Mike Myers, Only Remaining Actor Never Attached to ‘Walter Mitty,’ Attached to ‘Walter Mitty’

Myers Plays Mitty: Mike Myers is attached to star in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, based on classic James Thurber story about a daydreamer’s inner world, for 20th Century Fox. Because project has had everyone from Jim Carrey to Whoopi Goldberg attached, Jay Kogen will write a new script “specifically tailored to Myers,� in which Walter Mitty speaks with a Scottish burr and loves hockey. [HR]

Screenwriters Create Co-op: Twelve screenwriters create affiliated company, 1.3.9, aimed at using group bargaining power to help stars get passion pictures made with screenwriters maintaining greater creative control. Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) and Erik Jendresen (Band of Brothers) spearhead the group, which includes John Ridley, Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal, and a bunch of writers you’ve never heard of. Choice McQuarrie quote: “What we have here is an opportunity for writers and actors to jam and make some good movies.� [Variety]

Gugino, Burstyn Aim for Victory: Women’s basketball drama Our Lady of Victory signs Carla Gugino, Ellen Burstyn, and David Boreanaz. Tim Chambers writes and directs. Pic won’t be flashy but will be fundamentally sound. [HR]

Lane, Turturro Crack Nuts: Nathan Lane and John Turturro join Dakota Fanning in fantasy film version of The Nutcracker, with lyrics by Tim Rice set to Tchaikovsky music. Andrei Konchalovsky will direct. [Playbill]

Tonys Abandon “Controversial� Plan: Tony-award telecast floats idea to include performances from non-nominated musicals Legally Blonde and LoveMusik, abandons idea after Broadway uproar. Nominated shows demand to know why they worked so hard to secure a nomination if everyone gets to perform, and also threaten to take toys and go home. [Variety]

Gaines Joins Gypsy: Tony nominee Boyd Gaines will join Patti LuPone in Encores! Summer Series production of Gypsy at City Center in July. Let Boyd entertain you! [Variety]

Channing to London: Stockard Channing will star in Almeida Theatre production of Clifford Odets’s Awake and Sing! in September. [Playbill]

AMC Goes Bad: AMC to green-light Breaking Bad, in which Bryan Cranston will play suburban dad who quits as chemistry teacher and builds meth lab. It seems the smaller the cable network, the grittier the drug; with Showtime’s Weeds already a hit, look for HGTV to green-light series about a suburban hardware-store owner who starts a lucrative business selling spray paint to huffers. [Variety]