“The Lord of the Rings” star Sean Astin is in final negotiations and “Blade’s” Steven Dorff is set to topline the indie feature “The Mule.” Production begins in June on location in London and Amsterdam. Geoffrey Wright (“Romper Stomper”) is directing. The project is based on the true story of two Hollywood stuntmen (Astin and Dorff) who began making supply runs of the drug Ecstasy between Amsterdam and Los Angeles during the actors strike in the ’90s. What started off as a quick, easy way to make money turned in to an elaborate operation in Europe. Astin, repped by Writers & Artists, manager Joel Stevens and attorney David Feldman, will segue into “Mule” after he wraps shooting Columbia Pictures’ “50 First Kisses,” starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore (HR 3/17). [More]