Christopher Eccleston and Gregory Smith have joined the cast of The Dark Is Rising, an adaptation of the fantasy book series from Susan Cooper. The 20th Century Fox and Walden Media project is being produced by Marc Platt and Ron Schmidt and directed by David L. Cunningham.

The Dark is Rising is the name of a five-book series published in the 1960s and 1970s. The series is written as high fantasy, and depicts the struggle between the forces of good, called The Light, and the forces of evil, known as The Dark. The series is based on the Arthurian mythos, and is written primarily for older children and young adults. It tells the story of a teenager (played in the movie by newcomer Alexander Ludwig) who learns that he is the last of a group of warriors who have dedicated their lives to fighting the forces of the Dark. Traveling back and forth through time, he hunts for clues while encountering the forces of evil and discovers that the future of the world rests in his hands.

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According to JoBlo.com, Johnny Depp has signed up for How the Dead Love, a film based upon four short stories by Los Angeles poet and novelist Charles Bukowski.

The project will be helmed by Simpsons animator/producer and Bridge to Terabithia director Gabor Csupo and will be ‘an rated R balls-to-the-wall adventure’. Depp will provide the voice for the main character in the film and will produce through his production company Infinitum Nihil.

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In an interview with AICN, James Cameron has revelealed more cast members for his sci-fi epic Avatar.

Confirming earlier reports, Sigourney Weaver has been cast as Grace. She will be joined by Wes Studi (The New World), Peter Mensah (Hidalgo), Joel David Moore (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story), C.C.H. Pounder (The Shield) and Laz Alonso (Stomp the Yard).

Cameron will now begin a phase of the production called Pre-Capture with stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana. Avatar tells the story of an injured ex-Marine who is unwillingly sent to settle and exploit a faraway world called Pandora. Once there he gets caught up in a battle for survival by the planet’s inhabitants, called Na’vis, and falls in love with one of them. Avatar has a 2009 release date. 

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Variety reports that British actor/singer Matt Marsden has landed a role in Rambo IV: Pearl of the Cobra.

Marsden is best known for playing mechanic Chris Collins in long running British soap Coronation Street, but has had small roles in Black Hawk Down, DOA: Dead or Alive and Resident Evil: Extinction. An early flirtation with Hollywood included an unsuccessful audition for the role of Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episode II:  Attack of the Clones. In the fourth outing for Sylvester Stallone’s franchise, Marsden will play a mercenary who works with John J Rambo. Filming begins on February 23 in Thailand.

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