I was pretty bummed when Roman Polanski ditched Pompeii, his planned epic about the city buried by a volcano in the 1st century CE. Fortunately, the Oscar-winning director of The Pianist has found another project to move ahead with. According to Variety, Polanski will next film an adaptation of Robert Harris' new novel, The Ghost. Presumably a much smaller film than Pompeii, which was also to be based on one of Harris' novels, The Ghost will center on a ghostwriter penning the memoirs of a former British prime minister. While working on the book, the guy uncovers secrets "that put his own life in jeopardy." Polanski said this is the political thriller he's been looking to direct for awhile, pointing out that the novel is full of suspense. Harris, however, makes it sound a little more quiet; he admitted the book mostly takes place in an oceanfront house during the middle of the winter, although he said this is "classic Polanski territory."

In many ways, this sounds like just another conspiracy movie, but I assume it won't be so simple coming from both Harris, who also wrote Fatherland and Enigma, and Polanski, who has made a career out of directing better-than-average thrillers. According to the synopsis in the book's Publishers Weekly review, The Ghost deals with more topical themes, such as al-Qaeda, and the former prime minister is described as being clearly modeled after Tony Blair. The review also mentions the book's cynical tone and gallows humor, which I hope translates well to the film version. The adaptation will be written by both Harris and Polanski and will be produced by The Pianist's Robert Benmussa and Alain Sarde. They expect to begin filming next fall.

According to Hollywood Wiretap (via Screendaily), Roman Polanski has officially pulled out of directing Pompeii -- that giant epic drama (based on the Robert Harris book) he'd been working on for the past nine months. Apparently Polanski left due to scheduling conflicts, when Summit International said they may have to postpone shooting in Europe next summer due to -- can you take a wild guess -- The Strike! Yes, The Strike, well, strikes again! In an official statement, Polanski said, "I put a lot of work and energy into the development of Pompeii, so it is not without regret that I have to decline my further involvement." This will most likely come as a huge blow to the film, which at one point had Orlando Bloom and Scarlett Johansson rumored to be up for the lead roles. As of now, no cast is official.

There's no word on where Summit (who've already sold the film to a number of foreign territories, including Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, France, Italy and Spain) will go from here, or who they will try to get to replace Polanski. Seeing as this was Polanski's little pet project, and that it would have been much easier to cast a couple of hot American actors (which Polanski wanted to do ) with the director still attached, there's a chance Pompeii could go in an entirely different direction. Will they opt for European stars instead? Are there any other top-notch directors willing to pick it up? One thing's for sure, there's no way in hell they're signing anyone at this point -- at least not until the whole strike thing is settled. And if they have to wait months to line up a director and cast, we're looking at a start date that, at the very best, will need to be postponed until at least next fall.

Just to make sure we don't pigeon-hole her in any sort of role, Scarlett Johansson is mixing things up yet again. The girl already did some Nanny time, plus she has The Other Boleyn Girl, Woody Allen's Barcelona flick, possibly Pompeii, He's Just Not That Into You, The Spirit and Mary Queen of Scots on the way. MTV talked with Samuel Bayer, the music video director behind Justin Timberlake's What Goes Around... Comes Around (that she was in), and he says Scarlett got him a directorial gig for another film she's been cast in.

He didn't say too much about the film. It is called Brilliance, it will start shooting this winter, and it's about diamond thieves. What is interesting is his praise for the Jo: "Scarlett is one of the sexiest actresses around. And she can just become her characters... It's stuff like that which makes you know someone's a star." In there, he mentions a scene where she was laughing, but when the camera rolled, she was crying. Now, props should be given to someone who can cry on-cue, but I'm not sure that's becoming the character. I am not as anti-Scarlett as some, but I wouldn't say she's amazing at becoming other people. Ellen Burstyn, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, and those types, sure. Each of them has made me forget who they are and be enveloped in their role. Johansson, on the other hand, has never made me forget who she is. We've already hashed out her talents, or lack thereof, before -- but who would you consider to be great actors who become their characters?

When we last brought word on Roman Polanski's Pompeii, the controversial director was looking to snag some top-notch (read: A-list) talent to star in what ultimately will become one of the most expensive European film projects ever (the budget is said to currently be hanging around the $130 million mark). The speculation as to who would be cast in the lead role began, with rumors suggesting that Polanski wanted "a top Italian thesp" to play our hero's beautiful love interest. Well, according to Coming Soon (who wouldn't report on a rumor unless they were pretty sure it was true), Polanski's wish is about to come true as Orlando Bloom and Scarlett Johansson (hey, when did she become an Italian thesp?) are in talks to star in the pic, which will revolve around events that took place just prior to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79.

If this rumor (and, right now, it's only a rumor) turns out to be true, Bloom will play Marcus Attilus Primus; a Roman engineer who is sent to Pompeii to help repair "the greatest aqueduct in the Roman Empire." However, while there, he must deal with all kinds of corrupt government types and a tiny volcanic eruption that, well, wipes out the entire city. Pic is based on Robert Harris' best-selling novel of the same name, and will reportedly begin filming in August. This will most certainly be Polanski's most ambitious film to date; heck, the amount of CGI effects alone opens up a whole new avenue for the director. And while Johansson has a ton of projects lined up, she'll be in Spain (where most of the Pompeii production is said to be taking place) shooting Woody Allen's new film, so I assume she'll be available to stop by Polanski's set to act all, "Oh my God, what's that red stuff coming at me!?" Also, both Bloom and Johansson are no strangers when it comes to historical epics; the former has Troy and Kingdom of Heaven under his belt, while the latter has Girl with a Pearl Earring, as well as upcoming pics like The Other Boleyn Girl and Napoleon and Betsy. Interesting casting choices; not exactly my first choice, but you have to admit -- these two will look real good together on screen. (I smell a potential off-screen romance in the works .... )

Roman Polanski is preparing to make his largest movie yet: the dramatic thriller Pompeii, which is said to be budgeted at a whopping $130 million. Scott brought you news of the project in February, and now more details have emerged. The lead role will be Marco Attilio Primo, "a young Roman engineer sent to Pompeii in A.D. 79, just days before the devastating eruption of Mt. Vesuvius." Polanski is looking to cast an A-list star as Primo. (Sorry, but your dreams of a trailer announcing "George Wendt...in...Pompeii!" are not going to come to fruition). Polanski and Robert Harris are currently finishing up the screenplay, which will be based on Harris' best selling novel of the same name. Polanski has said Pompeii will use lots of CGI effects, and will be shot largely on Spanish soundstages, backlots, and locations.

Pompeii is one of the most expensive European film projects ever, so its easy to see why they're not taking any chances with casting. I'm fine with them going for a name, but here's hoping they draw from a wider pool than they usually go to for these movies. We've seen the Colin Farrells and Brad Pitts of the world do these historical epics before, I hope we get a more interesting choice. Every great hero needs a love interest, and a variety of European actresses, "including a top Italian thesp," are being considered for the lead female role. (If I had to guess here, I'd say that "top Italian thesp" might be the gorgeous Monica Bellucci?) Pompeii's projected five month shoot starts this August, and the movie should erupt into theaters some time next year. What do you think, will Rome and Roman be a good match?

If I asked you to name a director who'd be well suited for bringing the last days of Pompeii (back) to the silver screen, whose name would you throw out? Roland Emmerich? Wolfgang Petersen? The late Irwin Allen? Nope. How about Roman Polanski? Doesn't matter if you agree with me that it seems a strange fit; Roman just got $130 million to work with and he's not coming back without a big, flashy Pompeii movie.

As with most of Mr. Polanski's recent films, Pompeii (which will be based on the novel of the same name by Robert Harris) will be bankrolled by private investment sources -- and then sold off to distributors around the world, thereby making almost all its money back before the flick even hits a screen. (Unless the thing turns out to be a monumental turkey, which is always a possibility when a filmmaker ventures too far from his comfort zone -- and I'd call "Roman Polanski's Pompeii" precisely that type of venture.) According to Variety, Pompeii will be about a young engineer who has to repair a vital aqueduct, woo a fair maiden and deal with all sorts of nasty old Roman politics. And then a whole lot of CG-intensive lava-splatters and dramatic carnage. I'm picturing Volcanic Titanic, basically.

Although best known for films like Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown, Roman Polanski is certainly no stranger to over-budget and underwhelming movies. His 1986 bomb Pirates is one such example, plus I vaguely remember him doing an occult thriller with Johnny Depp in the late nineties. Polanski's last two films were certainly not what you'd call low-budget: 2002's The Pianist was certainly "grand in scope," and 2005's Oliver Twist was no chintzy affair. But $130 million for a period-piece disaster flick? Polanski? Really?