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From the Well, Damn, We Certainly Didn't See This One Coming file, the LAT is reporting that Judd Apatow Comedy Conglomerate senior associate Seth Rogen, who so memorably gave hope to bong-hitting slackers everywhere by impregnating an inebriated Katherine Heigl in Knocked Up, has signed a deal to write—and, weirdly, possibly star in—a Green Hornet movie for Columbia. Some background on the character and a brief history of previous attempts from the Times story:

The studio announced in March that it had optioned the rights to the superhero property that follows the adventures of Brit Reid. A wealthy publisher of The Daily Sentinel by day, Reid roams as a masked crime fighter by night, dedicated to protecting the lives and rights of the city's citizens. Reid is accompanied by Kato, a chauffeur-bodyguard-personal assistant during business hours who transforms into a masked sidekick with a knack for martial arts when the sun goes down. The two cruise around town in a dark sedan known as the Black Beauty. [...]

Rogen is just the newest player in a large and varied cast of characters who have tried to bring Green Hornet to the big screen. A Green Hornet film was previously announced at Universal with Ron Underwood directing. Three years ago Miramax entered a deal with Kevin Smith to adapt and direct a Green Hornet film. Actors as wide ranging as George Clooney, Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Wahlberg have been rumored to be in talks to play Reid over the years. And at one point or another Jason Scott Lee and Jet Li have been rumored to play Kato.

While Apatow's name appears nowhere in the story (and for all we know, he has no direct involvement in the project), it seems a testament to rapidly expanding power and influence of his comedy mayoralty that longtime collaborators like Rogen are now pushing the more conventionally heroic Clooneys and Gyllenhaals from these kinds of roles. Once Superbad hits theaters and starts rolling up Knocked Up-level grosses, maybe we'll get to see Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, and McLovin* revive the X-Men franchise ruined by Brett Ratner.

[*This is actually kind of a great idea. Someone please forward this to Fox and get the ball rolling immediately.]