Who Wants George Clooney to Be Their Sidekick in 'Tomorrowland'?

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Today in show business news: Two young actresses are up for a potentially huge role in the year's most mysterious movie, the world is not done with Bad Teacher, and HBO says no to another big literary adaptation.

Major casting is underway for Tomorrowland, the big sci-fi adventure film written by Damon Lindelof (and Entertainment Weekly geek scribe Jeff Jensen), directed by Brad Bird, and starring George Clooney. Well, see, it's more featuring George Clooney. The real lead character is a teenage girl who seeks help from Clooney's character, "a disgruntled inventor," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The teen role is big, one that THR says "has potential to be star-making." Ooh. That's always exciting. So who's it going to be? Supposedly it's down to Britt Robertson, from The Secret Circle and the upcoming Under the Dome (and, of course, Avalon High), and Naomi Scott from the late Terra Nova. So, not exactly household names at the moment, but they could be soon! You know, the way Henry Thomas shot to huge fame after E.T.. Of course, they're only in the testing phase right now, so it's possible that neither of them will get it, but the pressure must be on at this point. Imagine reading in the trades that you're one of two people up for a role that "has potential to be star-making." That's intense. Do you call the other person up and graciously wish them luck? Do you call Melisandre instead and ask her to make you a shadow baby? Maybe you just curl up in a ball and pray as hard as you can that you don't screw it up and ruin your life forever. Whatever you do, good luck, ladies. May the best woman become hopefully not the next Brandon Routh. [The Hollywood Reporter]

The Bad Teacher TV show that's set to air in midseason isn't enough. People want more Bad Teacher, so Sony is putting together a sequel to the raunchy Cameron Diaz comedy, with director Jake Kasdan back aboard and, presumably, Diaz too. It makes sense. The first one earned over $200 million globally, a huge number for a comedy, especially considering its $20 million budget. (Diaz must have made a killing in backend money. In fact, it seems she did.) There are no details about the sequel's plot, but I'd guess it involves her being an even worse teacher? I mean, she can't be less bad, can she? What would be the point of that. [Deadline]

Well, they're doing a remake of Poltergeist. It will shoot this fall, directed by Gil Kenan, who did the animated Monster House, from a script by David Lindsay-Abaire. It's being produced by Sam Raimi, who might not be so good with trips to Oz, but he certainly knows his way around crazy horror. So, yes, there is a slight pedigree to the project. But still. We're talking about the world of the supernatural, where in theory everything is possible. Why then repeat old stories? You can make up any story you want! We're talking about ghosts and spooks and magic holes in the wall! You can make up any wacky thing imaginable. So don't just do what someone else has already done. Come on. That's silly. [Entertainment Weekly]

HBO has, quite surprisingly actually, passed on Hobgoblin, the alternate-history WWII series from writer Michael Chabon. Not only was Chabon involved, but Darren Aronofsky was going to direct the pilot. The show, about a group of magicians and conmen defeating Hitler (or something), seemed like a sure thing at such a prestige-happy network, but maybe it was too ambitious or too expensive or something. (They've already got Game of Thrones, after all.) And, y'know, HBO passed on another classy literary adaptation, Noah Baumbach's take on The Corrections, not too long ago, so I guess nothing is a sure thing there. Better start crossing your fingers, The Leftovers. As for Hobgoblin, there's talk that FX might be interested, even though Aronofsky is no longer with the project. A minor setback! If not FX, maybe AMC. If not AMC, maybe Showtime? If not Showtime... A&E? There are options. Options all the way down to USA, even. Take heart, Chabon. It's not done yet. [Vulture]

Here is a trailer for The Smurfs 2. I don't know if you want to watch it, but here it is if you do. Katy Perry apparently plays Smurfette? Nobody told me this. I did not know that was happening. Everyone else is back too, from Neil Patrick Harris to Hank Azaria to Anton Yelchin. Plus they're joined this time around by Christina Ricci and Alan Cumming, playing bad Smurf-like creatures created by Gargamel. And they're in Paris. So. There it is. If you have kids who liked the first one, I'm afraid you'll likely be sitting through this soon. Good luck. And I'm sorry.

And here is a trailer for the indie romantic comedy Drinking Buddies, starring Olivia Wilde, New Girl's Jake Johnson sporting a scruffy beard, the seemingly ubiquitous Anna Kendrick, and Ron Livingston. It's a whole couples swap and break up kind of a thing, but it looks pretty good despite its familiarity. Olivia Wilde seems likable, right? Jake Johnson looks good with his beard. And who doesn't enjoy those other two? This is probably a perfectly decent little movie. There's maybe an unrealistic amount of beer drinking in it — have some damn wine at some point, sheesh — but other than that, sure.

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