-action cast for the film, which also features Neil Patrick Harris, Hank Azaria and Sofia Vergara. Once all the live-action stuff is shot, director Raja Gosnell will oversee Katy Perry, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, Alan Cumming, Jeff Foxworthy, Wolfgang Puck and Jonathan Winters in the voice booth as they act out dialogue for the CGI blue guys. (And girl.) [Variety]