Word on the interweb is that Ben Barnes (Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian) is set to play Dorian Gray in a screen adaptation of Oscar Wilde's brilliant novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" in which, a young man named Dorian Gray, the subject of a painting by artist Basil Hallward. Basil is greatly impressed by Dorian's physical beauty and becomes strongly infatuated with him, believing that his beauty is responsible for a new mode in his art. Talking in Basil's garden, Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Basil's, and becomes enthralled by Lord Henry's world view. Espousing a new kind of hedonism, Lord Henry suggests that the only thing worth pursuing in life is beauty, and the fulfilment of the senses. Realising that one day his beauty will fade, Dorian cries out, wishing that the portrait Basil has painted of him would age rather than himself. Dorian's wish is fulfilled, subsequently plunging him into a series of debauched acts. The portrait serves as a reminder of the effect each act has upon his soul, with each sin being displayed as a disfigurement of his form, or through a sign of aging.. Producer Barnaby Thompson and director Oliver Parker, who previously teamed to make An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest and most recently co-directed St. Trinian's will make "Dorian Gray" at the end of July this year.

I must say, the story of Dorian Gray is a great one and I'm happy to see Barnes get another great role fresh of the heels of Prince Caspian. Dorian Gray is also one of my favorite things about "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen". Let's hope this turns out to be a good gothic storytelling masterpiece