The Lovely Bones star Saoirse Ronan has signed on to play Mary Queen of Scots in a new film about the tragic royal.

The movie is screenwriter Michael Hirst's latest historical epic after he penned the screenplays for Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and TV dramas The Tudors and Camelot.

Mary Queen of Scots, about the 16th century queen who was shunned by her people following the murder of her husband Henry Stuart and eventually executed by Elizabeth I, has yet to land a director.

It seems like the actresses in Hollywood are getting younger and younger - and so many of them are very talented.

Emma Stone, above, is 23 and currently stars in "The Amazing Spider-Man." She already has an impressive resume. She's appeared in films such as "Superbad," "Zombieland," "Easy A," "Friends With Benefits" and "Crazy, Stupid, Love."

Stone was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her performance in "Easy A," and along with the rest of the cast won a Screen Actors Guild Award for her work in "The Help."

Our list of best actresses under age 25 includes a few teenagers - one who ...

"The earth is at peace. There are no wars. There is no hunger. Honesty, courtesy and kindness practiced by all. The world has never been more perfect. It is no longer your world." That's how the trailer begins for "The Host."

The film, set to hit theaters in 2013, is based on the book by Stephenie Meyer (you know, the author of the massively popular "Twilight" saga?)

"The Host" centers on a body-snatching alien who infiltrates a group of human rebels and takes over the soul of Melanie (Saoirse Ronan). The alien then begins to feel bits of her personality coming through. Max Irons will pla...

Max Irons has landed the leading role in "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer's upcoming film adaptation of "The Host."

The 26-year-old son of veteran Jeremy Irons has beat out Miley Cyrus' boyfriend Liam Hemsworth and "Game of Thrones" star Kit Harington for the part.

Irons will play Saoirse Ronan's boyfriend, Jared, who falls in love with both her free spirit character Melanie and the alien who takes control of her soul, Wanderer in the new movie.

Director Andrew Niccol tells People magazine, "Stephenie was very involved (in the casting)... It's a love story on a grand scale."

The movie,...

Saoirse Ronan has been forced to turn down a role in Lord Of The Rings prequel The Hobbit because of her busy schedule.

The Irish actress was in talks to reunite with her The Lovely Bones director Peter Jackson for the two-part project, which is currently filming in New Zealand, but Ronan has decided to pass on the offer.

She tells Digital Spy, "I won't be able to do The Hobbit unfortunately. I would have been tied up for quite a long period of time and there's a lot of projects in the meantime that are also really interesting and I'd like to be a part of."

However, Ronan can't wait t...

Weir is the word for Blu-ray! (Think "Master and Commander" – in high def!) We’re taking a look at the new "The Way Back" (hitting home video on April 19) by acclaimed drama director Peter Weir.

Title: "The Way Back"

Grade: 2 1/2

Cast: Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell

Director: Peter Weir

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 133 minutes

Release Company: Image Entertainment

Website: www.image-entertainment.com

The Flick: More often then not, I’m a big Peter Weir fan. The filmmaker behind "The Truman Show," "Dead Poets Society" and "Master and Commander" unquest...

A small band of multicultural convicts stages a daring escape from a World War II-era Siberian gulag, and embarks on a treacherous journey across five countries in a desperate race for freedom and survival in "The Way Back."

Inspired by an incredible true story, the film begins in 1940 when seven prisoners attempt the impossible: escape from a brutal Siberian gulag. Thus begins a treacherous 4,500-mile trek to freedom across the world's most merciless landscapes. They have little food and few supplies. They don't know or trust each other. But together, they must withstand nature at its mos...

Eric Bana feared hypothermia while filming new movie Hanna in freezing Finland.

The Aussie star admits he wasn't used to the big freeze he experienced when he arrived on set for the action thriller - and he only hoped medics would recognise the symptoms of hypothermia before they took hold on him and the rest of the cast.

He tells WENN, "The cold in Finland was something else, but we were well looked after. The funniest thing was we got a memo about how to diagnose hypothermia in your co-worker, because apparently it's easier to diagnose it in someone else rather than yourself.

"One of t...

Russell Brand has been robbed of a one-two at the top of the box office thanks to a recount of the weekend estimates.

The British funnyman was expected to start the week with family film "Hop" and new comedy "Arthur" at number one and number two, respectively, but he has been upset by a teenage assassin.

Irish actress Saoirse Ronan's "Hanna" has leapfrogged Arthur for the number two spot on the countdown, behind Hop.

The official figures show "Hanna" has a revised $12.4 million opening take - $200,000 more than Brand's remake.

Moviemaker Joe Wright appears to be re-assembling his "Atonement" cast for his ambitious movie adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's masterpiece "Anna Karenina" - Benedict Cumberbatch is confirmed to join Kiera Knightley in the project, while James Mcavoy and Saoirse Ronan are still negotiating roles.

Knightley, Aaron Johnson and Jude Law were previously confirmed for roles, while "Sherlock Holmes" star Cumberpatch and "Trainspotting" actress Kelly MacDonald have just been added to the all-star cast.

Wright tells ThePlaylist.com, "Kelly Macdonald's confirmed, Benedict Cumberbatch is confirmed. I'm ...

Hanna is Saoirse Ronan in so many ways. The young actress is astounding as the title character in Joe Wright’s latest film and she sat down with SheKnows for an exclusive video interview to talk about what should be her breakout role into stardom.

Saoirse Ronan first garnered audience attention with her scene-stealing role in Atonement . The young starlet has wowed in City of Ember, The Lovely Bones opposite Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg, and in this year’s The Way Back from director Peter Weir starring Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess and Colin Farrell.

In Hanna, Ronan begins her journey as a ...

I remember seeing the trailer for "Hanna" and definitely being intrigued – action and intensity with a pinch innocence. Though upon expressing my reaction to others, a strange and very resounding 'looks bad' vibe seemed to come down the pike. After seeing the film such an opinion would be a crying shame, as "Hanna" is hands down one of the most touching, funny and downright kinetic films of 2011 – a five star sight to be seen.

The film follows young teenage girl Hanna (Lovely Bones alum Saoirse Ronan), who lives with her rough and tumble widowed father Erik (Original movie Hulk Eric Bana...

'Hanna' directed by Joe Wright (Atonement) is the story of a teenage girl who goes out into the world for the first time and has to battle for her life.

Hanna, played by Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronana of 'Atonement' is a 16 year old girl...bright, inquisitive and a devoted daughter. But she is far from your typical teenager...Hanna has the strength, the stamina and the smarts of a super solder.

Her widowed father. Erik (Eric Bana) is ex-CIA. The two of them live nestled away in the snow covered forests of Northern Finland. The only other living creature Hanna has ever seen are the ...

Keeping with my plan from last week, I had the chance to see another film this week from 2010 receiving Oscar buzz: “The Kids Are All Right.” Honestly I was surprised that the movie has received such high acclaim, because it failed to hook me.

“The Kids Are All Right,” tells the story of an alternative family with lesbian parents named Nic (Annette Benning) and Jules (Julianne Moore). Their children Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson) become curious about their biological father, so they contact the fertility company their mothers used to find their sperm donor. They find...

Fans around the world will soon be able to discover every detail and relive every moment of James Cameron's "Avatar" in the comfort of their own homes. But there are plenty of other new DVD releases this month:

April 6

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans - Buy it.

Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, Fairuza Balk

Apparently this is one of those "Good" Nicolas Cage movies. Worth a watch to see why everyone is so excited about his appearance in the upcoming Kick-Ass.

The Collector - Skip it.

Josh Stewart, Michael Reilly Burke, Juan Fernandez, Andrea Roth

Lord of the Rings Tril...

The Hurt Locker stole the show at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards on Sunday night - scooping six trophies including Best Film and Best Director for Kathryn Bigelow. The war thriller also won prizes for original screenplay, cinematography, editing, and sound during the ceremony at London's Royal Opera House.

Accepting her award for Best Director, Bigelow said, "What an honor, especially to be in this room filled with so many incredibly talented people that I've admired and been inspired by for decades."

Colin Firth saw off Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), Ge...

Teen actress Saoirse Ronan has quit a boarding school in Ireland - blaming some of her teachers for giving her a "hard time" over her movie success.

The Lovely Bones star received critical acclaim for her Oscar-nominated performance in 2007's Atonement and is tipped as one of Hollywood's most promising young stars.

However, the 15 year old is already discovering the downsides of fame - she has walked away from school over her teachers' and fellow pupils' negative attitudes towards her.

Ronan, who now has lessons at home, tells the U.K.'s Guardian newspaper, "The reason was teach...

Avatar, The Hurt Locker and Inglourious Basterds were the critics' darlings in Hollywood on Friday night after scoring 11 prizes between them at the 2010 Critics Choice Movie Awards.

"Avatar" claimed six honors, including all the night's technical awards, "Inglourious Basterds" picked up three and "The Hurt Locker" doubled up with two of the event's biggest awards for Best Directing (Kathryn Bigelow) and Best Picture.

Nine was the night's big flop - the musical was completely shut out, despite scoring 10 nominations last month.

The night's double winners were Up and Crazy Heart, fo...

Peter Jackson's "The Lovely Bones" is one of the prettiest films I've ever seen. Aside from lovely aesthetics though, the movie is a disjointed mess, which leaves you wandering in the hereafter with unanswered questions.

Set in the early 1970s, Jackson makes it appear visually as if it brushed up against the era, absorbing its bright colors and remnants of energy from the 1960s. The shots have such beautiful intense color throughout the film, especially during the lighthearted periods.

It's established early on in the narrative that Suzie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), the main character, ...

I'm really glad that I finally got the chance to see James Cameron's "Avatar" in 3-D. Visually Cameron creates an incredibly convincing alien world, paying attention to even the smallest details in the environment.

The vibrant jungle scenes bring out the advantages of 3-D and convinced me that as a medium it isn't just a lame gimmick, but rather an opportunity for filmmaking to mature in the coming years.

"Avatar" kept me glued to the screen, captivating me from the moment it began until the moment it finished. While the story and dialogue were predictable, I didn't necessarily c...

Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds and movie musical Nine are leading the awards season charge with 10 nominations apiece from the Broadcast Film Critics Association.

The World War II film and Rob Marshall's all-star musical will both compete for the coveted Best Picture prize at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards, alongside Avatar, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Invictus, Precious, A Serious Man, Up, and Up in the Air.

James Cameron's epic Avatar picked up nine nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, while The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air received eight nominati...

Moviemaker Peter Jackson has defended his decision not to show the rape and murder of a teenage girl in his adaptation of Alice Sebold's bestseller The Lovely Bones, revealing he felt "morally conflicted about the whole thing".

The horrific act is spelled out in the book, but Jackson and his co-producer wife Fran Walsh couldn't bring themselves to make it part of their movie, and instead showed actress Saoirse Ronan - as tragic Susie Salmon - escaping the cornfield pit where she was brutally killed as a ghost.

The director has been criticized by fans of the book for not showing the h...

Last Tuesday I had the privilege of seeing Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air" and I have to say, it's a brilliant film. Much like he does in "Thank You for Smoking," Reitman takes a character that has the potential to be very unlikable and makes him sympathetic to the audience.

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a man whose career involves laying people off around the country, which is a sensitive subject in America given the current economic state. Reitman exercises great care with Bingham, showing us that the man isn't coldhearted. Bingham inspires those he lays off to find new careers ...

Many filmmakers are taking on the challenge of turning classic novels into feature films. It's a challenge because many people have fallen in love with the books and don't want directors messing with them. There are many books that were translated poorly on the big screen, but there are films that are just as good as the book, if not better.

In no particular order, here is a look at some of the best and worst films that are based off books:

THE BEST

Atonement

Joe Wright directed the 2007 film "Atonement," which is based off of Ian McEwan's critically acclaimed novel. James...

There’s something undeniably sexy about an Irish accent. Add celebrity into the mix, and you have a pretty powerful combination. Here are some of the Irish actors whose charisma, talent and lilting speech have made them favorites among moviegoers and TV fans:

When you think "Irish actor," Colin Farrell immediately comes to mind. A reformed bad boy who reportedly dated Britney Spears and made an infamous sex tape with former girlfriend and Playboy model Nicole Narain, Farrell has altered his priorities in the past few years.

Farrell recently showed his tender side when he opened...

The 80th Academy Awards took place on February 24, 2008 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. As usual we had to give our opinion on some of the red carpet fashion highlights and disappointments.

Highlights

Amy Adams, star of the new movie 'Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day' looked stunning in a dark emerald green strapless number. This was a spectacular piece which showed off how much attention to detail was taken with such accents as the bustier style top section of the dress, the lovely belt and that amazingly slightly gathered train. Gold accessories are still all the rage ...

"The town was torn apart by a bitter writers strike, but I'm happy to say the fight is over, so tonight, welcome to the make-up sex." Oscars host Jon Stewart opened the 80th Academy Awards by recalling the four-month-long Hollywood hold-out.

"George Clooney... the seriousness and dedication to your art, seeing you climb into that rubber batsuit, from Batman & Robin the one with the nipples - every morning under your costume... hanging upside down at lunch, you rock man." Best Supporting Actress winner Tilda Swinton jokes about working with her Michael Clayton co-star, a former Batman, ...

LOS ANGELES (AP) - No matter who wins, one key prediction from Academy Awards overseers already has come true: The show will go on.

It was a nail-biter for weeks as a Hollywood writers strike threatened to decimate Sunday's Oscars, with stars and filmmakers indicating they would not cross picket lines if the labor quarrel remained unsettled.

In the wake of the Golden Globes, whose celebrity bash was stripped down to a pitiful mid-January news conference because of the strike, Oscar organizers insisted their ceremony would go on as planned.

The 100-day strike ended less than t...

In just six short days we will see who will walk away with Oscar gold. For the most part, the Oscar nominees were not much of a surprise. With the writers' strike finally over, it looks like we'll get to see our favorite stars walk the red carpet.

Like every year, there are some snubs. James McAvoy (Atonement), Keira Knightley (Atonement), Ryan Gosling (Lars & The Real Girl) and Sweeney Todd (Best Picture) not getting nominations was both surprising and unjustified.

Even though "Sweeney Todd" did not get a nomination for Best Picture, the nominated films are definitely deserving ...

And then there were five. Oscar morning has come and gone, featuring the usual mix of surprises, sure things and people getting up way too early. Here's a rundown of who's in, who's out, and what to expect come Oscar night.

Best Picture

"No Country for Old Men"

"There Will Be Blood"

"Juno"

"Michael Clayton"

"Atonement"

Front-Runner: "No Country for Old Men"

Surprise: "Into The Wild" out, "Atonement" in.

Snub: "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"

This category came up pretty much according to plan. Every movie nominated had a very good shot at it with about...