Cornelius Crane Back on the Small Screen: Chevy Chase is set to make an abbreviated return to the small screen for a three-episode arc in Chuck. Chevy will play a obscenely rich tech mogul who Chuck’s father accuses of stealing his ideas. You’ll have to suspend disbelief to watch this role: Chase almost certainly doesn’t even know how to use a computer. [HR]
Is That Really His Name?: Michael Scott is getting a new rival in Dunder Mifflin corporate. Idris Elba, most recently seen in The Unborn, has been cast to play a no-nonsense hire at the paper company’s corporate office who throws Michael’s life into turmoil. [Variety]
Mini-Amy: UCBer Aubrey Plaza has joined the cast of the show that’s only being called Amy Poehler’s not-Office sitcom. Plaza will play an intern shadowing Poehler, the deputy chairman of the department of parks and recreation in Pawnee, Indiana. Pay close attention, America; soon internships will be the only jobs available. [HR]
TV’s Don: Don Cheadle and his Crescendo production company have signed a two-year first-look deal with NBC. Under the agreement, Crescendo will develop several series for the network. “Don Cheadle is such a smart and dynamic presence both on the screen and behind the scenes,†said Angela Bromstad, president of prime-time entertainment for NBC. “We are already at work discussing ideas that will bring Don’s strong and creative voice to our prime-time schedule.†Maybe he’ll join The Office, too. [HR]
Scammed: Universal has picked up an untitled script from writer Michael Gillio with plans to develop it as a vehicle for Gore Verbinski to direct. The drama focuses on a retired rancher who gets scammed out of his life savings. “The script taps into the shaken trust the public has toward once-trusted institutions and examines how the people behind these institutions are sometimes themselves as much victims of the same blind trust,†said Jonathan Krauss, senior veep of Verbinski’s Blind Wink Prods. Sounds like the type of escapist Hollywood fare America is looking for. [Variety]