The trend for big name pop stars to turn to the cinema is back in fashion as music's current elite woo the movie industry.

There's the imminent arrival of 24 hour party people - a film about the rise and demise of Factory Records. Bolton's own Badly Drawn Boy is working on the soundtrack to Nick Hornby's About A Boy and numerous pop stars have been involved in smash musical extravaganza Moulin Rouge.

Then there's U2 whose self-importance has finally overtaken their senses, with the news that they now think they are fit to score a Martin Scorcese movie. Worse still, the director has let them. It doesn't bode well for Gangs Of New York, out next year.

Foo Fighters are also wetting their appetite for film. They've reworked an old B-side Make A Bet into new song Win Or Lose, which will feature on the soundtrack to forthcoming snowboarding film Out Cold (starring Jason London and Caroline Dhavemas). The soundtrack will be out in the UK after its US release on November 20.

With films about music, musical films and pop stars scoring films, there are now pop stars acting in films. No not Mariah, Madonna or Whitney, but Beyonce Knowles from Destiny's child, who has snapped up the female lead in the new Austin Powers movie, Goldmember. I wonder if she had to audition?

She is now joined by the lovely Britney who will be playing herself.

But the pop stars making the most moves in the movies have to be S Club 7, who have signed with Columbia Tristar to make a spin-off film from their TV show. Production is due to start next April.

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