BBC - Films -news article - High Noon

		Scarlett Synergy Scarlett Johansson, who is very good in both the overrated Lost In Translation and deadly dull Girl With A Pearl Earring is set to sign for Synergy. She'll play Dennis Quaid's daughter, who upsets her old man by having an affair with his friend (US TV star Topher Grace). About A Boy filmmaking brothers Chris and Paul Weitz will direct.

		Scary Spoof A fan of the Scary Movie series? Then A) Stop reading please. B) Rejoice at news of a similar-style spoof being planned by MGM. Henry Bates And The Sorcerer's Balls will take the mickey out of - duh! - the Harry Potter and The Lord Of The Rings franchises. Master Bates (yes, we've found the level) will team up with the good wizard Gandolfini against the evil wizard Enron. MGM is the studio you may wish to boycott.

		Glittering Geisha Bestselling novel Memoirs Of A Geisha looks like finally making it to the big screen. Stevie Spielberg developed it for years before dropping out, but his company - DreamWorks - is in talks to hire Chicago director Rob Marshall. The book, about the life of a 19th century Japanese escort (not the car) is apparently excellent. High Noon's colleage, Stella "I hate Chicago" Papamichael is currently having a fit.

		Diesel Power 2 Fast 2 Furious star Paul Walker has revealed that Vin Diesel wants to rejoin the franchise. Diesel ditched the street-racing series to "pursue other projects"/make more money elsewhere. However, the John Singleton-directed flick made a bundle of cash. "Vin wants to come back," says Walker. "It would be me, Tyrese and Vin. Come on! That would be bitchin'!" Singleton is first choice to direct again, with production likely next year.

		Knight Moves Rap star Marion 'Suge' Knight will play himself in Sylvester Stallone's thriller about the killing of fellow rappers Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. The flick, which investigates allegations that corrupt LA police officers were involved with the murders, will see Sly direct himself as a crusading cop. Shooting (ahem) will have to wait a while, though: the lovely Suge is currently in the clink for assaulting a parking valet.

		Lord Of The Really Rather Annoyed The Lord Of The Rings star Christopher Lee isn't, um, starring in the third film. A sequence featuring his character, naughty wizard Saruman The White, has been snipped for the sake of pace, and ol' Chris ain't happy. "Of course I am very shocked, that's all I can say," he told TV lounge love-in This Morning. The scene, in which he scraps with goodie Gandalf, will turn up on the DVD of The Return Of The King.