Everything’s Coming Up Patti on Broadway

LuPone’s Gypsy to Broadway: Plans are finally finalized to remount the Encores! production of Gypsy, starring Patti LuPone, Boyd Gaines, and Laura Benanti, on Broadway. The show, directed by book writer Arthur Laurents, will open in March at the St. James. Charles Isherwood sighs, wonders what else he possibly has to say. [Variety]

Hudson, Latifah, Fanning Bee Filmin’: Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, and Sophie Okonedo will play a trio of eccentric sisters who take in a teenage girl in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s adaptation of The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd’s novel that has sold a jillion copies to people who read it and now can’t remember a single thing about it. Dakota Fanning is in talks to play the kid, natch. [Variety]

Berg May Salt Cruise: Peter Berg is in talks to direct Tom Cruise in the Columbia spy caper Edwin A. Salt. Berg, known as an aggressive director who’s tough with talent, is expected to keep Cruise from wearing another eye patch. [EW]

Raimi Goes Back to Hell: Sam Raimi will return to his genre roots with supernatural thriller Drag Me to Hell, co-written around the time of Army of Darkness with his brother Ivan Raimi. Quick ‘n’ dirty flick is widely expected to be Raimi’s palate cleanser between the Spider-Man trilogy and The Hobbit. Co-producer Rob Tapert describes Drag Me as “a ‘spook-a-blast,’ a wild ride with all the chills and spills that Evil Dead delivered, without relying on the excessive violence of that film.” Despite that glaring flaw, we’re sure we’ll love it anyway. [Variety]

Drowsy Takes Its Last Bow: The Drowsy Chaperone will close December 30 after playing 674 performances and recouping its investment. Finally, the Man in Chair can get up and go home. [Playbill]