According to BBC News, George Clooney is to produce the film version of Tracey Letts’ play, August: Osage County, which will star Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. The play, about a dysfunctional family brought back together after their poet father disappears, won the Pulitzer and the Tony awards for best drama in 2008. Streep and Roberts will play mother and daughter in the film. “It’s such a terrific group and we feel honoured to help bring it to the screen,” said Clooney in a statement. The Weinstein company is backing the movie adaptation, while John Wells is directing. Wells is best known for his TV work including ER, Mildred Pierce and the US adaptation of Shameless. And Clooney will be joined by co-producer Grant Heslov, who was also behind the star’s previous films The Ides of March and Good Night and Good Luck. “Grant and I are thrilled to work on this project… I can’t think of anyone better than Harvey to put this all together,” Clooney continued. Weinstein returned the compliment: “George and Grant are gifted producers, with great taste and instincts, and a work ethic that is second to none.” Streep will play a matriarch who is addicted to prescription drugs, while Roberts will portray her eldest daughter Barbara. The play made its Broadway debut in December 2007 after premiering at Chicago’s Steppenwolf theatre earlier that year. The rest of the cast has still to be announced. Shooting will begin in the autumn.

The Public Theater today presents Kevin Kline as Romeo and Meryl Streep as Juliet in a one-night-only benefit reading of “Romeo and Juliet” – the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The cast will also feature F. Murray Abraham, Christine Baranski, John Cullum , Raúl Esparza, David Harbour, Bill Irwin, Jesse L. Martin, Sandra Oh, Phylicia Rashad, Jerry Stiller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Christopher Walken, Sharon Washington, Sam Waterston and Jeffrey Wright. Conceived by Public Theater founder Joe Papp as a way to make great theater accessible to all, over the past five decades, more than five million people have enjoyed more than 150 free productions of Shakespeare and other classical works and musicals at the Delacorte. Directed by Daniel Sullivan, this star-studded cast will be joined on stage by live musicians playing original music by award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori.

Additional casting has been announced for one-night-only reading of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at The Public Theater’s Delacorte Theatre in Central Park on Monday, June 18. The reading will be directed by Daniel Sullivan and will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte. In addition to Oscar and Tony Award winners Kevin Kline and Meryl Streep in the title roles, the reading will feature F. Murray Abraham (Friar Laurence), Christine Baranski (Nurse), John Cullum (Capulet), Raúl Esparza (Sampson, Apothecary, Watchman 1), David Harbour (Abraham, Capulet Servant, Paris’ Page), Bill Irwin (Montague), Jesse L. Martin (Gregory, Friar John, Watchman 2), Sandra Oh (Lady Montague), Phylicia Rashad (Lady Capulet), Jerry Stiller (Peter), Michael Stuhlbarg (Paris), Christopher Walken (Mercutio), Sharon Washington (Stage Directions), Sam Waterston (Benvolio), and Jeffrey Wright (Tybalt), along with an on-stage band playing the music of Jeanine Tesori. The evening will also include dinner al fresco and a party immediately following the performance. Click here for more information and tickets to The Public Theaters gala celebration.

Four new production stills from the upcoming “Hope Springs” have been added to the image library. Edit: Another still has been added, with thanks to Joan for the heads-up.

Entertainment Weekly has learned exclusively that author Lauren Weisberger is working on “Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns”, a sequel to her debut novel “The Devil Wears Prada”. Simon & Schuster will be publishing the follow-up in April 2013 — 10 years after the release of the original. “Revenge Wears Prada” picks up eight years after Andy parted ways with Miranda on bad terms. Andy is now editing The Plunge, the hottest bridal magazine around, alongside Emily, her one-time Runway nemesis turned current BFF. While Andy is planning her own wedding to Max, a handsome media scion, she remains haunted by her impeccably heeled former boss — and the magazine world being as small as it is, it’s only a matter of time before she hears the dreaded syllables “Ahn-dre-ah!” again. Weisberger has written three novels since The Devil Wears Prada, but this is her first return to the cutthroat world of Runway magazine. Thanks to Glenn for the heads-up.

Christopher Walken, Raúl Esparza, Jeffrey Wright, Jesse L. Martin, Jerry Stiller and Sam Waterston will join previously announced stars Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline for the Public Theater’s one-night-only benefit reading of Romeo and Juliet. Directed by Daniel Sullivan, the June 18 gala celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. Jeanine Tesori will compose original music for the performance, which also honors Shakespeare in the Park veteran Al Pacino. The Delacorte Theater in Central Park officially opened on June 18, 1962 with a production of The Merchant of Venice. Directed by Public Theater founder Joe Papp and Gladys Vaughn, the production featured then-unknown actors George C. Scott and James Earl Jones. Over the past 50 years more than five million people have enjoyed more than 100 free productions of Shakespeare and other classical works and musicals at the Delacorte. This year’s Shakespeare in the Park season will include productions of As You Like It and Into the Woods.

Yahoo Movies has posted an excerpt of one of the Blu-Ray documentaries on “The Iron Lady” – creating Margaret Thatcher – in which Oscar-winner Mark Coulier talks about the process of transforming Meryl into Margaret. Lots of new footage from behind the scenes is shown. The full documentary and more featurettes can be found on the Blu-Ray, which is available in the US since April 10 and in the UK since today.

Today, the theatrical trailer for “Hope Springs” has been released. Have a look at it in the video archive. Additionally, screencaptures from the trailer and the film’s poster have been added to the image library. Thanks to everybody for the heads-up on this!