This is, admittedly, TV rather than film news, but the news that the generally dependable HBO has picked up a new series called Luck, from a pilot directed by the ever-dependable Michael Mann and starring the always dependable Dustin Hoffman, is just too good to pass up.
Set in the world of horse racing and encompassing jockeys, owners, gamblers and gaming industry players, the series is based on a script by NYPD Blue and Deadwood writer David Milch, and also stars (at least in the pilot) Dennis Farina, John Ortiz, Kevin Dunn, Richard Kind, Jason Gedrick, Ritchie Coster, Ian Hart, Tom Payne, Kerry Condon, Gary Stevens and Nick Nolte.
Shooting is due to start this autumn at Santa Anita Park in Southern California and around LA. With a bit of luck (ahem) we should see the results sometime in 2011.
And yes, that's a zebra with Hoffman in the picture. As you will no doubt remember, he previously voiced a character in horse-racing (and zebra-racing) movie Racing Stripes, so you might say he has form in this area (sorry).