Katherine Heigl finds 'Money' as a bounty hunter

Reese Witherspoon's loss is Katherine Heigl's gain.  For years, a big screen adaptation of Janet Evanovich's novel "One for the Money" has been in the works with Witherspoon attached, but the project never got off the ground.  Now, things are heating up with Heigl on board to bring the beloved character Stephanie Plum life.

Variety reports Heigl will play the former lingerie buyer turned bounty hunter in the Columbia Pictures and Lakeshore Entertainment produced "Money." The studio was eager to get back in business with Heigl after the worldwide success of "The Ugly Truth."  With "Ugly," "27 Dresses" and "Knocked Up" under her belt, Heigl has a very impressive box office streak going.  Columbia hopes to fast-track "Money" by hiring a director soon enough to shoot during Heigl's "Anatomy" hiatus this spring.

More intriguingly, Evanovich has written 15 novels centering on the Plum character and has a 16th on the way this summer.  So, yes, Heigl may have a comedy action franchise on her hands.

In the meantime, besides her work on "Grey's," Heigl has two films in the can: "Killers" with Ashton Kutcher and "Life as We Know It" with Christina Hendricks, Josh Duhamel and Josh Lucas.