• Christian Slater returns to the big screen in Tibor Takacs’ upcoming action comedy “Lies & Illusions,” playing a novelist hunted by spies who believe he’s in possession of stolen diamonds. Cuba Gooding Jr. and Sarah Ann Schultz co-star. (Variety)

• According to The Hollywood Reporter, Haylie Duff is in talks to star in Abram Makowka’s indie comedy “Tug.” The film centers on a small town guy played by Sam Huntington) who’s not sure whether to stay with his current girlfriend or go back to his crazy ex (Duff).

• Variety reports Columbia Pictures has acquired the rights to adapt R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” series. Sold all over the world, the series includes more than 50 books. A videogame based on the international phenomenon will be released later this year.

• Joe Dante, director of “Gremlins” and “Small Soldiers,” is set to helm “Bat Out of Hell,” a horror flick about a bunch of plane hijackers who have to face something monstrous on board. The film was co-written by Drew McWeeny, who spent years working over at Ain’t It Cool News. (Variety)

• Moviehole confirmed earlier today that Tom Cruise is in negotiations to play the U.S. president in Phillip Noyce’s upcoming film “28th Amendment.” The plot centers on the president as he discovers his country is in fact run by a secret organization that pretty much eliminates everybody who poses a threat against the United States.