Just Jared has landed some behind-the-scenes photos of Dakota Fanning as rocker Cherie Currie in the upcoming biopic “The Runaways”.  We previously saw Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett but she was still pretty recognizable as Stewart (not to slam the make-up or costume job; it’s just you know it’s Stewart just as you know it’s Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash).  Fanning is a different story.  While I can still tell it’s Fanning, she really has grown up fast and, more importantly, she’s growing up well.  I don’t mean that in the dirty old man sense but in that I think she’s serious about being the mature actor that never really suited her as a child when that attitude came off as irritatingly precocious (to the point where Amy Poehler and SNL could mock it mercilessly).  What’s more, she doesn’t need films like “Hounddog” to say “I’m a mature actress”.  She was one of the best parts of “Push” and I have high hopes for her performance in “The Runaways”.

Hit the jump to see a couple of set photos and head over to JustJared to see the full gallery.

I don’t like my casting news contradicted.  Hollywood, if you’re going to re-cast a role, I want a huge, messy blow-up transparently covered-up with the time-honored excuse of “creative differences”.  So when we reported on Rolling Stone’s reporting that “Caprica” actress Alessandra Torresani in the upcoming biopic about the all-girl rock band The Runaways (co-starring Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie), we thought that was the end of the story.  But today, Variety is reporting that the film has found its Lita Ford in “Halloween” actress Scout Taylor-Compton.  While I’m happy to pass the buck to Rolling Stone and take no blame for a previously false casting report, nothing can cover up my indifference towards who plays Ford in this biopic.  But I would like to know what happened with Torresani.

Above [via INFDaily] you can see the first glimpse of Kristen Stewart as rock chick Joan Jett in the biopic, “The Runaways” which charts the rise (and presumably fall) of the first all-female rock band.  Hopefully some stealthy snapper will soon be able to grab shots of Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie, Stella Maeve as Sandy West, and Alessandra Torresani as Lita Ford.

Continue reading after the jump to see the full photo.  “The Runaways” is due out in theatres in 2010.

For the entire four years that the all-girl rock group “The Runaways” existed they had only one star - their kittenish singer Cherie Currie.  Anyone who knows their rock history, however, will tell you that in the years after “The Runaways” imploded the group spawned two huge guitar stars - Joan Jett and Lita Ford.  With Kristin Stewart already signed to play Jett (opposite Dakota Fannning as Currie) the question of who would play Ford remained - though I doubt anyone was losing much sleep over it.

Well now we can all get even more sleep - producers of “The Runaways” biopic have found their second guitar goddess.  According to Rollingstone.com her name is Alessandra Torresani.  Her name may be familiar if you’ve been following “Caprica” news.  Other than that the 22 year-old actress is pretty much unknown.  She is SUPER excited to meet Lita Ford, though - calling her “the most incredible woman.”  Wow, high praise indeed for the woman who once humped a guitar in her “Kiss me Deadly” video!  “The Runaways” begins shooting next week.

There is only one good thing that came out of “Revolutionary Road” and that was Michael Shannon.  His career has really taken off since his performance in that film and subsequent Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.  He’ll be in the upcoming adaptation of “Jonah Hex” and I’m looking forward to seeing his performance in “The Missing Person” which premiered at Sundance earlier this year.

Now he’s going to be rocking out in the biopic “The Runaways” about Joan Jett and her all-girl rock band.  Kristen Stewart is playing Jett with Dakota Fanning on board as Cherie Currie.  Shannon is in negotiations to play someone yet to be identified but who was personally or professionally associated with the band.  However, he’s got some other offers as well and the timing is still being worked out for “Runaways”.  I say the more Shannon the better so hopefully he’ll be on board for this flick.