Campaign Finance: The George Clooney–directed film Ides of March (previously titled Farragut North), based on the story of Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential campaign, is finally getting financed. The backers are Exclusive Media Group chairman Guy East and Nigel Sinclair, and Cross Creek Pictures president Brian Oliver. Clooney recently selected Ryan Gosling for the main role of a campaign aide, replacing Leonardo DiCaprio (whose company will still help produce the film). Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, and Evan Rachel Wood are also starring. Shooting will begin in February in Michigan (!) and Ohio (!!). [Deadline]
Good Morning: The producers of Breaking Dawn, the final pair of movies in the Twilight saga, released a list of actors who would be playing undisclosed secondary roles in the movie. The most prominent on the list is Wire star Wendell Pierce. [Deadline]
Raymond Does Russia: Exporting Raymond, the documentary by Phil Rosenthal about his attempt to make a Russian version of Everybody Loves Raymond, was acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films. Rosenthal was the creator of the original Raymond. The movie had reportedly been developing a lot of buzz for a documentary — mainly because it’s allegedly funny (more so than the show?). [HR]
Less Shame: Vanessa Bell Calloway, a veteran of Spike Lee movies and TNT’s Hawthorne, will be joining the cast of Shameless, Showtime’s upcoming William H. Macy vehicle. She will play the mother of Shanola Hampton’s (You Again) character. [HR]
