Trade Round-Up: Nick Lachey Prepares For Divorce
· Universal decides that production of Denzel Washington/Benicio Del Toro-starring American Gangster would get too expensive after the studio canned director Antoine Fuqua, and calls it quits on the whole project. Something smell a little fishy here? Studios love nothing more than throwing money at a problem. [Variety, sub. req'd.]
· Jessica Simpson husband/prop Nick Lachey signs a development deal with 20th Century Fox TV and Brad Grey TV to star in either a half-hour or hour-long show. It's so cute when trophy spouses try and get a career in case they get divorced! [THR]
· Johnny Depp and Warner Bros. acquire the movie rights for a book (Shantaram) that hasn't even been released for Depp to star in. Note to Depp and WB: We've got a hard-drive full of novel first pages, patiently awaiting your frivolous option dollars. [THR]
· John Cusack, Stockard Channing, Christopher Plummer and Dermot Mulroney join Diane Lane and Kyra Sedgwick in Gary David Goldberg's online dating romantic comedy, Must Love Dogs. Online dating, how 2002 cutting edge! We hope they beat the Friendster movie to market. [THR]
· The Indecency Bill, which seeks to levy ludicrous fines on the broadcast of "indecent acts," faces a number of legislative hurdles (i.e., Democrats). Thank God the internet is still an unregulated badlands for the unfettered spread of profanity. Watch this: fuckfuckfuckfuckfucksaladtossingdouchebagfuckfuck. No fines! Also, we're starving to death! [THR]