This image was lost some time after publication.

· Naomi Watts is on board to star in Universal's remake of The Birds, which, thankfully, the studio isn't rushing into production, allowing time for a possible rewrite of the script still in development that could further address the avian-backstory problems they've previously identified in the Hitchcock original. [Variety]
· While Hollywood eagerly awaits the results of the WGA's strike authorization vote, writers and studios won't resume their tug of war over a giant pencil until Monday morning. [THR]

· Universal hires David Benioff to write a biopic based on the Kurt Cobain biography Heavier Than Heaven. While the "nature of the story they are trying to tell" hasn't been revealed, Courtney Love is executive producing, so we wouldn't be too surprised if the project becomes the tale of a totally stable, sane wife who just couldn't save a troubled genius from his demons. [Variety]
· Valerie Bertinelli signs on as "celebrity content buddy" for the Rachael Ray show, with the former Mrs. Van Halen handling various BFF duties for the host, like traveling the country to bring her fun stories from the road, or dropping by the studio to cook and do each other's hair. [THR]
· CBS's The Big Bang Theory and The Unit and ABC's Private Practice get full-season pick-ups—you know, unless that little strike thing winds up happening. [Variety]