Here's some more casting news, courtesy of Variety:

First up is twenty-something comedian Dan Levy. He has worked under Bill & Ted's Alex Winter in television's Dirty Famous, and on the big screen side of things, we're about to see him play "Snooty Man" in The House Bunny. Now, on top of acting alongside a scary-looking (in the film) Anna Faris, Levy has nabbed a role in Mardi Gras. This is one of those Maxim flicks -- the one that already stars West from Heroes. So, this probably won't help his career, but at least he gets to party.

In an entirely different vein, Boris Kodjoe is signing on for another science fiction role. He's already completed a stint in Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (I wish I was kidding), and now he's picked up a role in Disney's sci-fi thriller called The Surrogates. This is NOT that flick where unsuspecting would-be parents pick an insane surrogate, but rather, the one that just got a creepy set photo. There is no word on who he'll play in the robotic flick.

Finally, there's a new gig for one of the sexy ladies from Grindhouse. Vanessa Ferlito has picked up a much less gruesome role in Tyler Perry's latest -- Madea Goes to Jail. She gets to play some woman named Donna. But that's not all that we can see her in. She's also got a gig in Humboldt Park and Julie & Julia on the way.

Sony Pictures has just launched Stage 6 Films, "a label that will acquire and produce films for theatrical and straight-to-DVD release." The Variety announcement reports that Stage 6 will focus mostly on the DVD market, and on films budgeted at $1 to $10 million dollars. They've got a lot of movies on the horizon, with some pretty big stars involved. Conspiracy is an action flick starring Val "Iceman" Kilmer, Gary "Lumbergh" Cole, and Jennifer "Hot" Esposito. Thomas Jane is acting in and directing Dark Country (hope it's not a punisher!). The Stone House is a horror film starring Shane West and JK "Schillinger" Simmons. The Lodger stars Alfred Molina, whom I always picture in his underwear singing "Sister Christian." And Felon brings us even more Kilmer thrills, with Stephen Dorff and Harold Perrineau in tow.

And you know when you're talking direct-to-DVD, you're talking about some really random sequels. Stage 6 has announced a prequel (a prequel?) to this year's pretty cool horror flick Vacancy. There will also be a second Starship Troopers sequel -- Starship Troopers: Marauder, with Casper "Van Dien" Van Dien, Boris Kodjoe, and Jolene Blalock. Wesley Snipes will star in a sequel to the absolutely terrible action movie The Art of War, which I will refer to as The Art of War 2: Seriously? And Center Stage 2 will capitalize on the public's love of melodramatic teen dance dramas. I must confess a special place in my heart for the original Stage, because it led to a memorable high school back seat rendezvous. Put that quote on your poster, Sony! "Stage 6 will also continue to leverage our vast library of studio films, as we have done with Daddy Day Camp and the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise," threatens a Stage 6 executive.