Film news recap: Mulligan teams up with Ronan and Biel takes on the mob

(AFP PHOTO/ FILIPPO MONTEFORTE)

British actress Carey Mulligan gets cast in a female "buddy movie" while Jessica Biel goes from mob mistress to state witness.

Oscar nominees Carey Mulligan ( An Education) and Saoirse Ronan ( Atonement) are set to star in the dark comedy Violet and Daisy, described as Thelma and Louise meets Superbad and Pulp Fiction. Oscar-winning screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher ( Precious) wrote the script and will direct.

Ronan is in production with the Joe Wright film about a teenage assassin, Hanna, starring Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett. Mulligan has been working on Never Let Me Go with Kiera Knightley about dark schoolgirl secrets. Fletcher is also finishing Attica, a prison riot drama by director Doug Liman,

Jessica Biel ( Valentine's Day and upcoming A-Team) will produce and star in Mob Girl, based on a true story of a mafia mistress, Arlene Brickman, who grew up with mobsters, worked with them, and slept with them -until she became a government witness.

Lone Scherfig ( An Education) will direct the film, to be adapted from Teresa Carpenter's book, after she shoots One Day with Anne Hathaway.

RC