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Industry Roundup: Caine, Neeson

Unlikely Journey: Michael Caine is in final negotiations to join Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, the sequel to Journey to the Center of the Earth. Caine would play Hutcherson’s grandfather, whom Hutcherson is searching for on a mythical island. But this will not be one of Caine’s blink-or-you-miss-him Inception-style cameos: The actor will be in a significant chunk of the film, taking part in a number of chase sequences, including one involving giant bees. Giant bees! [Heat Vision/HR]

Ships Ahoy: Joining what is shaping up to be one of the most bizarre casts in recent memory, Liam Neeson has signed on to play Admiral Shane in Battleship, the Peter Berg–directed film based on the Hasbro board game. Neeson joins Friday Night LightsTaylor Kitsch, model Brooklyn Decker, True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgård, and Rihanna in the film. Come to think of it, perhaps it bodes well for the film that it seems like a dinner party with these five would probably be pretty entertaining. [Heat Vision/HR]

Father and Son: Syfy is developing a paranormal-investigation show starring Billy Ray Cyrus and his son Trace Cyrus (of the band Metro Station). Titled UFO: Unbelievably Freakin’ Obvious, Miley’s dad and brother will “investigate conspiracy theories” on the show. Unless they can somehow wrangle Miley into dropping by, it seems (unbelievably freakin’) obvious this will last no more than an episode or two. [Live Feed/HR]

Go Bo: MTV has ordered an untitled pilot from comic Bo Burnham. The scripted pilot is about a “kid fresh out of high school who’s pursuing the new American dream of being a celebrity without having any talent.” It seems like this could be based on the casts of basically every other show on MTV. [Variety]

Not So Tiny: HBO has given a pilot order to a half-hour comedy series from Judd Apatow and 24-year-old Lena Dunham. Dunham — who wrote, directed, and starred in the South by Southwest top prize-winner Tiny Furniture — wrote the untitled comedy pilot, which is centered on “the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20’s.” Dunham will direct and star in the pilot, as well as executive produce. [Deadline]

Robert on R.I.P.D.: Robert Schwentke (Red) has signed on to direct R.I.P.D., the supernatural action flick starring Ryan Reynolds. The R.I.P.D. is a group of law-enforcement officials who … are all dead. Reynolds plays a cop killed on duty who enlists for the chance to track down his killer. [Deadline]

Industry Roundup: Caine, Neeson