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Mary, the mother of Jesus, hasn't exactly been a stranger to the big screen in recent years—The Nativity Story was heavily hyped—but the latest movie to tell her story might be the highest-profile ever. Mary, Mother of Christ, has been the subject of speculation in Christian circles for some time now, thanks in no small part to the involvement of screenwriter Barbara Nicolosi, a popular Catholic blogger and the founder of Act One, a screenwriting program for Christians. Details of the film are starting to firm up, including the announcement that Camilla Belle, last seen in Push and 10,000 BC, will play the role of the Virgin Mary.

Belle joins a cast of A-list actors that also include icon Peter O'Toole in the role of Symeon; Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Match Point, TV's The Tudors) in the dual roles of Lucifer and Gabriel. Al Pacino and Jessica Lange are in talks to play Herod and Anna the Prophetess.

Argentinean director Alejandro Agresti, best known in America for his film The Lake House, will helm the movie.

The film's producers are keenly aware that they are attempting to tell a story that has been told on the big screen not very long ago—and not to very great success at the box office. Says producer Mary Aloe, "This is not a Christmas movie. This is a part of Mary's life that has never been shown on the big screen before. It takes us through Mary's youth, young love, her life as a new mother and the triumph through the absolute terror of Herod the Great's reign. It is truly a story of real female empowerment."

Reuters reports that MGM hopes to release the movie in the spring of 2010.

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Director of Friday the 13th remake talks about next project

Sex and the City 2 confirmed; writer-director of first film on board (Variety)
Four principle actresses sign on to return for sequel

Slumdog star cast in new M. Night Shyamalan picture (Variety)
Dav Patel to star in The Last Airbender, based on Nickelodeon TV show

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Aaron Sorkin to write courtroom drama The Challenge (Variety)
George Clooney to produce, possibly direct and star in movie about bin Laden's driver

Hindus urge Cameron to handle upcoming film 'with sensitivity' (newKerala)
Seek careful handling of Hindu concepts, terminology in Avatar

Sony buys rights to Angelology—Da Vinci meets Nat'l Treasure (Variety)
Story about a young nun who teams with an archaeologist

Al Pacino to play King Lear for Michael Ransford (Variety)
Previously directed Pacino in adaptation of Merchant of Venice

Orlando Bloom starring in The Cross (Variety)
Near-future movie by screenwriter of The Truman Show

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