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EXCLUSIVE: It didn’t take long for Vertical Entertainment to score at Cannes. The newbie indie distributor snapped up U.S. rights to Scenic Route, starring Josh Duhamel (Safe Haven, Transformers) and Dan Fogler (Balls Of Fury, Kung Fu Panda) as road-tripping buddies whose friendship is tested when they’re stranded in the desert. Co-helmers Kevin and Michael Goetz directed from a screenplay by Kyle Killen (The Beaver). The pic first premiered at SXSW. Vertical is planning an August theatrical bow, supplemented by digital/VOD and home video releases. The pick-up aligns with Vertical’s strategy to acquire and release a yearly slate of two dozen $5M-10M genre and family films anchored by name stars. Scenic Route is produced by Brion Hambel and Paul Jensen of Best Medicine Productions, Anonymous Content’s Luke Rivett, and Scott Freeman. Duhamel, Keith Redmon, and Paul Green exec produced. Vertical’s Peter Jarowey negotiated the deal with Weintraub Tobin’s Matthew Sugarman repping the filmmakers. Premiere Entertainment is repping international sales at Cannes. Vertical, launched last week by Rich Goldberg and Mitch Budin, unveils its first acquisitions this month and next: Rushlights with Josh Henderson, Beau Bridges and Aidan Quinn (June 21), and Hot Flashes starring Brooke Shields, Wanda Sykes, Virginia Madsen, Daryl Hannah, and Camryn Manheim (July 12).

Two roles on CBS‘ new comedy series The Millers will be recast. I’ve learned that Michael Rapaport and Mary Elizabeth Ellis are leaving Greg Garcia’s multi-camera show starring Will Arnett as Nathan Miller, a recently divorced local roving news reporter looking forward to living the singles’ life until his parents’ marital problems unexpectedly derail his plans. After Nathan finally breaks the news of his divorce to his parents, Carol (Margo Martindale) and Tom (Beau Bridges), his father is inspired to follow suit and stuns the family when he leaves his wife of 43 years. Carol moves in with Will, while Tom moves in with Will’s sister Debbie and her husband — roles that were played in the James Burrows-directed pilot by Ellis and Rapaport and will now be recast. CBS TV Studios is producing. Interestingly, all recastings on new shows so far this year have been on comedy series, including NBC‘s The Family Guide (Parker Posey) and Sean Saves The World (Lindsay Sloane), and Fox’s Surviving Jack (Alex Kapp Horner). Related: CBS 2013-14 Schedule