Matilda Lutz Grabs 'Rings'; Juliette Binoche is 'Polina'; Hugh Jackman Joins "Eddie the Eagle" Biopic

 The third chapter in The Ring franchise was confirmed last year when F. Javier Gutierrez came aboard as director, and now finally the film has a star and title. Italian actress Matilda Lutz will lead Rings, which will continue the horror centered on a mysterious video tape that causes those who watch it to die a week later. Other than the return of the demonic child Samara, the film will feature all new characters. This will be the biggest role of Lutz's career after starring in a couple of little-seen features. [TheWrap]

The always-great Juliette Binoche has landed the starring role in Polina, the directorial debut of choreographer Angelin Preljocaj. Based on the French graphic novel, the film is set in "Moscow in the early 90’s and follows the journey of Polina, a gifted ballerina from a modest background who joins the prestigious school of Professor Bojinsky and becomes a Bolshoi dancer at 18. Pic turns on Polina’s love story with a French dancer who initiates her to contemporary dance and leads her to travel to different parts of the world." Preljocaj will co-write and direct alongside Valerie Muller. [Variety]

First rumored more than a week ago, The Wrap is now confirming that Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service) will lead a biopic on British Olympic skier Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards. Egerton's 'Kingsman' director Matthew Vaughn will produce while his pal Dexter Fletcher (Wild Bill) will direct. Egerton would play Edwards, who in 1988 became the first to ever represent Great Britain in Olympics for ski jumping. He became something of a national hero for his perseverance and underdog spirit, although he finished last in the events he competed in. Jackman would take on the role of Edwards' mentor, Chuck Berghorn, while Timothy Spall is being sought to play Edwards' father.

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Ridley Scott Picks Up 'Fae'; Dexter Fletcher Lands Freddie Mercury Biopic; 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Adds Callum Rennie

* Ridley Scott probably isn't the guy you'd associate with YA novels, but he's apparently found one he really digs. He's picked up the rights to produce Fae, the first in a trilogy (duh, aren't they all?) of novels by  C.J. Abedi, and basically it sounds like every other book in the genre outside of The Hunger Games. The story follows Caroline Ellis, a "descendant of Virginia Dare, the first child born in the lost colony of Roanoke, and unaware of her birthright as the heir to the throne of the Light Fae, it isn't until Caroline begins a tumultuous relationship with Devilyn Reilly that the truth of her heritage is revealed." The book is apparently quite the Twitter and Facebook phenomenon, and a best-seller in digital media, although I've never heard of it before. [Deadline]

* The long-developing biopic on Queen frontman Freddie Mercury has finally come together. Once with Sacha Baron Cohen attached, who would have been perfect in my humble opinion, Ben Whishaw took on the role recently, and now the film has a director. Actor-turned-director Dexter Fletcher (Wild Bill) will be at the helm of Peter Morgan's script, which follows the band from their early days all the way to the Live Aid concert in 1985. Fletcher is already meeting with the band to get a feel for his approach, and one thing they won't be covering is Mercury's later illness and death in 1991. Filming is set to begin next year.  [Deadline]

* Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica) will play Anastasia Steele's stepfather Ray Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey. The film has nearly completed casting at this point with Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Marcia Gay Harden, Jennifer Ehle, Victor Rasuk, Luke Grimes, Max Martini, Dylan Neal, Rita Ora, and Eloise Mumford. Sam Taylor-Johnson is directing the film for release on February 13th 2015.

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