Ben Stiller has joined the graphic novel set! He’ll produce and possibly star in The Return of King Doug based on a yet to be published Oni graphic novel by animation writers Greg Erb and Jason Oremland. The duo will also pen the screenplay. The title joins Oni’s Courtney Crumrin, The Damned, Scott Pilgrim (see below) and Maintenance among the Hollywood set.

MEANWHILE…unstoppable Stan Lee has announced three projects in his Disney pact. Lee and his POW! partner Gil Champion will produce.

“Nick Ratchet” will be directed by Richard LaGravenese (“P.S. I Love You”) from a screenplay he is writing. Larry Jacobson and Sonny Grosso are in talks to produce.

“Blaze” is being penned by Gary Goldman (“Next”).

“Tigress” is being written by newcomer Zoe Green. State Street Pictures’ Robert Teitel and George Tillman will produce. Film is not the same as a previously announced project titled “Tigress” that Lee is developing with Michelle Rodriguez attached to star. That project is based on a “Conan the Barbarian” villainess.

Talkative Stan chafed at having to keep plot details under wraps. “You have no idea how frustrating that is for me, because I love these characters so much and want to talk about them.” Lee said, adding that perhaps the properties could even become comic books. “You either have a great comicbook and it becomes a great movie. Or you have a great movie that becomes a great comicbook. These things have a natural progression.”

FINALLY…Michael Cera demonstrates his ability to talk up comics as he told Empire about his casting in SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (the official title):

“I love the graphic novels, they’re amazing,” gushed Cera. “The first time I met Edgar, we hung out in Toronto [Cera’s home town and the setting for Pilgrim] with Bryan Lee O’Malley [the series’ creator, also from Toronto], and he showed me pages from the fourth book that hadn’t come out yet. It was awesome!”

Yes it was. These things have a natural progression.

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