We love Chris Pratt, but you already knew that. The "Parks and Recreation" star has been steamrolling into movies with a nice turn in last year's "Moneyball," a supporting part in this spring's "Five-Year Engagement," a role in Kathryn Bigelow's upcoming "Zero Dark Thirty," and has bagged the lead in Warner Bros.' "Lego." And now he's gearing up to exercise his ample comedic muscles in "Starbuck," a remake of the French Canadian hit that's set to star Vince Vaughn. The story centers on a middle-aged man whose life changes when he finds out that he has fathered 533 children through sperm donation, and that a few hundred of those children have expressed the wish to meet their biological father. Pratt will play Vaughn's lawyer. The film is being written and directed by the original helmer Ken Scott, and will roll in front of cameras later this year.
Meanwhile, "The Help" star Octavia Spencer will bring her sass to Fox Searchlight's "Baggage Claim." She joins Paula Patton and Derek Luke in David Talbert's film, based on his own book, about a flight attendant named Montana Moore, who at 35 is the oldest woman in her family not married. With her sister tying the knot, Montana and her fellow flight attendants become determined to put a claim check on a husband in 30 days or 30,000 miles. No word yet on her role, but this sounds pretty tedious already.
Finally, Mos Def (no more Yasiin Bey?) has joined the Judd Apatow-produced, John Carney-directed "Can a Song Save Your Life?" The currently shooting film tells the story of Gretta (Keira Knightley), who moves with her longtime boyfriend to New York so they can pursue their passion for music. She’s heartbroken when he dumps her for the fame and fortune of a big solo contract, leaving Gretta all on her own. Her world takes a turn for the better when a down-on-his-luck record producer (Mark Ruffalo) stumbles upon her singing in a local bar and is immediately captivated by her raw talent and inspiring authenticity — they may be each other’s last chance to turn their lives around. Def will play Ruffalo's music biz colleague and he joins Hailee Steinfeld, Adam Levine, James Corden, Catherine Keener and Cee-Lo Green in rounding out the cast. [Variety/Deadline]
