Naomi Watts the actor who lit up last year's Mulholland Drive, has been cast to star opposite Heath Ledger in a film adaptation of Peter Carey's Booker prize winning novel True History of the Kelly Gang. She will join Geoffrey Rush, Rachel Griffiths and Orlando Bloom on the film, which chronicles the adventures of Australia's most notorious outlaw, Ned Kelly. She will join the set after she finishes shooting Le Divorce with director James Ivory.

Kate Beckinsale is to play a vampire in the forthcoming action film Underworld. Beckinsale will play a vampire warrior who ends up falling in love with her arch-enemy in the film, which is described by the Hollywood Reporter as a modern day Romeo and Juliet set against the backdrop of a war between vampires and werewolves. Although the werewolf has yet to be cast, first time director Len Wiseman has been signed to the project.

Tim Burton is to take over directing duties from Steven Spielberg on Big Fish, a new film described as a "comedy,drama and fantasy". Spielberg was to direct the project but chose instead to concentrate on Memoirs of a Geisha. The chairman of Columbia Pictures said of Burton, "He is a visualist without peer, and his take on this material is mythical, magical, heartbreaking and priceless. We could not be in better hands as we move forward toward production."

George Lucas has been revealing details of the forthcoming Indiana Jones film. Talking to Entertainment Weekly, the Star Wars director said there would be a scene which featured a number of characters from the previous films. "There is a scene where a lot of Indy's ex-girlfriends show up, but they are not major characters," he said. Ford, who is reprising the role after 13 years, added "It's probably going to be the best scene in the movie."