Screen Talk: A hot date for Hathaway

Actress and writer Mindy Kaling has secured Anne Hathaway to star in her romantic comedy The Low Self-Esteem of Lizzie Gillespie, about a woman who opts to only date losers. Kaling, who co-wrote the script with Brent Forrester, will executive produce the project and may also co-star.

Gritty thriller's a guilty pleasure

Paul Dano is in talks to join Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal in Denis Villeneuve's gritty thriller Prisoners. Jackman will play a vigilante who kidnaps the man he suspects has abducted his best friend and daughter. Dano will play a seemingly innocent neighbour who may know more about the case than he lets on.

Twilight star joins the club

Ashley Greene, one of the stars of The Twilight Saga, is poised to sink her teeth into her first leading role as Lisa Kristal, the daughter of Hilly Kristal, the founder of the NYC club CBGB. Randall Miller is prepping a film about the New York punk scene and the venue with Alan Rickman as Hilly and Malin Akerman as Debbie Harry.

A Rebel with a comic cause

Rebel Wilson, the Australian actress and stand-up comedian who hit the Hollywood radar after Bridesmaids, Bachelorette and Pitch Perfect, has sold an untitled comedy pitch to Universal Pictures. Wilson will write the script and also produce and star. Wilson's upcoming turns include Struck By Lightning with Christina Hendricks.

Foster's fortunes are looking up

Jodie Foster has confirmed her next directing project will be the drama Money Monster. The film, which will start shooting in early 2013, is about a financial pundit on TV who is held hostage on-air by a man who has lost all of his family's money due to a bad tip from the pundit. Foster is casting now for the project.

Creature feature for Kajganich

Horror maestro Dave Kajganich has been hired to write Universal's remake of the 1954 Creature from the Black Lagoon. The studio has been trying to get a version of the monster movie off the ground since the early 1980s. Kajganich's credits include The Invasion, as well as the remake of Pet Sematary.