Whedon Gets Scary: Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford have been cast in the horror movie The Cabin in the Woods, co-written by Joss Whedon and Cloverfield’s Drew Goddard; Goddard is also directing. According to reports, the actors will play “white-collar co-workers with a mysterious connection to the cabin†in a film that its makers promise will provide a new twist on the “young-people-stranded-in-the-woods horror trope†(since Jenkins and Whitford are old). [HR]
More Blart Fallout: Sony Pictures TV will produce Dusty Peacock, a web series created by Kevin James and starring his brother Gary Valentine as a crappy illusionist, for crackle.com. James may also direct the webisodes. If you’re worried that Paul Blart: Mall Cop’s success means that James gets to cast his unfamous brother in whatever he wants, fear not: Valentine is a successful actor in his own right and has appeared in many major motion pictures, most notably Paul Blart: Mall Cop. [Variety]
Whoa-oh, Here She Comes: Judy Greer, Philip Winchester, Gregory Harrison and Maria Conchita Alonso have joined the cast of Maneater, a Lifetime miniseries starring Sarah Chalke as a shallow Hollywood socialite looking to net a husband, which proves difficult because she’s wild, a she-cat tamed by the purr of a Jaguar (presumably). [HR]
Maguire Gets People: Tobey Maguire’s Maguire Entertainment and Film 360 is set to produce Marcus Sakey’s crime-novel Good People — about a couple in debt from fertility treatments who find a bushel of money in their dead-tenant’s apartment — with Maguire calling dibs on a role himself if he so chooses. Early word says Maguire is leaning away from playing the dead guy. [Variety]
It Feels Pretty Good: D’Angelo will team up with Prince on James River, his first new album since 2000, promised for a summer release on J Records. The album will also supposedly feature appearances from Cee-Lo, Raphael Saadiq, Mark Ronson and Roy Hargrov — great news because we’ve been looking for something to look forward to that will never actually happen. [Billboard]
Obama TV: Johnny Wright, Michelle Obama’s hairstylist, has signed a deal with production company 44 Blue to star in his own reality TV show. Wright is reportedly pleased with the deal, but still a bit miffed that no one at 44 Blue was returning his calls back when he was pitching himself as Johnny Wright, Rebecca Gayheart’s hairstylist. [HR]