Richard Pryor to be played by ... a Wayans brother?

I really enjoy reading about all this stuff, even more than I do writing about it when I first wake up in the morning, because very often you just get one of those wtf moments that make me start the day with a smile.

To first give all credit where its due, this info comes directly from Hitfix, and I see no reason to take it as anything but fact.

In February, it was announced that "Dreamgirls" director Bill Condon was going to make a biopic about Richard Pryor (rather imaginatively titled "Richard Pryor"), and Eddie Murphy was going to be the star. Fair enough all that, but apparently not so.

Now comes word that though Condon is still on board, Marlon Wayans will be stepping in to play Pryor, and oddly I see this a potentially really good move.

Don't get me wrong. I can't criticize anything the Wayans brothers have generated as a unit in recent years because I haven't bothered to see anything they were all involved in since the first "Scary Movie," but I did of course way back when see "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka." And I did see and quite enjoy the Marlon variety of the Wayans in both "Requiem for a Dream" and "Ladykillers" (yes, "Ladykillers," and I like that movie quite a bit.)

Mostly, though I'm sure Murphy would have loved to do this, this move takes out all that ego and places a potentially very funny guy (as long as he and his brothers aren't behind the camera) in the role of the best comedian (except for maybe Bill Hicks) of all time.

Well, more than enough about that, really, but apropos of just about nothing, here's Wayans in a very funny - and extremely foul - clip from "Ladykillers" to get your Wednesday started right.



Selick out at Laika

Anyone who saw and enjoyed "Coraline" as much as I did (and since it made $75 million domestic, there must be a few of you out there) knows that this is a pretty dark day for Laika, the studio that generated it.

Henry Selick, the "Coraline" director and a master of stop-motion animation, is leaving his post as "supervising director for feature film development" at the studio. Rather ironically, I guess, despite that title, he's leaving because his contract is up and he still didn't have any feature film in sight to direct.

Laika is set to announce its next feature within the month, but here's hoping that Selick finds a new home where his talents can be put to their proper use very soon.

Lauren Graham back on TV?

As a big fan of "Gilmore Girls" (yes, really), I have to say it's just been depressing to see Lauren Graham not be able to find any really good roles - on the big screen or small - since that show ended. Now, however, it seems she's found something that will at least probably last a few years.

Graham is about to step in for Maura Tierney in NBC's upcoming drama series "Parenthood," based at least loosely on the movie of the same name that I just couldn't stand. Tierney had to drop out because she is battling breast cancer.

And why would the TV show be any better than the rather wretched movie? Well, first of all, it was created by "Friday Night Lights" showrunner Jason Katims, and already has a pretty strong cast, including Peter Krause and Craig T. Nelson (as an aside, I just finished watching "Sports Night," and that show was so good I'm surprised it even managed to last two years.)

The show, if it actually makes it in on the air, is set to debut as a midseason replacement.

Another "Vacation"?

As sequels go, I think this one just might work because of the sheer craziness of it. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it seems that "Wedding Crashers" director David Dobkin is considering producing and directing (yet another) sequel of sorts to "National Lampoon's Vacation."

Yes, there have already been umpteen spinoffs (I think the only one I've seen was "European Vacation"), but this would instead be a "reboot" (what an awful word), with Rusty now taking his own kids on a similar trip to the original, perhaps to Wally World again for all I know.

Now, National Lampoon is no longer involved (but when's the last time they generated anything genuinely funny?) and no word yet if any of the original cast would be either, but just thinking of that goofy movie again made me smile, so here's hoping something seriously funny comes out of all this.

And speaking of seriously funny, "South Park" is finally back on the air again tonight for what I have to assume will be another seven-episode stretch. Here's the description of tonight's episode from Comedy Central:

"The boys bring in professional ghost hunters to investigate evidence of paranormal activity in the Broflovski house. Powerful forces are tormenting Ike. He’s freaked out and the stress could kill him. Kyle and the boys are doing everything they can to save him, but the poltergeists won’t leave Ike alone."

What that doesn't tell you is that the episode is titled "Dead Celebrities," and as you can see from the very brief clip below, they take their inspiration from a rather obvious source. Enjoy, and have a none-too-bothersome Wednesday. Peace out.