Isabel Lucas from 'Transformers' Joins 'Red Dawn'

Four up-and-coming actors have been added to the cast of the remake of Red Dawn, due out next September. Probably the highlight for summer movie fans is Isabel Lucas, the female Transformer who blended into her surroundings by becoming a hot college chick instead of, I don't know, a Vespa or something. Lucas will be joined by Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia), Edwin Hodge from Fox's Mental, and Connor Cruise, the adopted 14-year-old son of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Already lined up are Chris Hemsworth, the new Thor, Josh Peck, Adrianne Palicki, and possibly Kurt Russell. Freshy fresh director Dan Bradley is in charge of the remake, one of three key 80s updates MGM is taking on (RoboCop and Poltergeist are also on the way), and even though there aren't big names coming on board, I think this is probably the right kind of casting. For Red Dawn, I think you want it to be a little more anonymous, the way cloverfield was, and I have a feeling going with a similar visual style is probably in order, too. Give it a verisimilitude. They're shooting Red Dawn beginning next month in Detroit, and the only question I have is how they're going to adjust the story to fit the contemporary era. Otherwise, it looks like it's on the right track to me.