Owen Wilson - the man for whom the phrase ‘he’s so hot right now’ was coined – and Paul Rudd - who is, actually, so hot right now - are in talks to join Reese Witherspoon in James L. Brooks’ new romantic comedy, provisionally entitled, How Do You Know?

Rudd, if he can work out a potential scheduling conflict with Dinner For Schmucks, will play a white-collar worker who falls in love with Witherspoon, while Wilson will play a laidback professional baseball player who forms the third point of this latest Brooksian love triangle. And, frankly, we’re very excited about this casting.

Both Rudd and Wilson – who, surprisingly, haven’t shared any screen time despite both appearing in vast numbers of Frat Pack movies (they both have Night At The Museum on their CVs, but we can’t recall them appearing together) are hugely funny individuals, who should give great bicker as the love rivals. And Witherspoon, who signed on in December, is just great. We likes.

And Brooks’ involvement alone is reason for optimism. Train wreck musical I’ll Do Anything aside, the 68 year-old writer/director (not to mention The Simpsons co-creator, for which entry to Comedy Valhalla is assured) only makes a movie every few years (his last was Spanglish in 2004).

When he does get behind the camera, he tends to make classy, adult, intelligent fare – there’s no reason to feel that How Do You Know?, which is a working title we feel might just stick, will be any different. How do we know? Just a hunch.

The film, which will be bankrolled by Columbia Pictures, is aiming for a start this summer. Fingers crossed that Rudd will be on board by the time Brooks yells ‘action!’