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Today's other news
• Screendaily reports that Miramax Films is in talks to handle the US distribution of Working Title Films' upcoming Bridget Jones' Diary. In return, John Madden would be released so that the Shakespeare in Love director can shoot Working Title's forthcoming Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Madden came on board the adaptation of Louis de Berniere's best-selling novel after illness forced Notting Hill director Roger Michell to drop out. Filming is due to begin in May; Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz will star.
• Angelina Jolie, who is to play the screen version of Tomb Raider Lara Croft, has told UK site Popcorn how she will be preparing for the challenge of making flesh cyberspace's favourite babe. Her plans include coming to England and apparently training with the SAS, in whom she became interested through her ex-husband Jonny Lee Miller. "He loves the SAS. He's fascinated with everything to do with that world and he's got me hooked," says Jolie.
• New Line Cinema has purchased the remake rights to Forbidden Planet, the 1956 MGM sci-fi classic loosely based on Shakespeare's The Tempest.
• Shooting is scheduled to begin on April 17 on the world war two drama Enigma, starring Kate Winslet and produced by Mick Jagger's film company. Michael Apted directs, and Dougray Scott also stars.
Casting couch
• John Cusack, currently gracing our screens as the slacker puppeteer in Being John Malkovich has signed up to Miramax's romantic comedy Serendipity. He will play half of a couple who reunite a decade after the night they first met, fell in love and separated, convinced that one day they'd end up together.
Cusack will next be seen in the Stephen Frears-directed adaptation of Nick Hornby's High Fidelity. The movie opens in the US on March 31 and in the UK in July; but you can get a taster at the official <A HREF=""website, and even the chance to question Cusack himself in a live webchat on Monday night.
• The Hollywood Reporter says that Halle Berry is withdrawing from the Warner Brothers futuristic comedy Pluto Nash just weeks before the flick goes before cameras. Berry was to co-star opposite Eddie Murphy as a street-smart moll.