I know I keep saying Fox’s execs must all have fetal alcohol syndrome, but I’m not sure even that fully explains it. I’m beginning to think they begin all their pitch meetings with, “Okay, guys: What’s the stupidest f–king thing you can think of?”

In its latest animal-central project, Fox has signed director Tom Dey to develop a big-screen adaptation of “Marmaduke.” Brad Anderson created the decades-running newspaper comic, which revolves around a mischievous Great Dane who lives with the Winslow family in 1954. The project is in the early stages of development, and the studio declined comment on specifics. It hasn’t been decided whether “Marmaduke” will be a live-action film, animated or a mutt [sic].
The studio also has “We Bought a Zoo” and the Farrelly brothers’ project “Walter the Farting Dog” in development.
Dey directed “Shanghai Noon,” “Showtime” and “Failure to Launch.” [Yahoo]

Marmaduke? My only issue is that it seems almost too relevant, too current for a film adaptation.  I’ve heard Tippecanoe had a terrier who was rather popular amongst cartoonists of the day. If only they’d had CGI!

[see also The Marmaduke Project. I think this one's my favorite.]

Ving Rhames will be playing boxer Sonny Liston in the upcoming biopic Phantom Punch*.  Producers say Rhames is perfect for the part because he’s big and black and doesn’t look like a bitch.  He can sure act like one sometimes though, let me tell you – touch-yyyy. 

"Phantom" will chronicle Liston’s rise to fame as a boxer and the single "phantom punch" he took at the hands of Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) that many believe led to the demise of his career. Liston was the 24th of 25 children born to an Arkansas sharecropper. Prone to violence, he at one point served prison time for robbing a gas station and another for beating up a police officer. He turned to fighting as a way to gain respect and became world heavyweight champion in 1962. While he was known to have ties to the mob — and one of the most potent punches in heavyweight division history — the boxer is best remembered for the incident that took place just two minutes into the 1965 bout with Ali. The fighter — who had seldom been knocked to his feet [sic]– went down from what was long debated as a felonious punch.

In other news, The Hollywood Reporter has been letting Mrs. Stover’s 7th grade English glass write their stories for them.  Here’s a tip kids, if you use a big word, make sure you know what it means first. 

*Insert hilarious Donkey Punch joke