Last June, Damon Lindelof talked about his TV adaptation Tom Perrotta‘s novel, The Leftovers.  The series would be Lindelof’s first since Lost, and takes place after the “Sudden Departure”, and is about the people who didn’t make the cut.  Unlike the Left Behind series, The Leftovers appears to focus more on the practical aspects of a Rapture-like event rather than using it as a gateway for a biblically-influence story.  According to Vulture, HBO has ordered a pilot for the series, which will take place three years after the departure.  We reported that Lindelof would serve as the showrunner, but since his screenwriter career for feature films seems to have blossomed, I’m not sure if he’ll return to TV on a permanent basis.  In any event, he’ll still serve as executive producer alongside Perrotta, Ron Yerxa, and Albert Berger.  If HBO orders a series, don’t expect to see it until 2014.

Hit the jump for a synopsis of Perrotta’s novel.

The Amazing Spider-Man director Marc Webb has a number of options for his next picture.  He might return to direct The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and he’s also got Age of Rage, Just Another Love Story, and Jesus Christ Superstar.  Producers Ron Yerxa and Albert Berger (Ruby Sparks) now tell Thompson on Hollywood that Webb has now attached himself to The Only Living Boy in New York.  Last year, we reported that Logan Lerman was attached to star in the indie drama with Horrible Bosses director Seth Gordon set to helm the feature, which is about “a young man (Lerman) learns that his overbearing father is having an affair. The son tries to stop it, only to become involved with the woman as well. With advice from a questionable quirky neighbor, the young man learns about love.”  When The Playlist spoke to Gordon last summer, the project still waiting for financing to come together, and that may still be the case even though Webb is now in the director’s chair.

Hit the jump for more.

Opening next week is the Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman movie The Switch.  Here’s the synopsis:

The film is an offbeat comedy about Kassie (Aniston), a smart, fun-loving single woman who, despite her slightly neurotic best friend Wally’s (Bateman) objections, decides it’s time to have a baby—even if it means doing it by herself… with a little help from a charming sperm donor (Patrick Wilson). But, unbeknownst to her, Kassie’s plans go awry because of a last-minute switch that isn’t discovered until seven years later when Wally finally gets acquainted with Kassie’s precocious—though slightly neurotic—son. The Switch also stars Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, Juliette Lewis, and Thomas Robinson.

The Switch used to be called The Baster when Bateman spoke to Steve about it last year.  Hit the jump to check out five clips from the film:

Shia LaBeouf has signed on to lead Dante Ariola’s “romantic actioner” The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman.  Written by Matt Drake, Countryman centers on Charlie (LaBeouf), a charming gent who falls in love with a girl who’s past association with an “insanely violent crime boss with a gang of thugs at his disposal,” proves slightly hazardous to Charlie’s health. However, Charlie’s willingness to keep getting his ass kicked in an attempt to woo Gabi may lead him to having his heart literally broken.

The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman will be the feature film debut of Ariola, whose previous work includes commercials for Coca-Cola, Levi’s, Nike, HP, and PlayStation.  Drake’s script for Countryman was on the 2007 Black List (list of the best unproduced screenplay in Hollywood).  LaBeouf will next be seen in theaters this September in Oliver Stone’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.  Hit the jump to read the full press release.