Here are some short but interesting film news that appeared in the trades or on the Web today:

• Summit Entertainment is in talks to grab worldwide distribution rights to the upcoming Jodie Foster-directed comedy "The Beaver." Mel Gibson plays a crazy dude who starts walking around with a beaver puppet, which he treats just like a human. Foster also plays his wife. (via Variety)

• Michael Davis ("Shoot 'Em Up" & "Monster Man") is set to direct a remake of Peter Hyams' Sean Connery vehicle "Outland," a sci-fi flick about a police marshal who uncovers a big conspiracy in a mining colony on Jupiter's moon Io. Chad St. John will write the screenplay. (via Variety)

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Warner Bros. has acquired the big-screen rights to Nicholas Sparks' latest bestseller "The Lucky One," which hit book shelves last month.

Variety reports Denise Di Novi will produce the adaptation. Her credits include "Nights in Rodanthe," "A Walk to Remember" and "Message in a Bottle."

In the book, Sparks tells the story of a Marine who carries a photograph of a woman he has never met. He eventually decides to track her down upon his return to North Carolina.

The next Sparks book to hit the big screen is "Dear John," which Lasse Hallstrom is directing for Relativity and Screen Gems. Amanda Seyfried stars as a young woman who falls in love with a solider while he’s on leave.

Sparks is also currently writing an untitled novel he is simultaneously turning into a movie for Miley Cyrus to star in.

Sparks also wrote "The Notebook," which turned into a huge success in theaters and on DVD.