Well huzzah and hurrah! Not only is Hollywood basing a film on the excellent British TV drama State of Play, not only have they hired The Last King of Scotland's Kevin Macdonald to direct it, but they've only gone and hired the two leads from Fight Club, and, while we're at it, two of the most talented stars around, to headline the damn thing.
Yes, rejoice and be glad at the news that Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are reuniting. Norton will take the role of politician (only now he's a Congressman rather than an MP, naturally) whose meteoric career rise faces being halted when his mistress turns up dead. Pitt's the journalist and former colleague who investigates, threatening the pair's friendship (especially, one would imagine, when he gets involved with Norton's character's estranged wife).
So yes, the cast is a little better looking than the original series, but that's to be expected, and at least these are smart enough actors that it stands a good chance of not being dumbed down. Paul Abbott wrote the original series, with Tony Gilroy having had a go and Matthew Michael Carnahan (The Kingdom) the credited screenwriter**.** Everything's apparently ready to go in November, with Norton to start as soon as he finishes work on The Incredible Hulk.