About Alice: Alice Eve (She’s Out of My League) is in negotiations to play Emma Frost in X-Men: First Class, Fox’s relaunch of the Marvel Comics–based franchise directed by Matthew Vaughn. Eve joins a cast that includes Michael Fassbender as young Magneto and James McAvoy as young Professor X. Frost — who was originally a villain named the White Queen in the comics before becoming a teacher at Charles Xavier’s school — has “telepathic powers†and wears “scantily clad costumes.†One would think that sartorial choice might make the telepathy thing kind of … awkward. [Heat Vision/HR]
Spike on Deadline: Spike Lee is in negotiations to direct the action-thriller Nagasaki Deadline, which centers on an “emotionally damaged†FBI agent who must “decipher historic events in a race to avert a terrorist plot.†So sort of like The Amazing Race but with world destruction — not the bickering couple from Minnesota — as the biggest threat. [Variety]
More Maroon: Maroon 5 has announced a second leg of its North American tour, this set of dates to begin October 2 in Denver and conclude October 29 in Manhomen, Minnesota. OneRepublic will open all of the shows. Let’s hope no raucous fights break out between these two groups’ notoriously wild sets of fans. [Billboard]
Clear Skies for Meatballs Duo: Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the directing team behind the animated Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, are in final negotiations to write and direct Warner Bros.’ Lego toys movie. The details of the plot haven’t been revealed yet, but it will feature an “adventure in the Lego world mixing live action and animation.†They’ve got their work cut out for them: The bar for toy movies is pretty damn high nowadays. [Heat Vision/HR]
Criminal Intent: Janeane Garofalo is in negotiations to join CBS’s Criminal Minds spinoff. She’ll play a new regular on the midseason show, which will star Forest Whitaker. And while it may not be 30 Rock or Medium (the two shows on her wish list), it’s something! [Deadline]
Alphas Dog: David Strathairn is in negotiations for the lead in SyFy’s action-adventure 90-minute pilot Alphas, which will be directed by Lost’s Jack Bender. The show follows a team of “ordinary citizens possessing extraordinary and unusual mental skills†who “uncover what the CIA, FBI and Pentagon have not been able or willing to solve.†Strathairn would play the “overseer/team leader/prescribing doctor and all-around mother hen to the team,†a description which could just as easily describe Jack Shepherd, which should make Bender feel right at home. [Deadline]