Yes, moviegoers, Mr. Taxi Driver is talking to you — WITH HIS MIND. The two-time Oscar-winning actor has signed a deal to play a psychic in the movie Red Lights, directed by red-hot Buried helmer Rodrigo Cortés, Variety reports. The film — which will begin shooting in February — also stars Weaver as a shrink, who will no doubt be all skeptical and wet blanket-y about De Niro’s supernatural flair.
Psychics of all sorts seem to be pretty popular these days. Matt Damon is courting Oscar buzz with his turn as a spectral communicator in Clint Eastwood’s new movie Hereafter, opening tomorrow. Meanwhile, on the telly, Simon Baker plays a former fake psychic who uses his supreme mental powers to help solve crimes on CBS’ The Mentalist. And over on ABC, Kay Panabaker plays a teenaged mind-reader on the superhero family drama No Ordinary Family. Coming next year, my favorite comic book telepath — Professor Charles Xavier, leader of The X-Men — returns to the big screen in director Matthew Vaughn’s franchise prequel reboot (title: X-Men: First Class) starring James McAvoy as the mind-scanning mutant. Why so many psychics right now? It probably has something to do with our deep yearning for blah blah blah during these blah blah blah times. Actually, it’s probably a coincidence or just lazy Hollywood trend chasing. But feel free to overthink this and post an alternative suggestion below.