BBC - Films - High Noon - 8th January 2004

		Johnny Be Good After the swashbuckling success of Pirates Of The Caribbean, Johnny Depp is set to star as another period rogue. But John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester, is even more of a womaniser than Captain Jack Sparrow. The lead character of The Libertine, he cut a swathe through the ladyfolk of 17th century England, before falling for a failing actress (In America star Samantha Morton). John Malkovich played the Earl in Stephen Jeffreys' original stage play but wanted Depp for the big screen adaptation, which he is producing. The American thesp will also co-star, as King Charles II. Shooting starts 23rd February, outside London.

		Geni-Arse Long-touted as a David Fincher film, James Ellroy adaptation The Black Dahlia will now be directed by Brian De Palma - starring Mark Wahlberg and Josh Hartnett. A gritty 40s-set detective story in the vein of LA Confidential, it focuses on two boxers-turned-cops who investigate the notorious true-life killing of wannabe actress Elizabeth Short. Appealing to De Palma's doppelganger obsession, both men fall for a woman who looks just like the murdered girl. Expect confusion, smut and embarrassing emoting from Marky Mark. Whether great or guffawful, it's a must-see.

		American Splendor Splendor American Splendor has done the double, picking up best film and best screenplay from the LA Film Critics Association. The choices mirror that of the National Society Of Film Critics (see Monday's High Noon). The LA movielovers named Peter Jackson best director for you-know-what, while Bill Murray landed best actor for Lost In Translation and Naomi Watts won best actress for 21 Grams. Blighty's own Bill Nighy won the best supporting actor award, in recognition of his work in Love Actually, The Lawless Heart, and I Capture The Castle.

		Dream On Ridley Scott has tapped The Dreamers star Eva Green to play Orlando Bloom's love interest in Crusades epic Kingdom Of Heaven... Rowan Atkinson is up for playing super-evil Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, according to The Sun... Bringing Down The House director Adam Shankman has signed to helm Vin Diesel family actioner The Pacifier... In America has been selected for the Stanley Kramer Award, doled out to movies which address "provocative social issues in an uplifting fashion".