Week in Review
May 22nd, 2003
Screenwriters on the move...
* Philip Levens (SMALLVILLE and upcoming FOUND IN THE STREET) will write a new version of the feature adaptation of DC Comics' WONDER WOMAN for producer Joel Silver, Leonard Goldberg and Warner Bros. Pictures.
* Animation company Klasky Csupo is developing the indie toon pic THE WAY THE DEAD LOVE, based on seven short stories by writer/poet Charles Bukowski. Bruce Wagner wrote the script to be directed by Igor Kovalyov and Laslo Nosek. The project follows the adventures and fantasies of Bukowski and his youthful alter ego Henry Chinaski as they dabble with sex, death (in the form of a beautiful woman) and the Devil.
* Richard Attenborough will direct the romantic drama CLOSING THE RING for Odyssey Entertainment, the Film Council and Baker Street. Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Hopper, Mena Suvari and Colin Hanks will star, with Brenda Blethyn, Peter O'Toole and Ryan Phillippe in talks to join them. Shooting begins in September on the story about a U.S. rear gunner in World War II who is shot down and asks a local to return his ring to his girlfriend back home. Half a century later, a young Belfast man finds the ring, learns its history and tracks down the old girlfriend, who turns out to have married the gunner's best friend.
* Crusader Entertainment has purchased the rights to Ayn Rand's 1957 novel ATLAS SHRUGGED and has tapped writer James V. Hart (CONTACT, BRAM STROKER'S DRACULA) to adapt. The story is set around an economic collapse in the near-future United States as its top innovators and industrialists inexplicably disappear amid the growing power of politicians.
* Russell Mulcahy will direct ESCAPE for Davis Panzer Prods and Miramax. It is based on Billy Hayes' book THE RETURN, which recounts what happened after he broke out of the Turkish prison in MIDNIGHT EXPRESS. David Abramowitz and John Nichols scripted.
* Brian Robbins will direct FEVER PITCH for Fox 2000 Pictures. It's a remake of the FilmFour pic, a 1997 British adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel about his obsession with North London soccer club Arsenal. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel have Americanized the story and changed the focus to baseball and Boston Red Sox fans.
* Robert Altman will direct Salma Hayek and James Franco in Capitol Films' ULTRAVIOLET, set against the backdrop of the back-stabbing Gotham art scene. Shooting begins in September. Jeffrey Lewis wrote the script.
* Columbia picked up the comedy pitch NINE BASTARDS to be written by Fred Wolf and produced by Happy Madison. It's about an orphan whose singular devotion to hard work makes him a multi-millionaire, but finds out that a sister he never knew he had has died, and he's become the legal guardian of her nine kids. He then must try to instill some manners in the kids and they start to grow on him, even as his work suffers.
* Ivan Zacharias will direct RUSSIAN THEATER from a script by Michael Lerner for Stillking Films. It's based on the October 2002 hostage takeover of a Moscow theater by Chechen rebels.
* Martin Lobo is directing the comedy DOS ILUSIONES (TWO ILLUSIONS) about two naive fame seekers. Los wrote the script with contributions from Santiago Carlos Oves (THE VERSE) and Lito Espinosa (CLAMS AND MUSSELS).
* Roger Michell will direct ENDURING LOVE for Free Range Films as well as Pathe Pictures and FilmFour, who are in talks to co-finance the pic. Daniel Craig and Rhys Ifans are lined up to star, with Samantha Morton in discussions to join the cast. Joe Penhall adapted Ian McEwan's novel about a man whose life unravels when he becomes the target of an obsessive stalker in the aftermath of a ballooning accident.
* 4Way Pictures picked up Emily Barr's novel BACKPACK for Antonia Bird to develop and direct about a young woman's compulsive desire to travel to exotic places and an encounter with a serial killer.
* John Sayles has written and will direct JAMIE MCGILLIVRAY for 4Way Pictures and Anarchists Convention. Based on an idea from Robert Carlyle, the movie is a historical adventure set in 18th century Scotland and North America.
* Stephen Fry will write and direct an adaptation of his novel THE STARS' TENNIS BALLS for Revolution Films. It's the story of a schoolboy with a glittering future who gets wrongfully imprisoned through the workings of a jealous classmate. When he's escapes 10 years later, he dedicates himself to revenge.
* Sidney Lumet will shoot STRIP SEARCH for HBO Films London and producers Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson and Jim Finnerty. It's described as a series of interwoven stories exploring crime and punishment in post-9/11 America. The project starts shooting in July with Fontana writing the script
-- Harry Caul
(Source: Reuters/Hollywood Reporter)
* Philip Levens (SMALLVILLE and upcoming FOUND IN THE STREET) will write a new version of the feature adaptation of DC Comics' WONDER WOMAN for producer Joel Silver, Leonard Goldberg and Warner Bros. Pictures.
* Animation company Klasky Csupo is developing the indie toon pic THE WAY THE DEAD LOVE, based on seven short stories by writer/poet Charles Bukowski. Bruce Wagner wrote the script to be directed by Igor Kovalyov and Laslo Nosek. The project follows the adventures and fantasies of Bukowski and his youthful alter ego Henry Chinaski as they dabble with sex, death (in the form of a beautiful woman) and the Devil.
* Richard Attenborough will direct the romantic drama CLOSING THE RING for Odyssey Entertainment, the Film Council and Baker Street. Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Hopper, Mena Suvari and Colin Hanks will star, with Brenda Blethyn, Peter O'Toole and Ryan Phillippe in talks to join them. Shooting begins in September on the story about a U.S. rear gunner in World War II who is shot down and asks a local to return his ring to his girlfriend back home. Half a century later, a young Belfast man finds the ring, learns its history and tracks down the old girlfriend, who turns out to have married the gunner's best friend.
* Crusader Entertainment has purchased the rights to Ayn Rand's 1957 novel ATLAS SHRUGGED and has tapped writer James V. Hart (CONTACT, BRAM STROKER'S DRACULA) to adapt. The story is set around an economic collapse in the near-future United States as its top innovators and industrialists inexplicably disappear amid the growing power of politicians.
* Russell Mulcahy will direct ESCAPE for Davis Panzer Prods and Miramax. It is based on Billy Hayes' book THE RETURN, which recounts what happened after he broke out of the Turkish prison in MIDNIGHT EXPRESS. David Abramowitz and John Nichols scripted.
* Brian Robbins will direct FEVER PITCH for Fox 2000 Pictures. It's a remake of the FilmFour pic, a 1997 British adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel about his obsession with North London soccer club Arsenal. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel have Americanized the story and changed the focus to baseball and Boston Red Sox fans.
* Robert Altman will direct Salma Hayek and James Franco in Capitol Films' ULTRAVIOLET, set against the backdrop of the back-stabbing Gotham art scene. Shooting begins in September. Jeffrey Lewis wrote the script.
* Columbia picked up the comedy pitch NINE BASTARDS to be written by Fred Wolf and produced by Happy Madison. It's about an orphan whose singular devotion to hard work makes him a multi-millionaire, but finds out that a sister he never knew he had has died, and he's become the legal guardian of her nine kids. He then must try to instill some manners in the kids and they start to grow on him, even as his work suffers.
* Ivan Zacharias will direct RUSSIAN THEATER from a script by Michael Lerner for Stillking Films. It's based on the October 2002 hostage takeover of a Moscow theater by Chechen rebels.
* Martin Lobo is directing the comedy DOS ILUSIONES (TWO ILLUSIONS) about two naive fame seekers. Los wrote the script with contributions from Santiago Carlos Oves (THE VERSE) and Lito Espinosa (CLAMS AND MUSSELS).
* Roger Michell will direct ENDURING LOVE for Free Range Films as well as Pathe Pictures and FilmFour, who are in talks to co-finance the pic. Daniel Craig and Rhys Ifans are lined up to star, with Samantha Morton in discussions to join the cast. Joe Penhall adapted Ian McEwan's novel about a man whose life unravels when he becomes the target of an obsessive stalker in the aftermath of a ballooning accident.
* 4Way Pictures picked up Emily Barr's novel BACKPACK for Antonia Bird to develop and direct about a young woman's compulsive desire to travel to exotic places and an encounter with a serial killer.
* John Sayles has written and will direct JAMIE MCGILLIVRAY for 4Way Pictures and Anarchists Convention. Based on an idea from Robert Carlyle, the movie is a historical adventure set in 18th century Scotland and North America.
* Stephen Fry will write and direct an adaptation of his novel THE STARS' TENNIS BALLS for Revolution Films. It's the story of a schoolboy with a glittering future who gets wrongfully imprisoned through the workings of a jealous classmate. When he's escapes 10 years later, he dedicates himself to revenge.
* Sidney Lumet will shoot STRIP SEARCH for HBO Films London and producers Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson and Jim Finnerty. It's described as a series of interwoven stories exploring crime and punishment in post-9/11 America. The project starts shooting in July with Fontana writing the script
-- Harry Caul
(Source: Reuters/Hollywood Reporter)
Comments
Only logged-in members can comment. You can log in or join today for free!
Advertisement
