• The Harry Potter movie continues to bulk up its cast. The latest name to be associated with the project is John Cleese. The Monty Python star told fans at a special screening of The Life of Brian that he could be playing the role of Nearly Headless Nick, one of Hogwart's resident ghosts.

• Jada Pinkett Smith, aka Mrs Will Smith, is in talks to appear in the two Matrix sequels. The Hollywood Reporter states that she will play the love interest of Laurence Fishburne's character Morpheus. The sequels are due to begin filming in Australia in March. Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss and Fishburne will all be reprising their original roles.

• Matthew McConaughey is set to star opposite Christian Bale in Reign of Fire, Rob Bowman's action feature about a brood of megalomaniac fire-breathing dragons. McConaughey will play the head of an American militia that has come to England to battle the dragons.

• Jurassic Park heroine Laura Dern has announced she will be returning to the prehistoric action drama series and will appear in Jurassic Park 3. Dern joins Jurassic regular Sam Neill and newcomers William H Macy and Téa Leoni.