Jennifer Aniston plays baby games in the fertility comedy 'The Baster'

Jennifer Aniston at the world premiere of "He's Just Not That Into You."

Credit: AP Photo/ Dan Steinberg

If you're a prominent movie star and you have a new movie opening it must be time to arrange a break about your next project.  This week's publicity seeker?  Why, Jennifer Aniston of course.  According to The Hollywood Reporter, the star of the holiday blockbuster "Marley & Me" and this weekend's expected smash "He's Just Not That Into You" has agreed to join Jason Bateman in the new Mandate Pictures romantic comedy "The Baster."

Marketing challenges regarding the movie's title aside, the independently financed flick will find two former television stars playing best friends Wally and Kassie.  When Wally learns that Kassie intends to become pregnant through artificial insemination, he arranges to replace the donor's semen with his own.  The drama begins with how Wally can live with the secret that he is the father of her newborn child. 

Based on a short story by Jeffrey Eugenides that appeared in The New Yorker magazine, screenwriter Allan Loeb ("21") adapted it into a feature length tale that "Blades of Glory" directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon will bring to the big screen.

The picture will be produced by  Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa who have a history of shepherding acclaimed and crowd-pleasing pictures such as "Election" and "Little Miss Sunshine."  Aniston will also executive produce along with her Echo Films partner Kristin Hahn.

Aniston previously played a mother in an unconventional situation a decade ago in "The Object of My Affection." That film found Aniston as a pregnant woman who is convinced her gay roommate (Paul Rudd) is the perfect man to help raise her child.  "He's Just Not That Into You" aside, Aniston's other upcoming films include this May's Steve Zahn comedy "Management" and "Traveling" with Aaron Eckhart which will be released this fall.

Bateman, who last appeared in the summer hit "Hancock," has a number of films in the can including the political thriller "State of Play," Mike Judge's "Extract" and the highly anticipated Ricky Gervais comedy "This Side of the Truth."

Production on "The Baster" is expected to begin this spring in New York City.