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Casting News: Black to Experience "Year One"

Jack Black is jumping on board the Judd Apatow bandwagon. Apatow scored a big hit last weekend when his second directorial feature, "Knocked Up," delivered a sweet $29 million at the box office, but he's also spent the last few years producing movies such as Will Ferrell's "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." Currently, Apatow has these movies in the can: "Drillbit Taylor" with Owen Wilson, "The Pineapple Express" with James Franco, "Walk Hard" with John C. Reilly and "Superbad," which comes out in August. At the same time, Apatow is in production with his old buddy Adam Sandler on the new comedy, "You Don't Mess With the Zohan" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" with Kristen Bell.

Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Jack Black will join Michael Cera (one of the stars of "Superbad") in the new comedy "Year One" for Columbia Pictures, which Apatow will produce. Harold Ramis, who coincidently played Seth Rogen's dad in "Knocked," will direct the production (plot details are under wraps). Ramis, best known for writing "Animal House" and "Ghostbusters," co-wrote the screenplay with "The Office" screenwriters Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg. In an interesting social circle note, Owen Wilson will also act as a producer on "Year" alongside Apatow. No word on when production will begin, but moviegoers will soon find Black on-screen in Michel Gondry's "Be Kind Rewind" and Noah Baumbach's "Margot at the Wedding." Cera, best known for his work on "Arrested Development," will next appear in "Juno," director Jason Reitman's follow-up to "Thank You for Smoking." As for Apatow, who would have thought the guy whose critically acclaimed TV shows "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared" were both dumped after one season would become one of Hollywood's most prolific power players?

Hollywood Hitlist — Gregory Ellwood