Michael Douglas Faces ‘Indifference’

Douglas to Take On Ford: 2929 Productions casts Michael Douglas in Tragic Indifference, based on landmark product-liability case in which a paralyzed single mother whose Ford Explorer flipped compelled Ford executives to come to her bedside and apologize. Noble paralyzed single mother role not yet cast, but assume it will be Hilary Swank. [Variety]

Titanic Reunion Expands: Joining her Titanic co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates cast in Sam Mendes’s Revolutionary Road. She’ll play the realtor who sells Winslet and DiCaprio their suburban home, then blows their mind in the hot tub. [Hollywood Reporter]

Hillary Clinton Bio Finally Finished: Watergate legend Carl Bernstein’s bio of Hillary Clinton, originally announced by Knopf in 1999, will finally publish in June with 350,000 copy first printing. Clinton campaign collectively grits teeth, says, “That’s great! We welcome the free exchange of ideas.� [WP]

Timbaland, Eminem Join Fitty: Rapper 50 Cent’s next album Curtis produced by Eminem, Dr. Dre, Timbaland; guests include Akon, Eminem, Justin Timberlake, and Mary J. Blige. To make sure they’re feeling what he’s feeling, 50 Cent will shoot each guest with a gun, just a little bit. [Billboard]

MTC Announces Slate: Manhattan Theater Club’s Broadway shows: Theresa Rebeck’s stamp-collecting drama Mauritius and revival of Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls, directed by James MacDonald. Off-Broadway: Abbie Spallen’s Pumpgirl and Adam Bock’s The Receptionist, directed by Joe Mantello and starring Jayne Houdyshell. Expect these good young playwrights to be freaking blown out of the theater by Churchill. [Playbill]

Beauty School to Open: Columbia options Deborah Rodriguez and Kristin Ohlson’s Kabul Beauty School, true story of Rodriguez’s opening up a beautician training academy in Afghanistan, for mid-six figures. Finally, Hollywood finds a way to tart up those chadors. [Publishers Marketplace]