In a natural progression from amateur porn of the Zack and Miri variety, Elizabeth Banks has taken on some a cappella-themed production work. The Hollywood Reporter posts that the actress is going to produce a new film called Pitch Perfect, through her shingle, Brownstone Productions. Kay Cannon (30 Rock) is going to adapt the film from Mickey Rapkin's nonfiction book.

An editor at GQ, Rapkin spent some time covering a cappella college competitions, focusing on teams from the University of Virginia, Tuft University, and the University of Oregon. Oh, but this isn't just a bunch of goofy nerd singers competing. Apparently, it's a world full of "singing, groupies, partying, and rivalries."

A cappella groupies? I just can't wrap my head around this notion. Do the girls put on skimpy outfits and try to sleep with the singers? Do the performers sign breasts and keep score on their bedpost? And to think I thought a cappella wasn't sexy ... maybe it's because of performances like this.

The book will be a comedy set in this world, and so far, I'm itching to see it. It's certainly unique! As of right now, Banks isn't attached to a role in the film, but I imagined that might change once the adaptation is complete.

Oh Ari Fleischer -- the David Cross of Press Secretaries. Wait a minute -- why didn't they get David Cross for this role? He'd be perfect. Anyway, MTV tells us that Rob Corddry (The Daily Show, Semi-Pro ... and a bunch of other random comedies) has signed on to play former Press Secretary Ari Fleischer in Oliver Stone's W. Corddry joins a cast that continues to get larger by the minute, and includes Josh Brolin (George W. Bush), Elizabeth Banks (Laura Bush), James Cromwell (George Bush Sr.), Ellen Burstyn (Barbara Bush), Thandie Newton (Condi Rice), Ioan Gruffudd (Tony Blair) and 50 Cent (as Colin Powell).

Yes, I'm kidding about that last one.

Earlier today, we clued you into a script review of W currently circulating the internets. According to some, the film seems to be taking the Bush is a moronic alcoholic fratboy route, which, if you watch, well, The Daily Show, is kinda old news. As Eugene put it, "Most people -- whether or not they accept it -- have already absorbed the meme that Bush is an arrogant, reckless, hard-drinking buffoon, and I'm not sure that this perception merits its own movie." I completely agree -- and I'd much rather have watched Stone return to Vietnam with Pinkville than sit down for a feature-length version of a joke that's way past its prime.

So far, there are only a few actors officially attached to Oliver Stone's W., the epic biopic about our current commander-in-chief. Josh Brolin was cast as President George W. Bush back in January, then recently Elizabeth Banks was chosen as his wife, First Lady Laura Bush, and last week James Cromwell and Ellen Burstyn were locked into the roles of former President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush, respectively. Unofficial casting bites, though, include a lot of other big name actors. Jeffrey Wright is reportedly in negotiations to play Colin Powell, Tommy Lee Jones is supposedly being sought for Donald Rumsfeld, Robert Duvall has been rumored to be the choice for Vice President Dick Cheney and now both Paul Giamatti and Toby Jones are being named as potentials for the part of Karl Rove (who Giamatti may have already channeled for his character in Shoot 'Em Up).

I'm sorry, but this has got to be one of the strangest projects in recent years. The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Elizabeth Banks is about to sign on to play First Lady Laura Bush in that George W. Bush biopic Oliver Stone is directing. If she signs on, Banks will join Josh Brolin, who's already landed the part of our current President of the United States. Banks, who, funnily enough, just wrapped a film called Zack and Miri Make a Porno, would probably make a pretty good Laura Bush. She definitely resembles a much younger version of the woman, and, like Mrs. Bush, as an actress Banks often fades into the background.

Then again, some folks might think Brolin and Banks are way too hot to be playing the President and the First Lady. Personally, I feel Josh Brolin needs the most work -- but if he slims down and practices that famous Bush dialogue, I can almost see it. The film, which will be called simply W, will begin shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana in late April. Stone will direct off a script he co-wrote with Stanley Weiser (Wall Street).

What do you think about this film? Are the lives of George W. Bush and Laura Bush really that interesting? Or, will Oliver Stone make them interesting?

It's Eddie Murphy ... in Eddie Murphy!

While the premise for Murphy's latest film, Meet Dave, definitely had some potential (think: Innerspace), I'm not so sure this new trailer brings all the boys to the yard, if you know what I mean. Here, Norbit director Brian Robbins re-teams with Murphy on a film that tells of a crew of miniature human-looking aliens whose human-looking spaceship walks around Earth doing funny things. Though, originally, they set out to save their planet, problems arise when their spaceship (in the form of Eddie Murphy) falls for a regular Earth girl (Elizabeth Banks).

Murphy looks to be using a combination of his Coming to America accent and his usual shtick for the spaceship character, and then he also plays the miniature alien operating said spaceship. Cue up a ton of fish out of water jokes, a few raunchy set pieces and a good amount of special effects -- and, well, Meet Dave. The film's July 11 release date will definitely secure a healthy box office take, especially since all our brains will be in dumb, popcorn summer mode. Check out the trailer above (or in a better quality over at Yahoo), then let us know what you think.

Cinematical has just confirmed that The Weinstein Co. plans to release Zack and Miri Make a Porno on October 31, 2008 (aka, Halloween babyyyyyy!). The film, which recently wrapped production, is currently in post-production -- where Smith is editing in HD, using Adrenaline, which he claims "crashes at least twice a night" according to statements he's made on his message board. Thus, he's gotten used to hitting the save button. Zack and Miri stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks as two platonic friends who, hard up for cash, decide to make an adult film. At some point during the process, however, they begin to have "more than friends" feelings for one another.

The film also stars Smith regulars Jason Mewes and Jeff Anderson, as well as Traci Lords, Craig Robinson, Tom Savini and Smith's hottie wife, Jennifer. Recently, Smith stopped by his site to offer up a second summary of his time in production, where he noted that he kinda wants to keep things under wraps for awhile: " I want folks to discover the flick for themselves, instead of me jamming it down their throats. I'm also gonna try to keep from over-selling it with hyperbole and absolutes. I'll let you guys apply those (good or bad) when the time comes. Just know that we had a problem-free, productive shoot in which everyone was firing on all cylinders and the result was THE FUNNIEST F**KING MOVIE WE'VE EVER MADE!!!"

Once again, Zack and Miri Make a Porno will arrive in theaters on October 31. Oscar push?? Maybe???

Considering how much Kevin Smith hates having his surprises spoiled online, he got really lucky with the new on-set photos from his latest comedy, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Slashfilm is now hosting a couple photos taken on set at a local mall, as well as some shaky camera footage of the man at work. Nothing groundbreaking, but hey, Smith always brings a smile to my face, so I'm not complaining.

Zack and Miri is the story of two childhood friends who are brought together again at their high school reunion. The two then come up with the idea of making a porn flick together. Seth Rogen stars as Zack and Elizabeth Banks plays Miri. Originally the role had been written for Rosario Dawson, but she backed out to work on Eagle Eye with Shia LaBeouf.

Rehearsals for the film started back in January, and judging by Smith's posting on his personal blog, things seem to be going well. Smith wrote that, "I've got a guy whose inflections I wrote for/to reading the scenes and sounding like he's not acting at all, as much as being the character. I've got a chick who could read the Bible aloud and make it seem charming. They're naturals. They're excellent". OK, so Smith has never been known to be less than totally committed to his films for better or for worse. Luckily, it looks like this one is going to be one of the better ones. Zack and Miri Make a Porno is scheduled for release later this year.

Several things conspire to make Definitely, Maybe seem a dicey proposition at first glance. There's the rarely-inspiring presence of Ryan Reynolds, whose film career has, up to now, moved between mediocre comedies and mediocre action and horror films and served mostly as a demonstration of the phenomenon of 'failing up.' There's also the gimmicky nature of the pitch giving off warning signs, as divorcing dad Reynolds tells his daughter Abigail Breslin the story of his life before he got married, shielding names and facts so she can't figure out which of the three women (Isla Fisher, Elizabeth Banks or Rachel Weisz) he knew and loved when he was single came to be her mother. "I like it," Breslin says early in the film, appraising Reynolds's efforts. "It's like a love story-mystery." And even that's a somewhat off-putting moment; Gee, kid, thanks for pointing that out for us.

But Definitely, Maybe, written and directed by Adam Brooks, surprised me as it unfolded, and got around my initial reservations with its mix of good humor and grace. Not only is Reynolds an appealing lead here -- possibly because the boyishness that's undercut his other work is an integral part of his character – but Definitely, Maybe also has some grit and gristle under the glib gimmick of the mommy-mystery hook. As Reynolds explains the long and winding road of what happened and when, Brooks's script mostly doesn't shy away from the tough stuff, and it doesn't paint Reynolds as some perfect, hapless everyman undone by random chance; he makes mistakes, and he pays for them, and he tries to set things right. Reynolds is normally light and charming enough on screen, but there's something new in his performance here, as his inner feelings keep coming into view behind his smile.

While there's no photos yet, Kevin Smith has filed his first report from the set of Zack and Miri Make a Porno. The film, Smith's eighth, will begin shooting on Wednesday, and so far they've gone through two days of rehearsals with a bunch of the cast. According to Smith, they still need to do camera tests (today) and then location rehearsing next Tuesday before cameras officially roll. In the film, Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks star as two lifelong friends who, strapped for cash, decide to make a porno. Once they start to get their feet wet, however, both begin to realize they may have "like, like" feelings for one another. As far as other cast members go, IMDb lists Smith regular Jason Mewes, as well as another regular Jeff Anderson and comedian Jim Norton (who's rumored). Honestly, if there's porn involved, Norton needs to make an appearance. I truly hope that rumor is true.

Smith fans should find plenty of good stuff in this first report. In it, he compares rehearsals on Zack and Miri to each one of his films; how much prep work went into, say, Clerks versus Clerks 2 versus Chasing Amy versus Dogma versus all the other ones. On whether Smith feels Rogen and Banks are good for their respective roles, he notes: "Rogen and Banks are genius together (and apart - which, in the flick, is extremely rare): hilarious and rather sweet and touching when called for. The roles fit them like gloves. Shit, better than gloves: the roles fit them like condoms. Like custom-made condoms, even." Scope out his first report over here; Zack and Miri Make a Porno will hopefully hit theaters at some point later this year.

Kevin Smith has always had pretty close contact with his fans. He ships off signed copies of his DVDs via his own store, he surfs the net and comments on sites including this one, and has laid the podium down, treating fans to a number of spoken word engagements that pack the house with fanboys and fangirls. But that's not all, he's also giving you all the chance to be in his porno! Or rather, his new film called Zack and Miri Make a Porno.

As you might remember, the flick stars Seth Rogen as Zack, and Elizabeth Banks as Miri. They are a pair of platonic friends who decide to make a porn movie to rake in some much-needed cash. While bringing the flick together, however, the two develop more-than-friends feelings for each other. (Rogen must be the luckiest nerd to ever live.) Now, I'm pretty sure that they don't need extras to be in the film's porn, nor fluffers or anything of that sort, but if you'd like to be seen somewhere in the film, Smith is opening the floodgates. As the director says, it could be "just your shoulder, and only for a second," but I'm sure that it would be a great experience.

If you want to help make the Porno, you just need your age and contact info, as well as a head-shot and a fully-clothed body shot. You can find the particulars over at Silent Bob Speaks. Now, this isn't some ritzy gig -- should you be chosen, you'll only get minimum wage, and if you live outside of the Pittsburgh area, you'll have to pay for your own accommodations. But still, would you really want to pass up the chance?

Imagine graduating from high school, making a few short films and music videos in Omaha, Nebraska, and then deciding to write a feature. So far, it seems completely plausible. Now, imagine that you write one with Oscar winner Martin Landau in mind for the lead. Still, it can happen, although it's a pretty optimistic endeavor. Top that off by imagining that he actually agrees to do it, and then you score one hell of a cast to go along with him. It sounds like a fanboy fantasy, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, it's come true for one luck Nebraskan filmmaker.

Nik Fackler wrote up Lovely Still, a "holiday fable," about this old man who works as a bagger in a grocery store when he finally finds his first love. He scored himself a meeting with Landau, spent hours convincing him that he was worth it, and things went on from there. Landau got Ellen Burstyn involved, who will play his paramour, and then Elizabeth Banks (the future porno-making Miri) signed on to play her daughter, and Adam Scott (the jerky husband on Tell Me You Love Me) signed on to play the store owner. Fackler is even getting a score from Nathaniel Walcott and Michael Riley Mogis of Bright Eyes. Talk about a killer first-feature gig. Producer Lars Knudsen says: "It's a testament to his talent, that at such a young age he has wooed actors like Martin and Ellen; he's one of those naturals who never went to film school." Knudsen also wonders if Nik will follow in fellow Omaha native Alexander Payne's footsteps. They're currently filming over there in Nebraska.

I'm completely sold. How about you?

Not long ago, Kevin Smith told fans on his blog that he had all but cast both lead roles in the upcoming Zack & Miri Make a Porno. Well Variety tells us today who actually nabbed the parts, and it turned out to be Seth Rogen (who'd been rumored for awhile) and Elizabeth Banks -- both of which are excellent choices, in my opinion. Rogen and Banks also appeared together in The 40 Year Old Virgin, but neither have ever shown up in a Kevin Smith film. Shooting is set to begin this January in Pittsburgh, but there's currently no word on a release date.

Zack & Miri Make a Porno revolves around two platonic friends who, strapped for cash and in debt, decide to make a porno with help from some friends. Problems arise when both Zack and Miri realize they may have "more than friends" feelings for one another. For awhile Jason Bateman was said to be up for a role, but he denied that. And Rosario Dawson was up for the Miri role, but she opted to take on another project due to scheduling conflicts. The only additional cast members we know of at this time are Jason Mewes and IMDb also lists Jeff Anderson (both are long-time Smith collaborators). I love this mix between the Smith and Apatow crews -- both writer/directors are tremendous when it comes to pop-centric dialogue, and I have a feeling that Zack & Miri will not only go down as one of Smith's best films, but it will also be the one that snags him duckets at the box office. Rogen? Banks? You like?

Big Brother was supposed to start production in January of this year, at least, according to early reports when Seann William Scott was cast. But what movie ever sticks to a schedule? When Paul Rudd joined in December, production was pushed back to April. But as of September, McLovin -aka- Christopher Mintz-Plasse signed on and production still hadn't started. Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Elizabeth Banks has also signed on, to play Rudd's girlfriend who gets him into the Big Brother program -- and, it's finally into production.

Unfortunately, it's still having name issues. First, it was Big Brother; then, it became Little Big Men, which wasn't so good as it sounds like some sort of orphan drama or something; now, it's currently an "untitled mentor project." I have to admit, I'm pretty psyched about this flick, mainly because it was written by The Ten's David Wain (who is also directing) and Ken Marino, along with Rudd. Between Marino's work as Vinnie Van Lowe, Rudd's involvement, and James Rocchi's great interview with Wain and Marino back in August, you couldn't keep me away from this picture. Now that they've finally begun shooting, maybe we can see this sucker some time in the new year.

The Toronto International Film Festival may be winding down toward its close tonight, but that doesn't mean the dealing has stopped. Late Thursday night, according to The Hollywood Reporter, First Look Studios ponied up more than $3 million for US rights to the comedy Bill, starring Aaron Eckhart and Jessica Alba, with Elizabeth Banks and Timothy Olyphant also featured. THR says the price makes it "the heftiest sale of the event."

Bill is based on a script by Melisa Wallack and directed by Wallack and Bernie Goldmann. Eckhart plays the titular character, who is "fed up with his job, his wife and his life," according to a description by GreeneStreet Films. "Bill's life hits an all-time low when he catches his wife having an affair with a local news anchor." He turns to an "unruly, but curiously wise" teen that he's mentoring for inspiration. Banks plays his wife, Olyphant is the news anchor, Logan Lerman is the teen, and Alba is a lingerie salesgirl (!!!) who helps him in more ways than the obvious (we hope). Reliable comedy players Craig Bierko, Melissa Coughlan and Kristen Wiig round out the cast.

Eckhart can be deadpan funny, as in Thank You for Smoking, and I've loved both Banks and Olyphant in most everything they've done lately. With this role and Good Luck Chuck, it looks like Alba is at least trying to expand her range a bit. Co-director Goldmann has been a producer for years, with 300 and George A. Romero's Land of the Dead being his most prominent credits. Wallack appears to be a newcomer. First Look Studios plans a theatrical release for Bill, though no date has been set.