Jim Carrey looking at The Beaver

"The Beaver" is one of those offbeat projects that could either be a smash hit or a really weird movie.

Kyle Killen’s script centers on the close relationship between a man and a beaver puppet he wears on his arm. He talks to it and treats it like a companion.

I’m flashing on "Lars and the Real Girl," the movie starring Ryan Gosling as a guy attached to his inflatable doll.

At one time, "The Beaver" had Steve Carell loosely attached to play the lead when Jay Roach was in talks to direct. Apparently, Jim Carrey likes the script, but won’t commit until a director comes onboard. Producers want to start shooting later this year, and Jodie Foster is one of the candidates to direct.

Jodie Foster and Jim Carrey. Could be interesting!

Photo Credit: Newscom

Sean Diddy Combs to star in Forgetting Sarah Marshall spinoff

This is one of those projects that makes me go, what? Producer/rapper/dumb-name-owner Sean "Diddy" Combs is set to star in "Get Him to the Greek," a spinoff of last year’s comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

Combs will play "Sergio," a record label executive. Elisabeth Moss (Peggy on "Mad Men") will play Daphne Binks, the girlfriend of Aaron Greenberg (Jonah Hill). Russell Brand plays a smarmy rocker named Aldous Snow, the same character he played in "Sarah Marshall" (and in real life). 

Rose Byrne ("Damages") will play Jackie Q, a scandal-ridden pop star who’s also Snow’s love interest. Real-life pop stars Katy Perry, Christina Aquilera and Pink are also scheduled to appear. The film is scheduled for a 2010 release.

With producer Judd Apatow, director Nicholas Stoller (he also directed "Sarah Marshall"), and writer Jason Segal (he wrote "Sarah Marshall"), you have to think it’s going to be funny. But it’s such a weird mix of actors, I’m just not sure how it’s all going to come together. Though I will say that despite his stupid name, Diddy always looks stylish. I’ll give him that.

Any thoughts on this project?

Summit Entertainment announces New Moon cast!

There’s been lots of speculation about who would be cast in “New Moon,” and now our friends over at TwilightMania.com have the scoop. Earlier today, they posted that Summit Entertainment has announced the cast as follows:

The legendary Volturi, a coven of vampires who impose the laws of the vampire world, include:

• Charlie Bewley – Demetri
• Jamie Campbell Bower – Caius
• Daniel Cudmore – Felix
• Christopher Heyerdahl – Marcus
• Dakota Fanning – Jane
• Cameron Bright – Alec (Jane’s brother)
• Noot Seer – Heidi
• Michael Sheen - Aro, the Volturi leader

Also cast are two new members of the Quileute Indian Nation:

• Graham Greene - Harry Clearwater, Quileute tribal leader and old friend of Bella’s father, Charlie
• Tinsel Korey - Emily, the fiance of Sam Uley

Any thoughts on this casting? Are you happy to see Dakota Fanning as Jane?

Photo Credit: Newscom

Tina Fey and Steve Carell plan Date Night

Ever have one of those wacky dates where you go out for dinner and a movie, and end up on some wild caper? Yeah, me neither, but with Steve Carell and Tina Fey, it could happen!

That’s the premise of "Date Night," their new comedy from 20th Century Fox being directed by Shawn Levy.

Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Taraji P. Henson, Common and Jimmi Simpson are also on board, along with Leighton Meester and Kristen Wiig.

Wahlberg will play a private security/black ops agent, while Franco will play a con man.

This could either be really funny or not-so-funny, depending on how it all comes together. But with Carell and Fey as leads, you’ve gotta think it’s going to be funny. I have high hopes anyway.

Photo credit: Steve Carell in Get Smart, TM and (c) 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard in talks for Inception

It’s a trio of Indie goodness as Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard and Cillian Murphy are in talks to join Christopher Nolan’s ”Inception.” If all goes well, they’ll be joining Leonardo DiCaprio, already onboard.

A cloak of secrecy surrounds the film, but it’s described as “a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind.” Well, that really spells it out.

Whatever the plot, these three will be a great addition. Loved Ellen Page in “Hard Candy” and “Juno,” and there’s a reason why Marion Cotillard won a Best Actress Oscar award for La Vie en rose. Cillian Murphy is a favorite of Nolan’s, having played Scarecrow in “The Dark Knight.”

Nolan and company are looking at beginning shooting this summer, with a 2010 release date.

Photo Credit: Miramax Films; Source: Hollywood Reporter.com

Rainn Wilson, Sarah Silverman in talks for Peep World

Most of the stars of "The Office" do pretty well at reaching beyond the show with other projects. Rashida Jones is currently in "I Love You, Man," and Steve Carell, John Krasinski, and Jenna Fischer have all done movies outside the show.

Rainn Wilson is another "Office" alum who’s kept a foot in the movie biz, which is good because he’s identified so much with his character of Dwight Schrute.

Now he’s in talk to star in "Peep World," an indie film about a dysfunctional family. Sarah Silverman is also in talks, and Michael C. Hall (loved him in "Six Feet Under" and "Dexter") and Ben Schwartz are already on board.

The movie centers on a group of adult siblings who start squabbling after one of them uses the family – or a thinly veiled version of the family – in his novel.

Sounds like a winner.

Photo of Rainn Wilson: NBC / Mitchell Haaseth

Mickey Rourke in for Iron Man 2 – For real this time

There’s been all kinds of crazy speculation about Mickey Rourke being cast in “Iron Man 2,” but now it seems like a done deal.

Nikki Finke over at Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting that Rourke has signed on for the role of the Russian villain in the sequel. I guess there was some heavy-duty negotiating going on after the studio initially offered a measly $250K for the role. Apparently, Rourke’s agent, David Unger, got the figure up to a respectable level, even though the economy is hitting Hollywood where it hurts.

Finke also reports that Marvel did the same thing to Samuel L. Jackson. Something paid off there, because they recently signed Jackson to play nick Fury in as many as nine Marvel films, including “Iron Man 2.”

All I can say is, go Mickey Rourke!

Image: Newscom

Megan Fox, Malin Akerman, Dakota Fanning Casting News – VIDEO

Here’s a bit of casting news for you: Megan Fox has signed on for two comic flicks — "Jonah Hex" and "Fathom"; Dakota Fanning snags the much-coveted role of Jane Volturi in "New Moon"; and Malin Akerman, fresh off of "Watchmen," has signed to headline "The Bang Bang Club" with co-stars Ryan Phillippe and Taylor Kitsch. Check out this video CelebTV put together:

New Moon: Dakota Fanning confirmed as Jane

Got a tip from TwilightMania.com that Dakota Fanning has been confirmed to play the role of Jane in "New Moon," the upcoming sequel to "Twilight" arriving in theaters Nov. 20, 2009.

There’s been a lot of speculation about who would play Jane, and opinions were varied when I reported the rumor in January.

While I think she’ll do a fine job, in some ways I wish they would have cast a lesser known actress. It just seems like Dakota Fanning is cast in just about every movie requiring a female in that age range.

What are your thoughts on this? Are you happy or sad that Dakota Fanning will be playing Jane in "New Moon"?

And join our discussion on New Moon Casting News and Rumors!

Image: Newscom

Samuel L. Jackson signs for "Rape: A Love Story"

It’s hard to think about the words "rape" and "love story" together in a title, but here it is. Samuel L. Jackson has just signed to star in "Rape: A Love Story," an independent drama also starring Abigail Breslin and Maria Bello.

Jackson will play a sympathetic cop who offers kindness and comfort to Bello’s character and her daughter (Breslin), following a brutal gang rape. These are the kinds of movies that are often thoughtful and insightful, but that I usually decide to skip, lest I’m depressed for days afterwards!

I lamented a few days ago that maybe Jackson wouldn’t have time to do these sorts of films, since he just signed a nine-movie deal playing Marvel’s Nick Fury. Now I wonder if that deal will free him up to do smaller films like this, that might not have the wide coverage of the big blockbusters.

Adapted from Joyce Carol Oates‘ 2003 book, "Rape: A Love Story" is directed by Harold Becker and scheduled to begin filming in June.

Photo Credit: Pichichi / SDFL / Splash News