Chris Columbus' 1492 Pictures and CJ Ent. have picked up the rights to Anne Rice's CHRIST THE LORD: OUT OF EGYPT, reports Variety.

Paramount has hired David Leslie Johnson (ORPHAN) to adapt Daniel LuVisi's graphic novel LAST MAN STANDING, reports Variety.

Producers Justin Lin and Scott Stuber are going with total fresh faces for their untitled sci-fi crime thriller.

Producer Neal Moritz is working on a reboot of STARSHIP TROOPERS for Sony Pictures, reports Vulture.

Warner Bros. has paid around $2 million for the rights to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES author Seth Grahame-Smith's next novel UNHOLY NIGHT, reports Deadline.com.

24 Frames reports that New Line is developing a disaster film about the "Big One" titled SAN ANDREAS: 3D.

Tony Peckham (SHERLOCK HOLMES) is in talks to redo the script for Warner Bros. and Appian Way's THE TWILIGHT ZONE, reports Variety.

Todd Berger, who wrote the hot spec script THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS, has been hired to write the screenplay to MGM's WHERE'S WALDO?, writes The Hollywood Reporter.

Marti Noxon, writer on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and the FRIGHT NIGHT remake, has been hired to rewrite the OUIJA script for Hasbro and Platinum Dunes, reports Heat Vision.

RESIDENT EVIL team of director Paul W.S. Anderson and producer Jeremy Bolt are developing a found footage series for Entertainment One, reports ComingSoon.net.

Twentieth Century Fox has picked up SAFE HOUSE scribe David Guggenheim's spec script NARCO SUB for Tony Scott to direct, reports Deadline.com.

Uber producer Gale Anne Hurd (THE WALKING DEAD) is developing a new TV series based on Annie Jacobsen’s book AREA 51: AN UNCENSORED HISTORY OF AMERICA’S TOP SECRET MILITARY BASE, reports Deadline.com.

KUNG FU PANDA 2 writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger have been tapped by Disney to pen the comedy fantasy WISH LIST, writes The Hollywood Reporter.

Andrew Kevin Walker (SEVEN) will write director David Fincher's new take on 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, reports Deadline.com.

Lionsgate is courting Simon Beufoy (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) to adapted HUNGER GAMES follow-up CATCHING FIRE, reports Deadline.com.

Eric Roth (FORREST GUMP, EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE) is in talks to adapt Stacy Schiff's CLEOPATRA: A LIFE for Sony, reports Variety.

AMC has purchased the UFO drama THUNDERSTRUCK from writing/directing team Paul Boardman and Scott Derrickson and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA exec producer David Eick, reports Deadline.com.

Legendary Pictures has hired Max Borenstein to pen the latest draft of GODZILLA, reports Heat Vision.

Evan Spiliotopoulos, the writer of SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN and BATTLE FOR TERRA, has been tapped to pen Universal's adaptation of '70s videogame classic ASTEROIDS, reports Heat Vision.

Brian K. Vaughan (LOST) has been hired to write DreamWorks TV's adaptation of Stephen King’s 2009 novel UNDER THE DOME, reports Deadline.com.