Lillard leads NBC's "Area 52" pilot

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Scooby Doo" star Matthew Lillard will lead the ensemble cast in NBC's comedy pilot "Area 52."

The project revolves around a group of government employees in the Arizona desert who watch over an alien from outer space. Lillard will play Col. Steven Isaac, a rising Air Force officer who is ambitious and a little vulnerable.

Lillard recently signed on to star with "Napoleon Dynamite" hero Efren Ramirez in the feature comedy "American Summer." Lillard's feature credits include "Without a Paddle" and "The Groomsmen."