"Rosario Dawson is set to star in "Rent," Revolution's adaptation of Jonathan Larson's Tony-winning play that Chris Columbus is directing. Dawson will play Mimi Marquez, the Latina stripper afflicted with AIDS and a drug problem. Not only is Dawson the first actor to officially sign up for the pic, she could also end up being the only principal that was not in the original stage cast..." (more details)

"David Beckham and fellow international soccer superstars Zinedine Zidane and Raul have signed on to play themselves in three installments of "Goal!," the $100 million trilogy being directed by Danny Cannon. Pic stars Diego Luna ("Y Tu Mama Tambien") as a soccer phenom from East L.A. whose skills take him from the barrio to a professional contract with Newcastle United..." (more details)

"Jessica Alba will get $3 million to star in and produce the Regency Enterprises futuristic drama "Sonic," penned by scribe Kirsten Elms. "Sonic" is set in the not-too-distant future and follows a young waitress who dies suddenly, but is brought back to life by her lover. She is currently in production on Fox's "Fantastic Four"..." (more details)

"Matthew McConaughey will star in the idiosyncratic romance The Loop, reports Production Weekly. Directed, written, and produced by SR Binder, the story follows a thirty-year-old orphan who comes across a mysterious parrot and in tracing its origins, begins to learn more about his own..." (more details)

Queen Latifah will team with Darryl Taja to produce a sequel to the 1996 pic "Set It Off" for New Line Cinema. The original "Set It Off" starred Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Vivica Fox in the story of an all-girl gang of bank robbers. Latifah is also expected to take a role in the pic..." (more details)

"Tom Sizemore and Thomas Jane will star in "Thieves." John Swanbeck ("The Big Kahuna") is attached to direct the pic, in which a team of career criminals finds unlikely heist targets such as collectible baseball cards and lunchboxes. Aaron Sizemore, Tom's younger brother, wrote the script...." (more details)

"Jon Tenney ("You Can Count On Me") has been cast as one of the two male leads opposite Albert Brooks in his as-yet-untitled film for Steve Bing's Shangri-La Entertainment. The comedy, which was written and will be directed by Brooks, will start shooting in India later this month. Tenney plays an ambitious government employee who is a player and ladies' man..." (more details)

"Anna Faris, star of the "Scary Movie" horror-spoof franchise, is in final negotiations to join New Line Cinema's "Just Friends" for director Roger Kumble. The romantic comedy stars Ryan Reynolds as a music executive who became a womanizer because his high school crush told him she wanted to be "just friends." Years later he unexpectedly finds himself reconnecting with the woman, and this time he's determined to win her heart. Faris plays a pop star who is after Reynolds..." (more details)

"Canadian actor-director Rob Stefaniuk has signed on to star in "Bart Fargo," an homage to "La Petomane," which is set to be directed by Don Shebib. The film follows the fall and subsequent rise to stardom of a young musician. After he is kicked out of the orchestra and hits rock bottom, a Tokyo-based talent agent steps in, and together they get into all sorts of adventures..." (more details)