Actor-comedian Patton Oswalt has landed a co-starring lead role in NBC's half-hour comedy pilot "Beach Lane."

Oswalt ("Ratatouille," "Big Fan") will star opposite Matthew Broderick in the project, playing "James," a slacker with inherited wealth who's given the job of running a small Hamptons newspaper. James hires a renowned journalist (Broderick) to help turn the paper around.

Kristen Johnston ("Third Rock From the Sun") also has been cast in a series regular role playing James' stepsister, a real estate agent. She’s repped by Paradigm.

"Lane" was created by Paul Simms ("Bored to Death," "The Larry Sanders Show") and produced by Lorne Michaels and Marci Klein. Oswalt is repaid by CAA and Generate.

Also in pilot castings: Newcomer Max Ehrich (”The Pregnancy Pact”) has booked roles in two CBS piots. The first, a quintuplets mockumentary titled “Quinn-Tuplets,” has Ehrich playing “Patrick” opposite Dougray Scott and Molly Parker. The second, “Team Spitz,” has the young actor playing Jake, a cocky football quarterback in this drama about a high school coach at an upscale private school. Ehrich is repped by RKM Management and Coast to Coast.

In addition, actor Kyle Howard has landed a lead role in the NBC's comedy pilot "Perfect Couples." Howard plays "Dave," one half of one of the three couples in the project, where each couple has a different definition of relationship perfection. Howard joins Oliva Munn, who was previously cast. Howard is repped by Paradigm.

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I really enjoyed Patton Oswalt's work as Spence on King of Queens so it would be interesting to see him in a different role.

There's been a shakeup on NBC's comedy pilot "Beach Lane."

Sources say talented comedian Patton Oswalt is out of his co-starring lead role after a table read Tuesday.

Oswalt was just cast earlier this week in the multi-cam project alongside Matthew Broderick and Kristen Johnston.

One source added that producers have offered Oswalt another part instead, but it's unclear at this time if Oswalt is interested in staying on the show in a different role.

Oswalt was set to play James, a slacker with inherited wealth who's given the job of running a small Hamptons newspaper. James hires a renowned journalist (Broderick) to help turn the paper around.

Whether Oswalt ends up in "Beach Lane" or not, the man deserves an HBO stand-up special, as anybody who's seen his live act or picked up "Werewolves and Lollipops" can attest.

UMS and Oswalt's reps had no comment.

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