Gossip Girl: Movers and Shakers Take Note

No new Gossip Girl this week *tear* so instead I’m going to go over the projects in the works for our favorite Upper East Siders. In case you can’t get enough of the cast during your weekly dose of madness and mayhem on The CW, here are their plans for 2010.

Chace Crawford – Besides the fact that he’s agreed to play Ren McCormack in the 2010 remake of the classic Footloose opposite Julianne Hough (Dancing With the Stars), Chace Crawford has two additional projects slated for next year. The first is a drug/crime film called Twelve in which he plays a character named White Mike (I have no idea about the name). The film also stars 50 cent and Emma Roberts (Hotel For Dogs, Nancy Drew, and Aquamarine). The third is a rumored appearance in Upstate, also starring Mischa Barton (The O.C.). Few details are available at this time.

Blake Lively – Ms. Lively still has two movies scheduled for 2009 that have either been pushed back or not released nationally at this time. Both actually made my To See list, and I look forward to their release in the Midwest. We are last in line for everything trendy, unfortunately. The first is The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, a drama starring Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, and Maria Bello, among others. Lively plays the younger version of the main character, Pippa Lee. The second is the star-filled New York, I Love You, where everyone’s part is essentially a cameo. It should do well in the box office because basically, there isn’t anyone who’s not in this movie. For 2010, Blake Lively is working on a crime/thriller opposite Ben Affleck, playing Krista in a film entitled The Town.

Ed Westwick – I have to say, Mr. Westwick’s 2010 project excites me more than just a little. Wuthering Heights is one of my all-time favorite books. Definitely in my top five, and strangely enough, I can see him playing Heathcliff. Chuck Bass and Heathcliff actually have much in common and I am excited to see him translate the character. Since Bella reads the book obsessively in Twilight and has made it a best seller again worldwide, look for the Twilight audience to attend this film. Starring opposite Ed is up-and-comer Gemma Arterton, the Bond girl from Quantum of Solace. Look for her in The Prince of Persia, slated for early summer 2010 as well. The previews look impressive.

Leighton Meester – She portrays my favorite character on Gossip Girl, and she’s taking her talents to the big screen early next year. Leighton has a smaller role in Date Night, the Steve Carrell and Tina Fey comedy that’s sure to be a juggernaut at the box office with the force of their names alone. Rounding out the cast are, among others, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, and Mark Ruffalo. In sure to be less impressive fashion, she’s starring as Rebecca  in The Roommate, a crime/thriller set to release in 2010 as well. Co-stars include Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights, 500 Days of Summer) and…try not to shriek, people…Cam Gigandet (Twilight, The O.C.)

Penn Badgley – Topping the dismal box office receipts of The Stepfather shouldn’t be too hard. At least Penn Badgley is soldiering on in 2010 with the release of Easy A, a teen comedy. Box office should be improved by the again shriek-worthy Cam Gigandet, as well as Emma Stone (House Bunny, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Zombieland) and a personal favorite of mine, Amanda Bynes (Hairspray, Sydney White, She’s the Man). Also, Lisa Kudrow (Friends) will make an appearance.

Jessica Szohr – I am surprised at how many irons young Jessica has in the fire, to be honest. She doesn’t stand out for me on Gossip Girl, but hey, maybe the big screen will bring out her inner sizzle. IMDB has a 2009 project listed that I didn’t hear of or see released, but again, I live in the Midwest. It’s called Fired Up, and is a teen comedy starring other as-yet fairly unknown actors Nicholas D’Agosto (Heroes), Eric Christian Olsen (Eagle Eye, Sunshine Cleaning), and Sarah Roemer (Disturbia). For next year, she’ll have a part in Piranha 3D as Kelly, a horror flick about Loch Ness-type piranhas. I had to read the description a few times before I believed it, but that’s really what it’s about. Also talked/coerced/bribed/forced to do this film are Elizabeth Shue, Christoper Lloyd, Richard Dreyfuss, Jerry O’Connell, and Steven McQueen. Bigger names, people who should know better…perhaps is it better than it sounds. Ms. Szohr is also rumored to have a part in a film called Walks, still in pre-production.

Notice no mention of Taylor Momsen. It’s not because I can’t stand her, I swear. Apparently, neither can casting directors, because she has no projects in the works (besides Gossip Girl) at this time. So, by my count, if you want to see more of this cast you have twelve movies to see in 2010. Apparently, we aren’t going to be able to throw a dart at the 2010 box office without hitting a film starring someone from Gossip Girl, Twilight, or The O.C. What is this world coming to? There are, in my opinion, also some really great movies coming out in the next 60 days and beyond. Stay tuned to poptimal.com for those reviews. XOXO.

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Mondays at 8/7C, The CW

Photographs courtesy of The CW, Andrew Eccles, Eric Liebowitz