Reel news

The other film news stories of the week...

Richie ready to hail the King

Sherlock Holmesseemed to finally answer the troubling question:what are we going to do with Guy Ritchie? When invited todeconstruct an English icon, Ritchie suddenly rediscovered his long-lost mojo.

Guy appears to have taken the lesson to heart, and his nextproject - again written by somebody else - finds him tacklinganother key emblem of Albion.Varietyreports that Ritchie will directJohn Hodge's script dealing with the trials of King Arthur.

The writer ofTrainspottingand the director ofLock, Stock and TwoSmoking Barrelsteam up to tackle Camelot? Even if it's the film is adisaster, it's sure to be an interesting one.

Irish short gets a release

If you missed David O'Sullivan's smashingMoore Street Masalaatthe recent Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, then be awarethat the short - northside Dublin meets Bollywood - is playing insupport ofZonadthroughout the country. The Masalaproducers receivedfurther good news recently when it was confirmed that the film willplay at the Aspen film festival.

Zonadis one of four Irish films (joining My Brothers,OndineandSnap) that will play at the Tribeca Film Festival in April.What will Bob De Niro make of it?

Fassbender in for Jane Eyre

Cary Fukunaga, director ofSin Nombre, has cast top KerrymanMichael Fassbender as Mr Rochester in his upcoming adaptation ofJane Eyre. Mia Wasikowska, now in Alice in Wonderland, is playingJane, and Judi Dench inevitably essays Mrs Fairfax.

Elsewhere in Bronteland, Andrea Arnold remains close-lipped aboutthe casting for her forthcomingWuthering Heights.

Depp tumbles through the Door

Oh god, no. We all like Johnny Depp. But the actor's affectionfor teen-friendly post-beatnik prose (all that Hunter S Thompsonstuff) does occasionally hint at a certain immaturity. Now, it hasbeen revealed that Depp will read some of Jim Morrison's ghastlyverse on the soundtrack to the (rather good) forthcoming Doorsdocumentary, When You're Strange.

Older readers will recall that, back in 1978, the surviving Doorsmembers unleashed an album, largely composed of Morrison's verse,called An American Prayer. Even the idiots who lurk patheticallyround the late hulk's grave in Pere Lachaise Cemetery have troublepretending to like that particular monstrosity.

Three strikes and out for Batman?

Few issues trouble the internet more than gossip surroundingChristopher Nolan'sBatmanfilms. It was thus no surprise that, whenNolan suggested that the third film in his franchise might be thelast, the wires were a-buzz with distraught moans and entreaties.

"The key thing that makes the third film a great possibility forus is that we want to finish our story," Nolan says. "And in viewingit as the finishing of a story rather than infinitely blowing up theballoon and expanding the story."

Nolan refused be drawn on casting, but we fancy Vanessa Redgraveas Catwoman. She'd have to actuallyflingcats at Christian Bale,mind.