Daily news dose: Mary J. Blige joins Perry film; 'Demonkeeper' lands director

Here's your dose of film news for March 21, 2009:

• Mary J. Blige has joined Taraji P. Henson in Tyler Perry's "I Can Do Bad All by Myself," which is set to open Sept. 11, 2009. Not much is known about the plot at this stage, but Madea will make an appearance in the film as well. Variety says Blige will star as a nightclub manager and singer.

• Sam Fell, director of "Flushed Away" and "The Tale of Despereaux," is in talks to helm Fox 2000's "Demonkeeper," based on Royce Buckingham's novel. The story follows a teenager who must battle a bunch of demons in a house he inherits responsibility for. Laeta Kalogridis is writing the screenplay. (Variety)

• Peter Horton is set to write and direct "Coal River," the big-screen version of Michael Shnayerson's book. The story follows on the legal war between environmentalists and the coal industry in Appalachian communities in West Virginia. Horton's directing credits also include several episodes of "The Shield" and "Grey's Anatomy." (Variety)

• Mark Bomback, whose writing credits include "Race to Witch Mountain" and "Deception," is set to write "Agent Zigzag," based on the book by Ben Macintyre. The story focuses on a criminal trained by the Nazis to be a spy during WWII. He later became a double agent working for the British. (Variety)