Early Edition: Wes Anderson Begins 'Moonrise Kingdom'; Barry Levinson Takes on 'Gotti'; More

Wes Andersonis a slowpoke when it comes to making films -- there's generally a three-year gap between projects (his last was 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' in 2009) -- so it's about time that he began working on a new one. According toThe Playlist,that project is'Moonrise Kingdom,'a story set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s that follows a young boy and girl falling in love who run away together, causing their town to be turned upside town as the townspeople search for them. The cast is impressive: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman. The 12-year-old boy and girl at the center of the film are newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. Filming has just begun in Rhode Island for a 2012 release.

There's more news on'The Dictator'front, the Sacha Baron Cohen comedy in which he plays the dual roles of a goat herder and a deposed foreign ruler who gets lost in the U.S.:Anna Farisis in negotiations to play the female lead opposite Baron Cohen, according toDeadline.Faris will play the owner of a Whole Foods-style store in New York. Jason Mantzoukas and Ben Kingsley will co-star in the film, being directed by 'Borat' helmer Larry Charles.

Here's an offer we guess he couldn't refuse:Barry Levinsonis taking the reins of'Gotti: Three Generations,'the Mafia saga originally to be directed by Nick Cassavetes, who had to leave the project because of scheduling conflicts, according toThe Wrap.The film has the blessing of John Gotti Jr. John Travolta stars as John Gotti Sr., the head of the Gambino crime family, Lindsay Lohan will play John Gotti Jr.'s wife, Kim, and Joe Pesci stars as Gotti Sr.'s right-hand man, Angelo Ruggiero.

Next up for Thor? 'Snow White'? According toVariety,'Thor' starChris Hemsworthis the front-runner to play the huntsman in'Snow White and the Huntsman'opposite Kristen Stewart. The role of the huntsman -- pivotal to the film since it's about the relationship between Snow White and the huntsman, who's ordered to kill her by the evil queen (Charleze Theron), but instead helps her escape -- had been offered first to Viggo Mortensen and then to Hugh Jackman. Universal next turned to Joel Edgerton, who's still in the running, but has taken a back seat to Hemsworth, who can have the role if his work on Marvel's 'The Avengers' doesn't get in the way.

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