· Since before Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was even released, it was rumored that David Yates might direct the Warner Bros. big screen adaptation of The Stand. And he still might -- but with the help of an old friend. HitFix's Drew McWeeny reports that Yates and Potter screenwriter Steve Kloves are "finalizing deals" to adapt Stephen King's biggest novel over the course of three films. Obviously, nothing is official -- and it might not even happen; Variety reporter Jeff Sneider tweeted that people should not "go doing cartwheels" about the news just yet -- but don't act shocked when some big press release about Yates, Kloves and The Stand goes out in the coming weeks. [HitFix]
· Because Mark Wahlberg doesn't have enough things on his plate, he's in negotiations with Universal to star in the graphic novel adaptation Two Guns. The Departed-like film -- it's about a DEA agent and undercover naval intelligence officer who "investigate each other while each steals the mobs money" -- was originally eyed for director David O. Russell and star Vince Vaughn, but they both appear out now; Blake Masters wrote the script. [Deadline]
· Republican New York congressman and House Committee on Homeland Security chairman Peter King has it in his head that the Obama administration released classified information to Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal and Sony Pictures to help with their upcoming and untitled Osama bin Laden film. Bigelow and Boal released a statement about their film that didn't actually address King's complaints, but White House press secretary Jay Carney did offer one retort: "I would hope that as we face the continued threat from terrorism, the House Committee on Homeland Security would have more important topics to discuss than a movie." [Deadline]
· Morgan Freeman is in talks to join Jesse Eisenberg, Melanie Laurent and the also in-talks Mark Ruffalo and Amanda Seyfried in Now You See Me. The Louis Leterrier-directed film is about magicans who rob banks, and the FBI agent tasked to stopping them. Freeman would play "Thaddeus, an ex-magician who has made a career out of exposing other magicians' illusions, making him a despised figure within the magic community." GOB would be very displeased. [Variety]
· From the world of science, it turns out that spoilers are actually good for you. Bruce Willis was dead the entire time in The Sixth Sense. Feel better? [Science Daily]
· Dermot Mulroney has been added to the cast of Stoker. The Shadow of a Doubt-y film from Wentworth Miller and director Chan-wook Park follows a young girl (Mia Wasikowska) who must contend with her evil uncle (Matthew Goode) after the death of her father (Mulroney). (Spoilers make you feel good, remember?) Nicole Kidman and Jacki Weaver (Team Jacki!) also star. [THR]