Dakota Fanning is doubling down on Showtime roles.

The Alienist: Angel of Darkness and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actress is joining drama Ripley opposite Andrew Scott.

It comes after she was cast in Showtime’s scripted anthology drama series The First Lady (w/t) as Susan Elizabeth Ford, the only daughter and youngest child of President Gerald and Betty Ford.

In Ripley, Fanning will play Marge Sherwood, an American living in Italy who suspects darker motives underlie the affability of Tom Ripley, played by Fleabag star Scott.

Based on Patricia Highsmith’s books, the show comes from The Night Of’s Steven Zaillian.

The series follows Tom Ripley, a grifter scraping by in early 1960s New York, who is hired by a wealthy man to try to convince his vagabond son, Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn), who is living a comfortable, trust-funded ex-pat life in Italy, to return home. Tom’s acceptance of the job is the first step into a complex life of deceit, fraud and murder. Continue reading  »

Dakota Fanning is starring in the immigrant drama “Sweetness in the Belly,” which has begun shooting in Ireland and will continue in Ethiopia.

Zeresenay Berhane Mehari is directing from a script by Laura Phillips, adapted from Camilla Gibb’s bestselling novel that explores an immigrant’s life from the unique perspective of being orphaned in Africa as a child, escaping to England as a refugee, embracing the immigrant community in London, and attempting to reunite people with their scattered families — while dealing with a passionate lost love affair with a doctor.

Other cast members include Wunmi Mosaku and Kunal Nayyar (“The Big Bang Theory”). The project was unveiled at the 2017 Berlin Film Festival with Saoirse Ronan initially attached.

Berhane Mehari’s first feature film, “Difret,” was executive produced by Angelina Jolie and won the audience awards at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and in the panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival.

“Sweetness in the Belly” was developed by Sienna Films, and is produced by Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny of Sienna Films with Alan Moloney and Susan Mullen of Parallel Films. Mehret Mandefro and Adrian Sturges are executive producers, along with Laura Bickford and Fiona Druckenmiller.

HanWay Films is handling worldwide sales and distribution, and is selling “Sweetness in the Belly” at the American Film Market. Entertainment One will distribute the movie in Canada. The movie is produced with the support of Telefilm Canada, Screen Ireland, the Ontario Media Development Corporation, and Eurimages.

HanWay Films’ Gabrielle Stewart said, “We have always loved this moving fish-out-water story which connects us to a young refugee’s experience in London when escaping her war-torn home. The spin of this refugee originally being British and Caucasian, yet raised Muslim in Africa, makes this perspective incredibly fresh and timely. We are all thrilled to have caught Dakota Fanning at a really exciting point in her career.”

Fanning appeared in “Ocean’s 8” and in TNT’s “The Alienist.” She will portray Charles Manson follower Squeaky Fromme in the Quentin Tarantino pic “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

Fanning is represented by Echo Lake Entertainment, WME, and Hansen Jacobson. Mosaku is represented by Scott Marshall Partners, The Gersh Agency, Principal Entertainment LA, Innovative Artists, Lovett Management, and lawyer Jim Hornstein. The news was first reported by Screen International. [Source]

Dakota Fanning will star in Janusz Kaminski’s upcoming thriller “The Postcard Killings” with Good Films producing and financing.

“The Postcard Killings” is based on James Patterson and Liza Marklund’s book. The screenplay was written by Marklund and Andrew Stern.

Good Universe is handling worldwide sales on the project and will introduce to buyers next week in Cannes.

“The Postcard Killings” centers on a New Yorker as his life is thrown into turmoil when he learns that his newly married daughter has been brutally murdered. As he digs into the case, similar crimes are reported across Europe with each killing accompanied by a postcard sent to a local journalist.

As he follows the trail of clues, a young reporter — played by Fanning — receives the next postcard. Principal photography is scheduled for January in Munich, London and Scandinavia.

Fanning will be seen in Lionsgate’s “American Pastoral,” directed by and starring Ewan McGregor, and Ben Lewin’s “Please Stand By.”

Kaninski won the Academy Award for best cinematography for his work on “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan.” His directing credits include “Lost Souls,” “Hania” and “America Dream.”

Good Films financed and produced Brad Furman’s “The Infiltrator,” which stars Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo and Diane Kruger.

Fanning is repped by CAA and Echo Lake Entertainment. [Source]

The Kerry director is set to work with Dakota Fanning on a silver screen adaptation of the memoir Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness.

The book is an adaptation of Susannah Cahalan’s struggle with mental health problems. Fanning will portray the lead character as she struggles with her inner torment.

Bestseller Brain On Fire begins with Cahalan’s admission to a psychiatric facility at just 24 years of age.

It has been picked up by Hollywood star Charlize Theron’s production company Denver and Delilah Films.

The Monster star will act as a producer on the movie but it has not yet been announced if she will also take up a role in the flick.

Barrett (inset) said he was “honoured” to bring Cahalan’s story to life with two of Hollywood’s leading ladies.

The Pilgrim’s Hill filmmaker is no stranger to tackling tough subjects on screen. His first two features both focused on sensitive plots. His second, Glasslands, will be screened at the prestigious Sundance film festival to compete in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition.

TRAFFICKING

The film, starring Jack Reynor and Toni Collette, depicts the story of a young Irish taxi driver who gets caught up in the world of human trafficking.

Talented Barrett will also pen the screen adaption of the harrowing tale told in the Cahalan’s memoir.

Shooting is due to begin in May in both Vancouver and New York. [Source]

The American actress, who turns 20 next year, will star in a coming-of-age movie from Gerardo Naranjo, the Mexican filmmaker behind the 2011 film “Miss Bala.”

Fanning, who starred opposite Sean Penn at age eight in “I Am Sam” in 2001, has been cast as a roadie traveling across America with a punk band.

Through the sometimes dangerous journey, her character will come to learn more about herself.

No production dates have been announced for this coming-of-age tale.

The project will mark Gerard Naranjo’s return behind the camera since directing the pilot for “The Bridge,” the series headlined by Diane Kruger and Demian Bichir.

Fanning is currently on the set of “Franny,” in which she plays a young newlywed dealing with a rich and lonely 60-something who decides to ingratiate himself into her life.

Richard Gere and Theo James are Fanning’s co-stars in this independent film, directed by Andrew Renzi. [Source]