Work on director Antoine Fuqua's (Training Day (2001), Tears of the Sun (2003)) next film King Arthur is moving into high gear with the casting of a major role. Actor Stephen Dillane (The Truth About Charlie (2002)) has reportedly signed on to play the wizard Merlin. British actor Clive Owen is in talks to play the title role of the legendary king. Despite the Mouse House backing this film, King Arthur is going to be approached as being the most historically accurate representation of the age of the Arthurian legend, focusing on the politics and world disorder at that time, following the collapse of the Roman Empire. The filmmakers are setting out to "de-mystify" the legend and create a film that focuses more on potential fact than fiction (although the legend itself is mainly fiction based on people who could have been in power at the time). Action workhorse Jerry Bruckheimer will produce the film, from a screenplay by David Franzoni (Gladiator (2000)). The character of Arthur is to be portrayed as a Roman warrior named Lucius Artorius Castus, and Merlin is to be portrayed as a member of the Celtic tribe known as the Woads, his name itself being a Latinized version of the Welsh name Myrddin.

According to the trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter, actress Brittany Murphy has signed on to star in Revolution Studios' new film Little Black Book. In the film, Murphy will play a television producer who sneaks a peek at her boyfriend's palm pilot in order to gather some information about his ex-girlfriends. In the process of spying on her man, she begins to understand more about herself. Murphy will reportedly make $4 million for the project, her biggest paycheck to date. Little Black Book begins shooting this summer. Murphy will next be seen in Spun, an independent film, and Molly Gunn.

Newcomer Zach Braff, who is making a name for himself in the NBC comedy Scrubs, is set to make his feature film directing debut with Large's Ark, a screenplay he wrote himself and brought to Danny DeVito's Jersey Films to produce. Braff will also star in the story, about a man who comes back home for his mother's funeral after not speaking with his family for ten years. Natalie Portman and Ian Holm are also set to star. The film begins shooting at the end of April, in Los Angeles and New Jersey. Camelot Films is itself a relatively new entity, with its first productions, including S.W.A.T. and the Oliver Stone flick Beyond Borders slated for upcoming release. Braff's first directed film, Camp, was recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival.

Michael Caine will head up the cast for Norman Jewison's (The Hurricane (1999), Moonstruck (1987)) new thriller The Statement, based on the novel by Brian Moore. Joining Caine in the film will include John Neville, Alan Bates, Jeremy Northam, Tilda Swinton, and Charlotte Rampling. The picture begins shooting at the end of March in Paris. Statement is about a young man who was a war criminal during the second World War in France and soon finds himself being pursued by assassins when a new investigation into his case is launched. The script was written by Ronald Harwood, who is receiving critical acclaim for his work as writer on the Roman Polanski film The Pianist.

In a bit of distressing news for fans of the first Spider-Man (2002) film, reports are circulating around Tinsletown that young actor Tobey Maguire may not be able to don the webslinging suit for the next film. The physical stresses of working on both Spider-Man and his new film Seabiscuit (2003) have left the actor uncertain as to whether he can perform the tough stunts required for his role as the superhero. With the shooting of the next film looming at a start date sometime in the next month, execs are in a state of panic as to whether they will be able to bring the actor back. Many attribute the success of the first film to audiences' reaction to Maguire in the part, who brought a certain amount of innocence and credibility to the role as a young kid suddenly thrust into this world of spider-like powers. If Maguire isn't able to come back, a likely replacement would be actor Jake Gyllenhaal (The Good Girl (2002), Moonlight Mile (2002)), who may be able to bring some of that teen mystique to the part. Spider-Man 2, which is also going by the name The Amazing Spider-Man, is already set for a release date before an inch of film has been shot - May 7th, 2004.

Work on the Warners' much delayed new Superman project continues to be hit with setbacks. The latest snag to plague the film is the sudden departure of director Brett Ratner, who has apparently left in favor of doing another Rush Hour film with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. Ratner had been reportedly clashing with studio executives about the slow process of casting the film, with his apparent choice for the Man of Steel not being the same vision as the rest of the producers. Ratner apparently wanted newcomer Matthew Bomer for the part, which didn't please the studio, who had tested actors ranging from Brendan Fraser to Ashton Kutcher. With Ratner's departure finalized, Warners is now free to pursue other directors, including likely first choice McG, who helmed the big screen version of Charlie's Angels (2000) and who was their original choice to direct Superman.

Director Adam Shankman (Bringing Down the House (2003), A Walk to Remember (2002)) is the likely candidate to direct a live action version of the classic cartoon The Jetsons, according to the trade magazine Variety. Hanna-Barbera is teaming up with Warners to produce the project, which hasn't attracted any actors yet. The script is still in the rewrite stage, and is expected to go out to screenwriters again in the near future. Filmgoers will remember a live action version of the cartoon The Flintstones with John Goodman in the lead role met with some success, but its follow up sequel - with different actors than the first film - tanked. Casting should begin on the film in the next few months as a final draft of the script for The Jetsons becomes finalized.

Comic actor Cedric the Entertainer (Barbershop (2002), Serving Sara (2002)) is in talks to take the lead role of Ralph Kramden in a re-imagining of the classic television series The Honeymooners, possibly to be joined by actor Mike Epps (Friday After Next (2002) in the role of bumbling buddy Ed Norton. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount Pictures is heading the project and is in the current process of trying to cast the two actors before a director is chosen. Cedric the Entertainer will next be seen in the comedy Johnson Family Vacation, while Epps is now working on a film titled The Fighting Temptations.