Johnny Depp is in talks to play Willy Wonka, says a report in Variety magazine.

It is the second film based on Roald Dahl's book Charlie And The Chocolate Factory; the first, which was made in 1971, starred Gene Wilder in the lead.

The plot revolves around a reclusive chocolate manufacturer who opens his mysterious factory to the winners of golden tickets secreted in a handful of chocolate bars. Charlie, a poor boy who lives with his parents and grandparents, has one of these tickets.

If Depp accepts, this will be his fourth film with director Tim Burton, after Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and Sleepy Hollow.

Rock on sick leave!

Also Read Abhishek: The new messiah! Who's your Hero No 1? Super 6 Bollywood heroines! Ash: Cannes, Locarno, Toronto!

According to Reuters, Chris Rock has been signed on for Universal Films' comedy, Sick Day. The rest of the film's details are yet to be finalised.

Sick Day is about a man who phones in sick to skip work, only to see his plans go awry when he gets involved in a series of misunderstandings with his neighbours. 

Polanski to head Deauville jury

Oscar winning director Roman Polanski (The Pianist) will head the jury at the 2003 Deauville Film Festival in France.

Harrison Ford will be the star guest at the 29th edition of the festival, which will be held at the exclusive Normandy Resort. Ford, 61, will promote his last release Hollywood Homicide.

The Straits Times also reported that films like Woody Allen's Anything Else and documentaries like Oliver Stone's Persona Non Grata and Jonathan Demme's The Agronomist are in the running at the festival.

Stars like John Cusack, Edward Burns, Charlize Theron, Ridley Scott and Jessica Lange are expected to walk the red carpet at Deauville this year. British actor Ben Kingsley and Nastassja Kinski will sit on the jury alongside Polanski. 

Photo: Getty Images

Previous Newsbytes