Movie News: David Fincher Wants Brad Pitt for ‘20,000 Leagues,’ ‘Life of Pi’ Clip, & ‘Machete Kills’ Pic

Machete Kills: Danny Trejo is joined by a wonderfully absurd cast in Machete Kills, including Mel Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez, Lady Gaga, and Charlie Sheen as the President of the United States. The film has been acquired for distribution by Open Road Films, which has released the first official image, featuring Amber Heard as Miss San Antonio and Trejo as the titular ex-Federale Machete. Look for Machete Kills, directed by Robert Rodriguez, in theaters on July 31, 2013. [Collider]

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: David Fincher has been itching to make his own version of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for years, but Disney has been hesitant about pulling the trigger for what is sure to be an expensive project. Now Fincher is reportedly talking to Brad Pitt about starring as Ned Lands, which might seal the deal. In Verne’s book, Lands is a master harpoonist charged with destroying a menacing and mysterious undersea monster; it’s the role played so memorably by Kirk Douglas in Disney’s 1954 version. [Variety via Coming Soon]

Sylvia Kristel: Actress Sylvia Kristel, who gained a certain kind of fame for starring in 1974’s extremely popular softcore film Emmanuelle — which earned more than $ 300 million at the box office! — has died at the age of 60. She appeared in more than 50 films, including a string of roles in mainstream productions like The Nude Bomb and The Concorde … Airport ‘79, but she could never quite escape her best-known role. A generation of American men probably know her best from her starring performance in 1981’s Private Lessons, even if they don’t admit it. [The Guardian]

The Life of Pi Clip: Flying fish figure prominently in a new clip from The Life of Pi, introduced by director Ang Lee. The 3D adventure follows a zookeeper’s son who survives a disaster at sea in the company of a variety of animals; it’s due in theaters on November 21. [Yahoo! Movies]