I'm starting to think my mom is secretly a studio development exec. Last time she recommended a book to me, it was The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, which--despite the fact that it is frequently narrated by a dog-- is being turned into a movie by Universal. And now the other dog book she's been recommending to me, Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain, has also been picked up for movie treatment at Universal. Mom, if your secret identity is being Jeff Zucker, I'm going to be pissed.

But while Edgar Sawtelle remains in the early development stages, Racing is already, ahem, firing on all cylinders. Variety reports that Dempsey will play Denny Swift, the race-car driver who owns the book's narrator, a family dog named Enzo. Yes, this is another movie narrated by a dog that adults are somehow expected to take seriously. No, I have no idea how it will be any good.

Dempsey is actually a race-car driver in his spare time, which at least means he won't look like an idiot sitting behind the wheel. And with Starbucks Entertainment as an executive producer on the film, Dempsey's wide appeal will certainly fit with the cozy vibe they're probably going for. But if this is a movie narrated by a dog, with a dog on the cover, I'm concerned about the dog casting. Think one of the Marley & Me puppies is still available?