Spike Lee Adapting Time Travel Novel: Spike Lee will co-write and direct Time Traveler, a feature adaptation of a memoir by Ronald Mallett, one of the nation’s first African-Americans to earn a Ph.D in theoretical physics. Lee acquired “Time Traveler: A Scientist’s Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality” with his own money and has set up the project through his Forty Acres & A Mule Filmworks banner. Mallett, who wrote the book with Bruce Henderson, recounts his rise from poverty to a distinguished academic and scientific career, and it lays out the technical specs for what Mallett envisions as a workable time machine. Developing a time machine became an obsession for Mallett from the age of 10 after his father’s death. His goal was to travel back in time to save his father. [Variety]
Sienna Miller Tapped for Maid Marian Role: Sienna Miller has been added to the cast of Ridley Scott’s Nottingham opposite Russell Crowe. Miller will play Maid Marian to Crowe’s Sheriff of Nottingham in a film that twists the classic Robin Hood tale with the Sheriff of Nottingham cast as a sympathetic figure up against a not-so-heroic Robin Hood. The film has been in question as of late due to the potential of an actor’s strike, but Miller seems confident telling the BBC, “It’s ridiculous. But there’s this looming actor’s strike, so it’s not 100% sure that it’s going to be made, but it’s looking pretty certain.” [BBC]
Yoo Has Labor Pains Too: Aaron Yoo has joined the cast of the currently filming Labor Pains, starring Lindsay Lohan. Yoo will play Lohan’s character’s boyfriend. [THR]
Wilmer Valderrama returns to Fox: Wilmer Valderrama has conned Fox into giving him a TV show in the form of a production commitment for the one-hour comedy pilot “The Emancipation of Ernesto.” The show revolves around a man who manages to avoid the temptations of his adopted city, Los Angeles, while embarking on a search to find his father. [Variety]
Matthew Perry Books Showtime Project: Matthew Perry is headed to Showtime with a project co-written with veteran producer Peter Tolan for “The End of Steve.” Perry will play an afternoon talkshow host on local TV who is genial onscreen but embittered when the camera’s off. Series would depict him trying to find professional and personal happiness (including love with the station’s morning show host, a part yet uncast). [Variety]
