the industry

Industry Roundup: Dempsey, Kunis

McTransformers-y: Patrick Dempsey has been added to the cast of Transformers 3. The Grey’s Anatomy star will join returning stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox in the Michael Bay-directed film. EW reports that Dempsey will play Fox’s boss in the film, “a darker character” who is “significant to the plot.” Based on this and last week’s rumblings, it may be wise for Shonda Rhimes to start thinking about looking for a new McDreamy. [Variety]

Dueling Friends: Mila Kunis will star opposite Justin Timberlake in Friends With Benefits, a romantic comedy about two friends who try to take their romance to the next level. Believe it or not, the casting makes this - in addition to the upcoming Ivan Reitman-helmed Ashton Kutcher-Natalie Portman film - the second movie with the working title Friends With Benefits scheduled for the near future featuring an ex-That ‘70s Show cast member. [Variety]

The Right Number: Joel McHale has nabbed a “key role” in the upcoming Anna Faris comedy What’s Your Number? He will play the “mildly charming boss” whom Faris’ character “accidentally” sleeps with, which causes her to embark on a quest through her former lovers to find the perfect guy. The Mark Mylod film’s cast also includes Chris Evans, Zachary Quinto and Matt Bomer…. well, knowing those are the three guys Faris is going to reconnect with, it would seem McHale’s actually doing her something of a favor. [HR]

She-Wolf to Roam: Shakira will embark on a North American tour this fall, with tickets to go on sale May 7. The Colombian singer’s last tour in 2006-2007 earned more than $42 million across 46 North American and Latin American stops. No dates will be scheduled on nights projected to have full moons. [Billboard]

Kings of The Castle: HBO is developing America: In the King Years, a 7-hour miniseries about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. based on the book trilogy by Taylor Branch. Robert Schenkkan, who wrote four episodes of The Pacific, will write the seven hour-long episodes for the project, which comes from Harpo Films’ Oprah Winfrey and Kate Forte. This venture joins two other upcoming projects focused on King: Lee DanielsSelma (with Liam Neeson and Hugh Jackman attached) and a DreamWorks MLK biopic from Ronald Harwood. If we were those last two though, we might be a bit unnerved about now: Oprah loses to no one. [Deadline]

Fonda and Keener Find Peace: Jane Fonda and Catherine Keener will star in Peace, Love and Misunderstanding, a “multigenerational indie film” centering on a conservative lawyer (Keener) who takes her children to the house of their “estranged hippie grandmother” (Fonda) in Woodstock after Keener’s husband leaves her. Undoubtedly, after early friction, Fonda will teach Keener and the grandchildren how to tie dye shirts or knit scarves, and, three-quarters through, Keener will jump into a geyser with her clothes on to show how ‘carefree’ she’s become. [HR]

Terrace Duo Reunites: Samuel L. Jackson and Neil LaBute are teaming up for a drama project for Showtime about a white supremacist family in the Pacific Northwest. Jackson will executive produce the series, which is based on his idea, and LaBute (The Wicker Man) will write the script. Let’s hope this fares better than the last time the duo collaborated on a project involving race, 2008’s tepidly-received Lakeview Terrace. [Variety]

Industry Roundup: Dempsey, Kunis