The Risk Pool: According to Variety, Castle Rock and Warner Bros. will turn the Richard Russo novel The Risk Pool into a star vehicle for Tom Hanks, with Lawrence Kasdan writing the script and directing.

"The Risk Pool" tells the story of a man who is suddenly charged with raising his son, after his estranged wife has a nervous breakdown. Hanks will play a charming petty thief and gambler, whose unreliability puts him on the lowest rung of the insurance risk pool. While Castle Rock prexy Martin Shafer has worked for the past few months to make deals, Kasdan has nearly finished with a first draft of the script.

"(The) father is a charming but unreliable screw-up who introduces this sheltered boy to this wonderful and slightly dark world of pool halls and bars," Kasdan said. "The relationship between them is funny and moving, and I don't recall being so immediately struck by a book since 'The Accidental Tourist.' I took it to Tom because I thought he would be so perfect in the role."

Kasdan's last film, Dreamcatcher, was also made for Castle Rock.