Rob Lowe is getting ready to re-try Casey Anthony ... in an upcoming movie about the infamous murder case ... and the actor tells TMZ he's VERY confident people are "gonna dig it."

Lowe was in Malibu yesterday when we asked about "Prosecuting Casey Anthony" -- a Lifetime flick in which Rob is set to play Jeff Ashton, the man who prosecuted Tot Mom for the alleged murder of her daughter Caylee Anthony.

Rob tells TMZ, "It's gonna be interesting ... I think people are gonna dig it ... great script."

Lowe says production starts Monday ... and he's hoping the project will air sometime in January .... roughly 4-and-a-half years after Caylee was murdered.

Our photog asked Rob Lowe straight up yesterday at LAX -- would he be interested in taking over Regis Philbin's chair next to Kelly Ripa -- and he certainly didn't give us a straight answer. 

As TMZ first reported, ABC loved the chemistry between Rob and Kelly during his two-day guest hosting stint this week and have already approached the "Parks and Recreation" star to gauge his interest in coming aboard full-time.

So far, we're told, he's been noncommittal. 

Rob Lowe could be Regis Philbin's replacement ... if ABC has its way.

Lowe just finished a two-day stint, guest hosting with Kelly Ripa and an ABC source says the honchos "loved the chemistry between them." We're told network execs have spoken with Lowe's reps about making it a permanent gig, but Lowe -- who already has a job on "Parks and Recreation" -- is non-committal.

But we just shot Rob leaving NYC at JFK airport. Our camera guy asked him, "Do you think you could live in New York?"

Rob replied: "We were just talking about that. I love New York. I love the energy. It would be a change of pace. I'm a California boy, but it could be fun."

Ageless TV hunks Rob Lowe, 47, and John Stamos, 48, seem to get better and better looking with each passing day.

Question is ...

Rob Lowe is saving lives -- doggy lives.

Sources close to the actor tell TMZ -- Rob, his brother Chad, and his son Matthew have been volunteering with OneDogRescue.org for the past six months ... coordinating adoption events, renting mobile spay/neuter clinics, and even buying toys for the pooches.

We're told Rob's son is especially involved in the rescue process -- regularly visiting the pups, and even checking up on them in foster homes to make sure they're doing ok.


ODR works primarily with special needs dogs -- like "Kenny G" -- who broke his front legs when his abusive owner threw him out a window.

No surprise, Kenny G is one of the Lowe boys' favorites. JUST LOOK AT THAT FACE.

Rob Lowe celebrated with a few New York City firefighters in Times Square last night after President Barack Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden.


Great night.

"Two and a Half Men" creator Chuck Lorre has had meetings about producing "Two and a Half Men" without Charlie Sheen, and Chuck's people have been talking to Rob Lowe, TMZ has learned.



Sources connected with Lorre tell us ... the mega-producer has been holding internal meetings about keeping the show going.  Various options have been discussed, and they have a short list of replacements for Charlie's character.

Our sources say ... Lorre's people as well as honchos from Warner Bros. have been in touch with Rob's agent at William Morris-Endeavor, talking about Rob possibly coming onboard.

There are two stumbling blocks for Rob -- he currently stars in "Parks and Recreation," and he grew up with the Sheen family.

No decisions have been made yet, but it looks like there's a real interest in keeping "Men" alive.

UPDATE: Ashton Kutcher.

Rob Lowe, 46, Jeremy Piven, 45, and Thomas Jane, 41, joined forces to promote their new flick "I Melt With You" at the Sundance Film Festival on Wednesday. 


Question is ...
 

The dude who banged that awesome World Cup-winning goal for Spain is in talks to make a huge move off the field ... a move that could land the guy in the movies.



TMZ has learned Andres Iniesta is currently in Italy meeting with bad ass real estate tycoon Tom Barrack ... the guy who's plotting to buy Miramax with Rob Lowe.

We're told Barrack -- who also owns French soccer team Paris Saint-Germain -- is hoping to get Iniesta over to his squad ... but he also has bigger plans for the soccer stud.

Sources close to Barrack tell TMZ, "The idea is [Iniesta] could be talent for upcoming scripts, movies, whatever. We aren't ruling any ideas out."

We talked to Phoenix Suns star Jared Dudley today -- and according to him, LeBron James is going to join the New York Knicks!!! Plus: Lindsay Lohan's jail sentence ... and Rob Lowe buying Miramax.

TMZ has learned ... Rob Lowe and mogul Tom Barrack have set their sights on their first big acquisition as a team -- Miramax Films.


We're told the deal is being put together quickly and could close as early as today.

TMZ broke the story ... Lowe and Barrack have teamed up with Flavio Briatore (a major Formula One player) and Giuseppe Cipriani (owner of the famed restaurant) to create "a multi-platform media company, similar to DreamWorks."

UPDATE:  TMZ has learned the Miramax offer involves 3 players, Lowe, Barrack and Ron Tutor, a construction mogul.  We're told Briatore and Cipriani are not involved in the Miramax deal.