Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Assuming negotiations end well, Ed Helms will be temporarily setting aside his stapler to star in a new Todd Phillips (School for Scoundrels) film. The role would be The Office‘s star first lead in a motion picture.

In Hangover, Helms and Bradley Cooper (Alias) will play two of three friends who lose a groom-to-be during a Vegas bachelor party-outing. No actor has yet been cast as the third bud.

Although a release date hasn’t been announced, the comedy is currently entering pre-production. In the meantime, fans of Helms should hurry up to see Meet Dave before it disappears from theaters.

We knew Kate Hudson could play a groupie, but who knew the Oscar-nominee could actually sing?

The Almost Famous actress is next set to join a growing list of A-list actors for Nine, Rob Marshall’s latest musical production. The Chicago director currently has Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench and Sophia Loren lined up to star against Daniel Day-Lewis in the adaptation of the Broadway show. (Antonio Banderas starred in the 2003 revival.)

Day-Lewis will play Guido Contini, a Italian film director who has to handle all the women in his life. Javier Bardem, the actor originally scheduled to play the lead, backed out earlier this year due to exhaustion.

According to E!, Hudson’s role was not a part included in the stage production. Her character, a writer for Vogue, was something expressly written for her.

Production is scheduled to begin in October.

When the Mayans were planning out their calendars, I don’t imagine they saw Woody Harrelson anywhere in the picture.

The No Country for Old Men actor recently told MTV that he has been asked to join the film 2012. The large-scale film, another from director Roland Emmerich (10,000 BC), will focus on the date the ancient civilization predicted the world would end (December 21, 2012).

According to Harrelson, his character will be the one many people have a hard time believing. “I play a guy who’s been talking for a long time, the whole world thinks he’s crazy. But he’s been talking that there’s gonna be hell to pay for what’s been going on ecologically and everything.”

The movie - which also stars John Cusack, Danny Glover and Amanda Peet - is slated for release in 2009.