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From the depths of the ocean to the outer reaches of the atmosphere, James Cameron is truly embracing a life with no bounds. With a little help from Google, the Avatar director is working on a space venture, Planetary Resources, that will “overlay two critical sectors — space exploration and natural resources — to add trillions of dollars to the global GDP” and “help ensure humanity’s prosperity.” Because there must be a Pandora out there... [Mashable]

Taylor Swift and Alison Pill are in the running to play Joni Mitchell and Carole King, respectively, in the film adaptation of Sheila Weller's book Girls Like Us. Swift did just fine in Valentine's Day, and she has certainly got the pipes -- why not give her a go? [IndieWire]

Has Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring compromised the still-pending case it's based on? Coppola has taken the LAPD detective who cracked the case on as a technical adviser, and the defense is concerned that his financial involvement is of issue to their case. “Clearly, it presents a conflict of interest if someone’s investigation becomes oriented toward creating a story or entertainment," the attorney explains. "It’s certainly going to taint the investigation’s motives and make them look unprofessional.” [LAT]

The Band's Levon Helm has lost his battle with throat cancer. He was 71 and with music in his bones well into the end. [NYT]

Lionsgate is narrowing in on a director for Catching Fire, with only Moneyball director Bennett Miller and I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence left on the line. Enthusiasm for Hunger Games has yet to dwindle, of course, but it's time to get working! [Deadline]

Time has released their annual list of the "100 most influential people in the world," and this year among them are Rihanna, Tilda Swinton, Claire Danes, and Hillary Clinton. They forgot Lil B, but otherwise: that pretty much covers it, right? [Time]

His Biblical epic Noah and a Judy Garland biopic still in the chamber, Darren Aronofsky has begun whispering about yet another project: a dark George Washington tale called The General. Why not? [Variety]

Looks like Alec Baldwin is still considering a life in politics. The 30 Rock actor suggested in an interview with Bloomberg that a New York City mayoral run is "something that [he] wold love to do," allowing that he is on contract with NBC through at least 2013. "I would still like to consider doing that because I want to," he said. "I do a lot of this kind of work now and I wonder what would it be like if I had a staff and budget to do it. That would be interesting." Sure would. [Bloomberg]

● According to Hole's Eric Erlandson, Kurt Cobain recorded an full solo album -- what "would have been his White Album" -- before he died. So probably, Kurt will preform the album in full as a hologram at Coachella next year. [NME]

● Rumor has it that Lorne Michaels (perhaps not in the best of faith) has offered Mitt Romney a guest spot on Saturday Night Live, and the Times' Maureen Dowd reports that he is actually considering it. As the show's Jim Downey suggests, he was funny that one time, "on Letterman, giving the Top Ten list." [NYT]