According to SpoilerTV, the movie is currently casting the mother of Mila Kunis' character. Kunis (That 70s Show, Max Payne) plays Solara. And according to the casting call, Solara's mom, Claudia, has been blind since birth. The villain Carnegie (Gary Oldman) captured Claudia as a prize long ago, and now he uses her as a sexual toy. Claudia goes along with it, because if she refuses Carnegie anything, it'll mean "torment for her child." But eventually, Claudia gets her revenge somehow.

And then there are a couple of minor villains. Carnegie has a "bull-necked second-in-command" named Hoyt, who foolishly tries to challenge Carnegie's orders once too often, and gets shot to death for his affrontery.

Also, there's Martz, the leader of a marauding biker gang who commits robbery, rape and murder before breakfast. He's illiterate, but knows that Carnegie will pay top dollar for a very special book. So he brings in every book he can find. He's dumb enough to confront Eli (Denzel Washington) and watches in horror as his men are sliced to ribbons, Samurai style. (Note the Samurai motif in the teaser poster.) Then Martz adds to his mistake by trying to hit Eli from behind — only to get killed quickly.

If the casting call is for real, it definitely sounds as though the Hughes brothers are sticking close to their exploitation movie roots. But with an A-list cast on board, which can't hurt. [SpoilerTV]

Coming Soon has the first look at the art:

According to the official synopsis:

"Washington plays a survivor who must fend off gangs and a brutal tyrant in a desolate wasteland. Oldman will play the film's villain, a "despot of a small and pathetic town, who’s determined to get a hold of Eli’s book."

Production on the film starts in January of 2009.

[Coming Soon]