BBC - Films - High Noon - 3rd March 2004

		Once Upon A Time On Mars The world and his wife reported this yesterday, but Uncle High Noon was shuffling round London in a post-Oscars daze, waking today to discover that Once Upon A Time In Mexico director Robert Rodriguez is to adapt Princess Of Mars. The sci-fi novel from Tarzan scribe Edgar Rice Burroughs evolved into an 11-book series known as John Carter Of Mars, about an American Civil War veteran who is mysteriously transported to the Red Planet, for much derring do. Paramount hopes the $100 million actioner will kickstart a franchise. Cameras will roll once Rodriguez wraps Josh Hartnett-starring comic book crime thriller Sin City, which is starting shooting as we write.

		Cage Released 2 Fast 2 Furious director John Singleton is set to helm Luke Cage, an adaptation of the Marvel comic book about a wrongly convicted prisoner who becomes a superpowered being after a medical experiment goes awry. The Passion Of The Christ - which we saw last week and still can't make up our mind about - has become the most successful subtitled movie ever released in American, cruising past the $128.1 million mark set by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, in just six days. The Lord Of The Rings star Billy Boyd is lending his voice to a demonic doll child in Seed Of Chucky. The 87th sequel to Child's Play will see Chucky-voice Brad Dourif return, along with his on-screen other half Jennifer Tilly. Another reunion you probably won't care about: mum and daughter actors Diane Ladd and Laura Dern are starring in Hot Water Biscuits. The pair, who were Oscar nominated for their work in Rambling Rose, will play the young and old incarnations of the same character in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding-style comedy. Swordfighting videogame hit SoulCalibur is heading for the big screen, which means nothing to us so... ...onto Tom Hanks, who will narrate Magnificent Desolation, an IMAX movie about NASA's journeys to the moon. Expect it, if you care at all, in 2005. Cheerio.