"Starship" troopers -- trio boards Murphy comedy

By Nicole Sperling

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Gabrielle Union, Ed Helms and Elizabeth Banks are joining Eddie Murphy's crew in the fish-out-of-water comedy "Starship Dave."

"Starship" centers on a spaceship that takes the form of a human (Murphy). It's operated by 100 human-looking, quarter-inch-tall aliens seeking a way to save their planet. Complications ensue when their captain (also played by Murphy) falls in love with an Earth woman (Banks) who dates losers.

Union will play the chief cultural officer of the miniature crew, while Helms is playing the diminutive crew's uptight second-in-command.

Shooting will begin in the next few weeks. The 20th Century Fox project reteams Murphy with his "Norbit" director, Brian Robbins.

Union was recently in theaters with "Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls." Helms, who plays smarmy salesman Andy on NBC's "The Office," will reunite with "Office" star Steve Carell in "Evan Almighty." Banks, who has a recurring role on NBC's "Scrubs," next appears in "Spider-Man 3."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter