An agent was asking us just the other day whether Random House Films was still alive since the unit has released only one movie–Reservation Road–since its founding four years ago. But Variety reports that the joint venture with Focus Features has hired director Stephen Frears for a planned film version of Beth Raymer’s forthcoming gambling memoir LAY THE FAVORITE, TAKE THE DOG. D.V. DeVincentis, who worked with Frears on the High Fidelity movie, is adapting, and they are hoping to go into production next June. RH Films optioned the Raymer book in 2007.Variety