— The Liam Neeson vehicle “Unknown White Male,” about a man who wakes from a coma to discover he’s been replaced by a doppelganger, has added a pair of co-stars in the shape of the marvelous January Jones (“Mad Men”), who will play Neeson’s wife, and Diane Kruger (“Inglourious Basterds”), who’ll play a Berlin taxi driver who helps Neeson out. Shooting starts in Berlin in January, under the eye of Jaume Collet-Serra, whose last film “Orphan” had the most absurd twist ending we’ve seen all year, with the possible exception of Will Smith killing himself with a jellyfish in “Seven Pounds.”
— Director Andrew Fleming (“Hamlet 2”) has signed to direct the romantic-comedy “Permission,” from writer Karen McCullah Lutz (“Legally Blonde”). It follows a married couple who allow each other to sleep with one other person, and is being produced by CBS Films.
— Kenny Ortega, who is culpable for the “High School Musical” franchise, as well as the imminent Michael Jackson tribute/cash-in “This Is It,” has exited Paramount’s remake of “Footloose,” which is set to star Chace Crawford (“Gossip Girl”) and Julianne Hough (“Dancing With the Stars”). Variety reports that the always-popular creative differences were responsible: Ortega, pictured right modelling the ever-popular ‘dog lapel pin’ accessory, wanted a glossy, $30 million picture with elaborate musical numbers, while Paramount were after something edgier and lower-budget, marking perhaps the first time in recorded history that a director has left a movie after the studio tried to make it better.
— Warner Bros is in negotiations to set up an untitled animation pitch from TV writers Austin Winsberg and Heath Corson, centering on a peacock. Which, following the studio’s success with “Happy Feet,” will probably dance, or juggle, or play the lute or something.
— LA company Persistent Entertainment (“Southland Tales”) and the UK’s Spice Factory (“The Merchant of Venice”) are teaming to produce an adaptation of the graphic novel “Ring of Roses,” a conspiracy thriller set in a future London struck by the bubonic plague. No talent is attached yet.
— Jay Roach’s “Dinner For Schmucks,” which seems to add new cast members at a daily rate, has one more guest, in the shape of the always-entertaining Ron Livingston (“Swingers,” “Office Space”). The cast already includes Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Zach Galifianakis, Bruce Greenwood, David Walliams and Lucy Punch.