A kiddie update gets a release date, lawsuits are filed, quirky indies are cast with cult fave actors, Michael from The Wire joins the war effort, and people are watching Gary Unmarried.

Cherish your childhood wonderment while you can, because on July 16, 2010, Jerry Bruckheimer's modern-day live-action version of The Sorcerer's Apprentice will cruelly chase your fantasy from Fantasia. The movie stars Nicolas Cage and Jay Baruchel, and it's currently filming in New York. Sigh. I bet the brooms will be Swiffers or something. [Variety] Sorry about that. I know I swore there'd be no more drama. Speaking of, Mary J. Blige has just been cast opposite Taraji P. Henson in Tyler Perry's upcoming film, I Can Do Bad All By Myself. She'll play a singer, natch. Oh and don't worry. Madea will be back. [Variety]

American Idol continues to dominate in the ratings, drawing in 23.7 million eye-glazed, addled viewers. New series Better Off Ted played decently on the same night, holding onto most of its Scrubs lead in and almost beating CBS' horrorshow Gary Unmarried. [Variety]

Bring on the quirky! Michael C. Hall and newbie Ben Schwartz have been cast in the indie comedy Peep World, about a crazy dysfunctional family reacting to one son writing a tell-all book. Also potentially on board as wacky siblings are Sarah Silverman and Rainn Wilson. Sounds exhausting. [THR]

Supermodel of yesteryear Elle Macpherson is joining the cast of The CW's Beautiful Life, playing... a supermodel of yesteryear. Also in that illustrious cast? Mischa Barton. Terrif. Though, Macpherson was likable in The Edge, so maybe she'll be good. [THR] While on the topic of The CW, Tristan Wilds, who muddles around on 90210, perhaps as penance for doing dastardly things on The Wire, will be in the upcoming WWII dogfight flick Red Tails. [THR]

American Idol producer FremantleMedia has been slapped with a big ol' class-action lawsuit, by a group of former employees who claim the company denied them overtime pay and breaks for meals. The three plaintiffs claim that Freemantle made them falsify time cards and work well over 40 hours a week, on several of their shows, for no extra pay. At least they didn't have to sleep in a van for six months, like the Idol contestants. [THR]