Man, timing is everything! Only yesterday we were talking about Platinum Studios, and now Variety has news of COWBOYS AND ALIENS moving along the A-list production pipeline, with Dreamworks and UNiversal teaming. Brian Grazer and Ron Howard are producing, along with Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.

The graphic novel mixes Western and science fiction genres. Set in 1800s Arizona, a skirmish between cowboys and Apaches is interrupted by the crash landing of a space ship. The alien commander plans to tame the Old West and enslave everyone, but the cowboys and Native Americans turn their six-guns against the alien invaders.

Rosenberg, who ran Malibu Comics when “Men in Black” transferred from graphic novel to hit film, created the concept for “Cowboys & Aliens” and published the graphic novel in 2006.

Several studios have been intrigued by the concept, but the deal was finally pulled together by DreamWorks production president Adam Goodman and U production prexy Donna Langley. The studios have teamed successfully in the past on such pics as “Gladiator” and the Imagine-produced “A Beautiful Mind.”

According to this PR, Platinum has also teamed with AT&T for this year’s Comic Book Challenge.