Wilde Thing: Fox’s Running Wilde is essentially turning into a pseudo Arrested Development spinoff. David Cross (AD’s Tobias Fünke) has been added to the Mitch Hurwitz (AD’s creator) comedy as a series regular (he’ll be playing a “radical environmentalistâ€). The show stars Will Arnett (AD’s Gob Bluth) and Keri Russell, who didn’t appear on Arrested Development but is still awesome. [Live Feed/HR]
Simon Says: Simon Pegg is in negotiations to reprise his role of lab geek Benji Dunn in Mission Impossible 4. Though the movie hasn’t been officially green-lit yet, director Brad Bird is having actors read this week. With this and his Star Trek role, Pegg has solidified his standing as Hollywood’s go-to guy for quick-witted techies. [Heat Vision/HR]
Monkey Business: Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, has been added to the cast of the Planet of the Apes prequel Rise of the Apes. Felton will play the son of Brian Cox, the co-owner of an ape facility. The film also stars James Franco, Freida Pinto, Andy Serkis, and John Lithgow. Just try to remember what you learned in Care of Magical Creatures and you should be fine, Tom. [Variety]
Road Trip: Nia Vardalos is both writing and starring in Happy Mother’s Day, a comedy about four suburban moms who decide to take a road trip for Mother’s Day. The project is being fast-tracked with hopes of starting production before the end of this year. “It’s about the pressure of doing it all: raising children plus working, while your gut’s held in by Spanx,†Vardalos said. [Variety]
Crystal Clare: Australian TV actor Dustin Clare has landed the lead in the Starz six-part prequel to its series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Jaime Murray and Marisa Ramirez will also star in Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, which focuses on the rise of Gannicus (Clare), the first gladiator to become Champion of Capua, which is probably an insanely big deal in the Spartacus world. [Deadline]