the industry

Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore Go Blind

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Ruffalo, Moore All Allegorical: Mark Ruffalo signs on to star with Julianne Moore in Blindness, adaptation of Jose Saramago’s novel about a town in which everyone goes blind. Don McKellar wrote the screenplay; Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener) will direct. Psst: It’s a metaphor! [Variety]

Pasdar Writes, Bening Acts in Geffen Season: The Geffen Playhouse in L.A. announces 2007–2008 slate, including Annette Bening in American premiere of The Female of the Species by Joanna Murray-Smith. Other premieres include The Elephant in the Room by Donald Margulies, Quality of Life by Jane Anderson, and Atlanta, a Civil War–set musical by country songwriter Marcus Hummon and Heroes actor Adrian Pasdar. He can fly and he can write! He is a Superman for our gentle age! [Playbill]

New Ahrens-Flaherty Musical at Lincoln Center: Lincoln Center Theater will produce The Glorious Ones, by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, about commedia dell’arte and theatrical history. New musical by Ragtime pair premiered in Pittsburgh this spring and will open at Lincoln Center in November. [Playbill]

Crowe Has Fear of God: Russell Crowe creates own production company, Fear of God Films, and options spec screenplay Dolce’s Inferno by former U.K. television executive Mark Staufer. Script is a romantic comedy about a gossip columnist; Crowe will produce but not star. [Variety]

McPheever on Film: American Idol runner-up Katherine McPhee signs on for first film role, in Michael Albanese’s indie romantic drama The Last Caller. We boldly predict film will not be as good as Dreamgirls but may scale the heights of From Justin to Kelly. [HR]

Working Title Takes Project to Heart: Working Title Films acquires feature remake rights to award-winning BBC doc Young@Heart, about senior-citizen rock-and-rollers. Bea Arthur, call your agent! [HR]

Movies Rock for Condé Nast: Condé Nast and the Producers Guild team up for December 2 “Movies Rock†event, to be broadcast on CBS. Event will explore influence of music on movie business and will tie in with special sections in fourteen Condé Nast publications. Details are sketchy, but expect everyone to be totally synergalistic. [Variety]

Bronson Sells Parenting Book: Jonathan Karp of Grand Central Publishing’s Twelve imprint preempts Po Bronson’s next book, adapted from his New York article “How Not to Talk to Your Kids: The Inverse Power of Praise.†That Po Bronson: so hardworking! [PW]