Channing Tatum to star in 'White House Down'

I still remember the awe of seeing the aliens in Independence Day blow up the White House from their ship. That's the kind of iconic image that stays with viewers. Sony's betting big on its fast-track project White House Down, which promises more money shots of rarely seen sections of the President's residence. Channing Tatum is now attached to star in the project, playing a Secret Service agent and single dad who must save the President. Tatum has a surprisingly diverse portfolio for a rising star. He's alternated between playing the heartthrob (The Vow, Dear John), testosterone-fueled roles (G.I. Joe, The Eagle, Haywire) and now comedy (21 Jump Street). He's the kind of rising star that can bring in audiences from different demographics.

James Vanderbilt, who scripted Sony's summer tentpole The Amazing Spider-Man (coming out in July), has been pulled away from working on the sequel in order to move this project forward. The project is being described as "Die Hard in the White House," with a paramilitary group playing the part of the villain. Even the mud on the collar of the Secret Service, thanks to their evening activities in Colombia, haven't dampened Sony's enthusiasm for this project. The studio just dated it for a Nov 1, 2013, release, the beginning of the end-of-the-year movie season.

There's another twist to White House Down--it has a competing project, Olympus Has Fallen. When I last reported on the two dueling White House films, Olympus had the edge, with a reported start date in June. However, with a star lined up, a release date, and a summer production start date, it now seems like Sony's project has the edge. Forget the action between the Secret Service and a paramilitary group, it seems like in Hollywood getting there first is half the battle.