Anthony Hopkins to play bad guy in 'Arabian Nights'

The great Anthony Hopkins is gearing up for another role as a villain. This time around, he's in talks to board Chuck Russell's 3D action flick "Arabian Nights," which already stars Liam Hemsworth ("The Last Song"). Russell and Barry P. Ambrose wrote the script for the adventure, which shoots later this year.

The story follows Hemsworth in the role of a commander who teams up with Sinbad, Ali Baba and the magic lamp's Genie to protect queen Scheherazade from evil. Heat Vision reports Hopkins would play Pharotu, a ruthless magic man who murdered Sinbad's love. Hopkins will soon be seen in "Thor."

Danielle Panabaker is ‘Prodigy’

Big-screen newcomer Danielle Panabaker has signed on to join Chuck Russell’s upcoming action flick “Prodigy,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.

In the film, an elite school promises to turn teenagers into geniuses via an unconventional treatment. The school’s methods and program, however, comes into question when a rebellious student is linked to the sudden deaths of several alumni.

Panabaker is set to play the gifted daughter of a senator who starts to criticize the head of the school. Also on board in the role of the disobedient youngster is Max Theriot, whose credits include “Nancy Drew,” “Jumper” and the recent “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.”

Russell is directing a script by Dave Kalstein, who adapted his own novel. The project is set to kick into production gear in October.

Panabaker kicked off her big-screen career in 2005’s “Sky High.” She also recently starred in “Yours, Mine and Ours” and “Mr. Brooks.” He next project is Marcus Nispel’s horror remake “Friday the 13th.”