James Franco is so much in demand that the actor is reluctantly saying no to some of the biggest movie projects in town.

Franco is in final negotiations to star opposite Danny McBride in "Your Highness," a comedy for Universal that David Gordon Green is shooting in the summer in Northern Ireland.

He also was in talks to join Leonardo DiCaprio in Warner Bros.' "Inception," a sci-fi thriller from "Dark Knight" writer-director Christopher Nolan. But on Tuesday, it became evident that the timetable would not work out because "Inception" also is scheduled to shoot in the summer.

Franco has an offer as well for a role opposite Julia Roberts in "Eat Pray Love," a drama at Columbia, though it's unclear how that project would fit into his schedule, which includes taking classes for his master's degree at Columbia University.

On "Highness," Franco would reteam with his co-star and director of "Pineapple Express," last year's action comedy that grossed $87 million. "Highness," written by Ben Best and McBride, centers on an arrogant, lazy prince (McBride) who must complete a quest to save his father's kingdom.

Franco would play McBride's more heroic brother, who joins the prince on the quest.

It is unclear what role Franco would have played in "Inception"; in keeping with most things associated with Nolan's project, story details are being kept under wraps.

However his to-do list shakes out, Franco is on a hot streak, in sharp contrast to where he stood just a few years ago. Although he drew good notices for his work in the "Spider-Man" movies, such films as "Annapolis," "Flyboys" and "In the Valley of Elah" did not get traction with audiences or critics.

Things changed in the summer with "Pineapple Express," which paired Franco with Seth Rogen and McBride and earned him a Golden Globe nomination. In the fall, he co-starred in the awards favorite "Milk," which garnered a Screen Actors Guild nomination for outstanding performance by a cast.

He reprised his stoner "Pineapple" character for a gag that was among the highlights of February's Oscar telecast.

(China Daily/Agencies, April 2, 2009)