Olivia Munn has officially joined Aaron Sorkin‘s HBO drama about what happens behind-the-scenes – whoa, there’s a behind-the scenes? – at a cable news show. Currently the series is called “More As The Story Develops.” When I wished I could “see more” of Olivia Munn, her suddenly getting a lot of acting work was not what I had in mind. Stupid monkey’s paw. Meanwhile, Allison Pill (Milk) joins the cast as an associate producer in a shaky relationship with another staffer. The reason the relationship’s shaky? He accidentally asked her to give him some “forehead.” (Hollywood Reporter)

The old and buster Spider-Man, Topher Grace, is set to star in Gently Down The Stream along with Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried and Katherine Heigl. He’ll play De Niro’s son, who falls in love with his adopted brother’s Latin sister. Eh, that kind of thing happens all the time, I’m sure. Justin Zackham is directing. (Deadline)

Rapper / actor / vitamin water aficionado 50 Cent will play blind DJ Shamus Cocobolo in Stephen Sommers‘ Odd Thomas. Yeah, that does sound odd. Based on the bestseller by Dean Koontz, the film’s about a clairvoyant short order cook (Anton Yelchin) who follows around a suspicious man connected to an impending disaster. Odd Thomas also stars Addison Timlin, Willem Dafoe and Patton Oswalt. (Variety)

Anyway, he’s joining Anton Yelchin as the titular clairvoyant, and Willem Dafoe and Nico Tortorella are rumored to be attached as well. The universally beloved Stephen Sommers is directing, so it’s likely we’ll be hearing some funny stories about Oswalt complaining about Van Helsing on set. (Variety)

Tortorella is up for the lead villain: a shady, Satan-worshipping cop working under Willem DaFoe‘s local police chief. Has there been a satanic police procedural yet? Maybe there’s one in development at USA. Anyway, for those of you not currently in the Koontz Klub, Odd Thomas is about a clarvoyant, small town cook named Odd (Anton Yelchin has been cast), his girlfriend (Addison Timlin) and their wacky adventures trying to sav the town from evil spirits.

Odd Thomas is looking to begin production in New Mexico later this year. (Hollywood Reporter)

Odd Thomas

What this means for Tim Robbins’ participation in the film is uncertain, as it wasn’t disclosed what role he was pursuing. The titular role will be played by Anton Yelchin, and  the role of Stormy Llewelyn is now rumored to have gone to Addison Timlin, despite earlier reports that it had gone to Lily Collins.

Odd Thomas is an adaptation of a Dean Koontz novel that follows Yelchin as he is approached by a murdered and raped girl to help solve and avenge her death. I can only guess that Dafoe’s character will be dismissive of and combative with Yelchin until he stops being that way and respects his otherworldly abilities. I say that because that’s normally how movies operate. But maybe they’ll end up getting a civil union in New Hampshire and opening a candle store. I’m really not familiar enough with Koontz to speculate. (THR)

That’s Tim Robbins, Stephen Sommers, and Dean Koontz in case that wasn’t clear. Sommers has signed on to direct an adaptation of Koontz’s Odd Thomas, which revolves around a young boy who is reached by a recently killed girl, to eventually track down her murderer. Tim Robbins will not be playing the young boy (though he could do it; he’s got the range), but is apparently interested in an undisclosed role. Anton Yelchin will be playing the titular character.

The shortlist for the female lead, Stormy Llewelyn, now consists of only Lily Collins, who beat out Emma Roberts, Kat Dennings, Portia Doubleday, and Addison Timlin for the role. Suddenly the Tim Robbins news seems a little less interesting.

Since not much else is known about Robbins involvement, let’s just say that he’ll be playing the role of a very, very intense priest. (Dread Central)

The role of Stormy Llewellyn, which sounds like a dragon porn star‘s name, has been offered to Lily Collins (The Blind Side). She beat out a bunch of other young ladies, like Emma Roberts, Portia Doubleday, and Kat Dennings, for the opportunity to play Anton Yelchin‘s girlfriend. That’s something worth Yelchin about. We’ll see if she accepts the part.

Directed by Stephen Sommers, the plot concerns California desert townie Thomas, “a short-order cook with clairvoyant abilities who encounters a mysterious man with a link to dark, threatening forces.” Sounds like Odd lives up to his name. Production will start May 2, provided ghosts don’t screw up the filming. As long as they stay in their special trailer, like they’re supposed to, everything will be fine. (Variety)

Yelchin will play the title character; Odd Thomas,  a short-order cook/ghost whisperer. When a mysterious man arrives in his small desert town, Thomas discovers he has one day to prevent a cataclysmic event. And in case this project doesn’t sound dopey enough for Sommers, never fear. In order to save the day, Thomas teams up with the spirit of Elvis Presley. You roll your eyes now, but think of how much fun we’ll have when Nicolas Cage is cast as the King. (Bloody Disgusting)