Worth her 'Salt' The espionage thriller "Edwin A. Salt" might become "Edwina" with a change in casting from Tom Cruise to Angelina Jolie. She is close to a deal to play the title character, a CIA officer who's accused of being a Russian sleeper spy. Cruise had long flirted with the project, but when he decided against it, Jolie expressed interest and Columbia Pictures jumped, getting right to work rewriting the script. Phillip Noyce ("Patriot Games") is set to direct.

Super Express Those hankering for a "Superbad" followup might have thought they had one of sorts in "Pineapple Express," but word comes from Judd Apatow that a sequel is planned for both -- and it might be the same movie. Such a film would be "an unprecedented crossover movie," says "Pineapple" star James Franco. Looking forward to seeing "Superbad's" Officer Michaels and "Pineapple's" Dale Denton cross paths, seeing as how they're both played by Seth Rogen.

The final reel Simon Pegg is in talks to play a British lieutenant in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Bastards." Meanwhile, Brad Pitt has been confirmed for the film, in the role of a "Tennessee hillbilly who assembles a team of Jewish soldiers to take on the Nazis." ... Kevin Smith's persuasiveness in an appeal to the MPAA helped his "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" dodge an NC-17 rating without any cuts.

CYNTHIA DICKISON