Alan Alda books two Universal projects

12:24 PM PDT 10/5/2010 by Borys Kit, AP

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Joins casts of 'Wanderlust' and 'Tower Heist'

Alan Alda is heading to the big screen, booking two back-to-back projects at Universal.

Alda will first board Universal's Judd Apatow comedy "Wanderlust," then becomes the first to join Ben Stiller in "Tower Heist," which Brett Ratner is directing.

In "Wanderlust," which follows a married couple played by Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd trying to escape modern society by moving out of New York, Alda will play the head of a naturist village.

"Heist" sees an overworked manager (Stiller) of an illustrious tower residence who leads a team of defrauded workers in a heist of its penthouse tenant, a Bernie Madoff-type Wall Street capitalist who pulled a Ponzi scheme and swindled the staff. Alda will play the capitalist.

Brian Grazer will produce "Heist" with Kim Roth executive producing for Imagine Entertainment.

Alda, repped by ICM, last appeared on the big screen in "Nothing but the Truth" and "Flash of Genius." He starred in TV's "The West Wing" in its closing seasons and is set to return as a guest star for "30 Rock."