the buzz log

"Rain Man" was an Oscar-winning film about an autistic man and his self-absorbed brother getting to know each other. Now, in an acknowledgement that the theatrical community is just as starved for ideas as Hollywood, the film is being adapted for an on-stage production at London's West End.

Near as we can tell, it's not a musical. So, you needn't worry about a ballad dedicated to Judge Wapner or a rousing refrain on "excellent drivers." Phew! Here's what we do know: Entertainment Weekly reports that former "it-boy" Josh Hartnett will play Tom Cruise's role. The part of Raymond (aka Rain Man) will be tackled by Adam Godley best known for his work in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and the upcoming "X-Files" film. The curtain goes up this September.

For many, the 1988 movie with Cruise and Dustin Hoffman marked the first time they'd ever heard of autism. The disability is still very much in the news due to concerns that childhood vaccines may somehow cause autism. Could that anxiety have played a part in bringing the film to the stage? We're not sure, but terms like "autism causes," "what is autism," and "autism symptoms" continue to be big in Search.