Half-Team: Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper are in talks to join the Joe Carnahan–directed A-Team reboot. Neeson would play Colonel John “Hannibal†Smith and Cooper would play Lieutenant Templeton “Faceman†Peck, leaving just the roles of Captain “Howling Mad†Murdock and Sergeant “B.A.†Baracus to be filled. We’re flexible on Murdock, but strongly feel that The Hangover’s huge opening means Zach Galifianakis deserves some serious consideration for Baracus. [Variety]
3x DeLorean: There are now three separate John DeLorean biopics in the works — Time Inc. Studios and XYZ Films, the latest to join the fray, will battle a Brett Ratner–James Toback–Robert Evans project as well as one from producers David Permut and Steven Lee Jones that had acquired life rights from DeLorean’s lawyer. The Time Inc.–XYZ Films version might have them bested, however — they have the rights to DeLorean’s unpublished memoir and the go-ahead from DeLorean’s business partner and his son, who is the executor of his estate. Who knows DeLorean best? We’ll just have to see which team manages to go back in time and have this idea first. [Variety]
Grade Grubbing: James Franco will star in the indie drama In Praise of Shadows as William Vincent, a man returning to New York after a four-year exile spent rescuing his love interest from a crime syndicate. The low-budget affair (under $10 million) was written and will be directed by Jay Anania, head of the directing program at the graduate film school at NYU, where, conveniently enough, Franco is studying. “I was immediately struck by his inventiveness and talent,†Anania said. “Also, omigod, he totally agreed to do my movie!†he did not add. [Variety]
Earl Again?: TBS might pick up My Name Is Earl for a thirteen-episode run. There was originally talk of Fox picking up the show — canceled after four years at NBC — but now the “Very Funny†network is apparently the front-runner. Could this just be some eccentric billionaire’s last-ditch effort to make sure Jason Lee keeps the handlebar mustache? [Variety]
Howard and Howard: Bryce Dallas Howard and her writing partner Dane Charbeneau have sold their script The Originals to Universal. The ensemble drama follows a group of twentysomethings meeting up for a weekend in New York after hearing that an influential teacher they shared has fallen into a mysterious coma. While no one is yet officially attached to direct, signs are indicating that most likely Howard will just make her daddy, Ron Howard, do it. [HR]