Today in Trades we have two items about Meryl Streep, Maria Bello considers stepping into Helen Mirren's old shoes, Glee gets on the tour bus once more, and other news.

  • As pictured above, Pathé UK has released a first image of Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady, done up as the Iron Lady herself, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, whose conservative union busting and deregulation were to 1980s Britain as Reagan's policies were to the US. So, OK, "most hated woman" might be a stretch, but Bellatrix Lestrange is dead, so if you can think of another, eviler lady villain, I'm all ears.
  • Speaking of Ms. Streep, the actress has officially signed on to star in Great Hope Springs, a comedy helmed by her Devil Wears Prada director David Frankel. It's about a couple that's been married for thirty years and is having problems, so they go on a counseling weekend to fix things. So it's basically the Masterpiece version of Couples Retreat. There's no word yet on who will be playing Streep's husband, though, as always, I've got my fingers crossed for Ashton Kutcher. [THR]
  • Well, clean up your town square and everyone put on your best sparkle-trousers and suspenders, because Glee is on the road, doing their second whistle-stop tour around this great country of ours, and who knows, they might just come smugly jazz-handsing into your town. Basically the whole gang, minus the grownups, is participating in the tour, so you'll get to see your favorite kid live and in person. Will you coo at little Artie's nerdiness? Say "hubba hubba" to Santana's va-va-voomity? Giggle at Darren Criss's hips-swiveling? Let yourself be consumed by the cherry-lipped mouth-power of spacetwink Chord Overstreet? You don't have to decide! You can let it all happen while they warble in front of you and you slowly, depressingly realize how digital the voices on the show really are. (Oh, and if you're interested in learning more about Chord Overstreet, consult your local library, pick up a copy of this month's V Man magazine, where our very own Brian Moylan has an interview with the lad.) [Deadline]
  • Smoke-voiced actress Maria Bello has apparently been offered the role of Det. Jane Tennison in the American remake of Prime Suspect, the British series about a Scotland Yard detective played by Helen Mirren to much acclaim and award. Bello says she's not sure if she'll take it or not. If I were her (why can't I be her?) I'd be unsure too. It's on NBC, so that's a red flag. It's a British remake of a much beloved series that starred Dame Helen Freakin' Mirren (Freakin' being the name bestowed upon her when she was knighted), so another red flag. But if done right it could be a great role for a good actress who doesn't often get great roles, plus Peter Berg, of Friday Night Lights, is producing and directing, so that's good. Though, of course, Peter Berg is also responsible for Hancock, The Kingdom, and the upcoming Battleship movie. The showrunner, Alexandra Cunningham, has a mixed resume too. She wrote some episodes of NYPD Blue and an episode of Rome, but she also exec-produced that terrible show Fastlane and currently works on gurgly soaptasia Desperate Housewives. All things considered, I say give it a whirl, Bello. But call Mirren up and get her permission first. It's the right thing to do. Plus It'll be fun too, because when she answers the phone she says "Freakin' speakin'..." [EW]
  • Hm. On the one hand, it's good that Famke Janssen has found work. She's pleasant. On the other hand, it is not good that this work is as the leader of the evil witches in Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, a story about Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) who, "15 years after their narrow fairy tale escape from the gingerbread house, become specialized bounty-hunters looking to take down the witches that almost killed them." So it's Van Helsing meets all those dopey monster mash-up books that have been coming out. Maybe if it's really silly and fun, it'll be a good thing. But if it's anything like Van Helsing (or The Brothers Grimm for that matter), then everyone should basically just lie down right now and never get up again because I don't think the world can handle another Van Helsing. And I certainly don't think Famke Janssen's career can withstand a Van Helsing. Kate Beckinsale barely made it out of that thing alive. [Deadline]
  • Jennifer Beals's new show The Chicago Code, a cop thing from cop thing Shawn Ryan, debuted decently on Fox last night with 9.4 million viewers. Not great, certainly, but definitely not Lone Star-level dismal either. I hope it does well, for Beals's sake. Oh, and I suppose for Matt Lauria, aka Luke Cafferty from Friday Night Lights, who really needs a break after the fence accident and all. [TV Line]

[Photo via Getty Images]