Knocking Around

The stars of the Judd Apatow comedy Knocked Up (pictured) are making hay in separate films...


Tatiana Seigel and Michael Fleming of Variety:

Seth Rogen has inked to play the titular Zack in writer-director Kevin Smith's "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" for The Weinstein Company. and Dimension Films. Elizabeth Banks will star opposite Rogen as Miri.

Film reunites the pair, who appeared together in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin."

Story revolves around two lifelong platonic friends who are deep in debt and enlist the help of their friends to make a porn pic for some quick cash. But Zack and Miri realize that they may have more feelings for each other than they previously thought.

Scott Mosier is producing. Shooting is scheduled to begin in January in Pittsburgh.

Film marks the seventh time Smith has collaborated with Bob and Harvey Weinstein -- a relationship that began 13 years ago with "Clerks."

Rogen's recent credits include..."Superbad." Banks recently appeared in "Invincible...

Smith and Rogen should work quite well together--and as fan of Banks her participation in "Porno" is just icing on the cake...

Next-Up:

Katherine Heigl will topline the battle-of-the-sexes romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth" for Lakeshore Entertainment.

Film reunites the "Legally Blonde" team of helmer Robert Luketic and writers Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith.

Columbia Pictures will distribute "Ugly Truth" worldwide.

Story centers on a romantically challenged morning show producer (Heigl) who is reluctantly embroiled in a series of outrageous tests by her chauvinistic correspondent to prove his theories on relationships and help her find love. His clever ploys, however, lead to an unexpected result.
Shooting is scheduled to begin April 15.

Lakeshore's Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi are producing alongside Steven Reuther.

Film was greenlit based on Lutz & Smith's rewrite of Nicole Eastman's original screenplay. Lutz & Smith last teamed with Lakeshore on the Amanda Bynes starrer "She's the Man."

Heigl, who starred in the summer hit "Knocked Up," will next be seen in "27 Dresses" for Fox 2000.

Luketic's next film, the casino thriller "21," will be distributed by Sony. His credits include "Monster-in-Law" and "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!"

I'm also a fan of Heigel's--though I'm not a viewer of her TV gig Grey's Anatomy--with the season in doubt over the writer's strike-I'm very glad she has summer plans.

By the way: If you haven't yet seen Rogen and Heigel in "Knocked", make sure that you check it out--It's well worth a look...