New Films in Production

[Jeff]

The Wood-man's back in London

Woody Allen has set Josh Brolin and Anthony Hopkins to star in the film he wrote and will shoot in London this summer.

Brolin and Hopkins are the first in an ensemble cast. As usual, Allen is keeping title and plot under wraps.

The film will be financed by Spain-based Mediapro, which provided coin for "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." Letty Aronson and Steve Tenenbaum are producing.

There is no domestic distributor yet on Allen's upcoming film. He made a recent deal with Sony Pictures Classics for U.S. distribution on "Whatever Works," a comedy that will likely be distributed this summer.

Brolin, Oscar-nominated for "Milk," is next booked to star in the title role in "Jonah Hex," a live-action adaptation of the DC Comics series for Warner Bros. He previously worked with Allen on 2004's "Melinda and Melinda."

Hopkins recently completed "The Wolf Man" for Universal.

[Cash Flagg]

Christopher Nolan's next project is Inception, "a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind."

[flyonthewall2983]

That's great that he's taking this breather from Batman, going headlong into another project. It'll keep him sharp if/when he wants to follow The Dark Knight.

[exte]

People keep saying that Aronofsky is the next Kubrick, but it seems that Nolan is pretty damn smart (along with his brother) and WB seems to have picked up on that... I bet it will be Nolan's home for a long time, like Eastwood, and Aronofsky will continue to struggle from project to project.

[exte]

Supposedly, Cronenberg is currently adapting a Robert Ludlum novel with Denzel Washington and potentially Tom Cruise attached.

Update:

Tom Cruise Targets Denzel Washington
Gina Serpe Gina Serpe Wed Feb 11, 4:20 pm ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) – There are big-screen pairings and then there are Big-Screen Pairings. Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington definitely fall into the latter.

The Hollywood heavyweights will join their considerable forces for an action-packed adaptation of The Matarese Circle, a spy-vs.-spy thriller based on the novel by Robert "Bourne Identity" Ludlum.

According to both the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, Cruise is in final negotiations to join Washington in the would-be blockbuster, which David Cronenberg will direct. Should all go according to box-office plan, the film may develop into a franchise.

The story follows Russian spy Vasili Taleniekov (Cruise; let's hope no accents are required) and American intelligence agent Brandon Scofield (Washington), two mortal enemies who have spent decades attempting to off each other. The distrustful duo are eventually forced to team up after they find themselves deep into the crosshairs of a political conspiracy devised by a shadowy group known as the Matarese.

Washington has been attached to the globe-trotting action flick since last spring, and production is expected to begin later this year.

MGM is looking to release the film sometime in 2010.

[flyonthewall2983]

People keep saying that Aronofsky is the next Kubrick, but it seems that Nolan is pretty damn smart (along with his brother) and WB seems to have picked up on that... I bet it will be Nolan's home for a long time, like Eastwood, and Aronofsky will continue to struggle from project to project.

You're right on the money there, I'm sure it'll take a lot before Chris can do wrong in WB's eyes.

Los Angeles (E! Online) – There are big-screen pairings and then there are Big-Screen Pairings. Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington definitely fall into the latter.

The Hollywood heavyweights will join their considerable forces for an action-packed adaptation of The Matarese Circle, a spy-vs.-spy thriller based on the novel by Robert "Bourne Identity" Ludlum.

According to both the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, Cruise is in final negotiations to join Washington in the would-be blockbuster, which David Cronenberg will direct. Should all go according to box-office plan, the film may develop into a franchise.

The story follows Russian spy Vasili Taleniekov (Cruise; let's hope no accents are required) and American intelligence agent Brandon Scofield (Washington), two mortal enemies who have spent decades attempting to off each other. The distrustful duo are eventually forced to team up after they find themselves deep into the crosshairs of a political conspiracy devised by a shadowy group known as the Matarese.

Washington has been attached to the globe-trotting action flick since last spring, and production is expected to begin later this year.

MGM is looking to release the film sometime in 2010.

This sounds very exciting, I think David's in a good position after his last two projects to tackle something like this. If you're good, bad, or indifferent to the issue, it's quite remarkable how his style has changed.

[chaddoli]

People keep saying that Aronofsky is the next Kubrick, but it seems that Nolan is pretty damn smart (along with his brother) and WB seems to have picked up on that... I bet it will be Nolan's home for a long time, like Eastwood, and Aronofsky will continue to struggle from project to project.

WB wanted Aronofsky to be the next Kubrick, but then he made The Fountain instead of 2001. He's gonna go from project to project, but he should. His previous failure was the reason he was able to make the restrained and beautiful The Wrestler. I'm so glad it didn't get a Best Picture or Best Director nom, because it would guarantee Aronofsky would never make another great film.

it's quite remarkable how his style has changed.

I honestly don't think his style has changed at all. Even with a $100 million dollar budget, I promise you there will be themes of duality and identity as the two characters swallow each other up (literally or figuratively, hopefully both).

[flyonthewall2983]

I probably should have been more specific about that. His gory/fantastic/existential visuals have been replaced by more realistic violent imagery, especially in the last two films. It's something for him that probably goes back to Dead Ringers, and developed further with Crash. But in respect of what you're talking about, I can see a thread that goes from the earliest films of his (Videodrome being the only one I've seen for myself, mind you) to now in terms of how he handles story and character.

[Matt]

So many things about the following paragraph make me want to put a gun to my head:

Kevin James to star in 'The Zookeeper'
Feb 12, 2009, 10:22 PM | by Nicole Sperling

Now that Kevin James (Paul Blart: Mall Cop) has been declared the new every man, it's of little surprise that he's turning his attention from the shopping mall to the zoo in MGM's upcoming film The Zookeeper. James will star and Frank Coraci (Click, The Wedding Singer) will direct this comedy about a zoo caretaker who gets along better with the animals in his charge than with any humans. Adam Sandler's Happy Madison is producing along with Todd Garner's Broken Road Productions. Walt Becker (Wild Hogs) used to be attached to the project but is now doing Wild Hogs 2. Coraci is a longtime collaborator with Sandler, also working with him on The Waterboy. James, who starred with Sandler in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, just signed on to do another untitled Sandler comedy at Sony.

[JonathanM]

Kevin James a 00s Rob Schneider?

How sinister is it that one of the producers is described as being "Adam Sandler's"? Is that supposed to mean that he works with Sandler all the time or that Sandler bought him in a North African Souk?

[chaddoli]

Don't know if you were joking or not, but Happy Madison is not an unfortunately named person, but Sandler's production company, which derived its name from Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison (which are movies).

[flyonthewall2983]

Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison (which are movies).

I'm sure there's a good argument against that somewhere.

[Antoine Doinel]

I like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison.

[domino harvey]

I've seen Kevin James on his sitcom a few times and he seems like a charming enough guy, honestly. I can't say I've actually seen one of his films though, but I can see the appeal they would hold

[Antoine Doinel]

I'm about to ostracize myself from the board here, but I like The King Of Queens as well, largely because of Kevin James.

[HarryLong]

I like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison.

Seek treatment.

[JonathanM]

Don't know if you were joking or not, but Happy Madison is not an unfortunately named person, but Sandler's production company, which derived its name from Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison (which are movies).

I suspected that it might be something like that but I was tickled by the idea of Sandler having slaves to work on his films.

[chaddoli]

He does.

[Antoine Doinel]

Some info on Wong Kar Wai's next film, The Grand Master.

[Antoine Doinel]

Ang Lee now attached to direct Life Of Pi.

[knives]

Not sure if this has been covered

Alice in Wonderland........With machine Guns!
Snyder is just a glorified Bay after all

[flyonthewall2983]

"glorified Bay" is a contradiction in terms.

[Antoine Doinel]

Not sure if this has been covered

Alice in Wonderland........With machine Guns!
Snyder is just a glorified Bay after all

Cause I really feel like I've never really had the opportunity to make an action movie you know, I mean 300 is action-y but not like I could be, you know, with no rules and machine guns and just everything.

[domino harvey]

You missed the best line

I think we're looking at, like, what I would consider a lot of great, really great girls. Because it's all girls so it's like, yeah.

[Antoine Doinel]

"So basically, I'm going to re-imagine Alice In Wonderland as my ultimate rape fantasy. Because, you know, I like boobies and guns. Yeah. It will also be four hours long and have an animated credit sequence set to some sick jams the newly reunited Limp Bizkit are putting together."