New Films in Production

[stroszeck]

Michael Cimino's comeback???

[Cold Bishop]

And Maulraux's novel, none the less.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

WB, Universal enlist Harold
By Borys Kit. Hollywood Reporter. March 20, 2008

Scribe Joby Harold has snagged two writing assignments.

First up for Harold is an adaptation of the Frank Miller miniseries "Ronin" for Warner Bros. He then is set to adapt Michael Reisman's children's fantasy novel "Simon Bloom" for Universal.

"Ronin," which Miller wrote and drew in the early 1980s, centers on a masterless samurai who is reincarnated in a dystopic near-future New York populated by squatters, factions and mutants. The ronin must try to destroy a demon with a mystic sword, which also is found in New York.

Sylvain White is attached to direct, while Gianni Nunnari, one of the producers behind the Miller adaptation "300," and his Hollywood Gang shingle are producing.

[Anhedionisiac]

Monahan to write Paramount thriller
Story based on upcoming Playboy article
By MICHAEL FLEMING

William Monahan will pen a fact-based thriller for Paramount based on an article that will appear in Playboy later this year.
It's the story of a drug dealer who traded a prison sentence to go undercover at a maximum security hospital for the criminally insane, where he tried to get a serial killer to divulge the whereabouts of his victims.

Graham King will produce with Alexandra Milchan, and the Par project kicks off a first-look deal that King's GK Films has made with Monahan, who will take an office in King's new Santa Monica HQ. Joel Gotler will be exec producer.

King was introduced to the project by Milchan, who had received a one-page proposal for the article by Jim Keene and writer Hillel Levin.

The son of a police chief, Keene fell from grace after he was caught dealing drugs. As an alternative to a 10 years-to-life sentence, he was allowed to cozy up to a man authorities believed murdered 25 young women. Only the prison psychiatrist knew Keene was undercover, plus a visiting "girlfriend" who was actually an FBI agent.

"We really connected on 'The Departed,' and it'll be fantastic to have a writer of Bill's caliber in the office every day, not just to write, but to bounce ideas off," King said. "When I told Bill this incredible story I'd bought, he said, 'I've already got the movie in my head.'"

Monahan followed "The Departed" by scripting the Ridley Scott-directed Warner Brothers thriller "Body of Lies," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. He just wrote the thriller "Nothing in the World" and recently signed to adapt the remake of hit Korean film "The Chaser" for WB.

[Jeff]

Scott, DiCaprio team for 'Dweller'
By Steven Zeitchik

March 21, 2008

Ridley Scott and Leonardo DiCaprio will reteam for a dark thriller titled "The Low Dweller" that Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media has bought after a heated bidding war.

Scott and DiCaprio will produce the film, with DiCaprio attached to star and Scott eyeing to direct. The project has echoes of "The History of Violence" and "No Country for Old Men," is a spec from first-time writer Brad Ingelsby, a twentysomething working as an insurance salesman in Pennsylvania.

Ingelsby had been working on the script in his spare time and has yet to step foot in Hollywood. But he has hit the spec jackpot, with the project selling for $650,000 against $1.1 million.

Set in Indiana in the mid-1980s, the movie centers on a man (DiCaprio) trying to assimilate into society after he's released from jail, only to find someone from his past pursuing him to settle a score. In addition to the pursuer, a third male character and a female love interest are said to figure prominently in the script.

The spec piqued bidders across town, including Warners and Sony, who stayed in the bidding for some time before Relativity came away the winner late Wednesday night. The movie is thought to have a prestige bent a la "No Country," and those familiar with the project say they could see it being distributed by a studio or a specialty division.

Relativity, which is financing and producing the project, could package and make the movie itself or try to set it up at a studio. Ryan Kavanaugh's outfit, one of a select few entities that could compete with studios on higher-profile projects like this, counts Jim Sheridan's "Brothers" and Steve Zahn-starrer "A Perfect Getaway" among its current projects.

"Dweller" will be produced by Scott's Scott Free Prods. and DiCaprio's Appian Way as well as Ingelsby manager Brooklyn Weaver. Michael Ireland at Appian Way brought the project to the shingle.

The movie would be the second for DiCaprio and Scott. They just wrapped the geopolitical thriller "Body of Lies" for Warners. DiCaprio next reteams with another A-list director when he begins shooting Martin Scorsese's period thriller "Shutter Island" this spring. Scott is prepping "Nottingham," the Robin Hood romance with Imagine/Universal.

The project is one of the first big spec sales after the writers strike, though given Ingelsby's frosh status, he wouldn't have been affected by the labor stoppage.

Scott and Ingelsby are repped by WMA; DiCaprio is repped by the Firm.

[AWA]

Woody Allen's latest is now filming in locations in Queens, NY. It is a comedy (in colour) starring Larry David, Woody, Evan Rachel Wood, Emma Thompson and now:

Cavill joins Allen film
By Leslie Simmons

March 21, 2008

Henry Cavill has joined the cast of Woody Allen's untitled romantic comedy, which has started production in Queens.

Cavill, known for his role as Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk, on Showtime's "The Tudors," plays a man who is set up with Evan Rachel Wood's character by her mother. Larry David also stars as Wood's love interest.

The script, penned by Allen, is being kept under wraps. Allen also is co-starring and directing the Wild Bunch-funded film. His sister, Letty Aronson, and Stephen Tenenbaum are producing.

Cavill's film credits include "Stardust," "Tristan & Isolde" and "The Count of Monte Cristo."

The second season of "Tudors" begins March 30 on Showtime.

He is repped by WMA in the U.S. and United Agents in the U.K.

[Antoine Doinel]

Martin Scorsese is working on a documentary about Bob Marley and is causing some trouble for his old pals the Weinsteins.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

From the Hollywood Reporter:

Elizabeth Banks joins 'W' as Laura Bush
By Borys Kit. March 25, 2008

Elizabeth Banks is going from the world of adult films to the White House.

The actress, who recently wrapped shooting Kevin Smith's "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," is in final negotiations to portray Laura Bush in "W," Oliver Stone's biopic on the life and presidency of George W. Bush.

Josh Brolin already is on board to play Bush in the biopic, which begins shooting in late April in Shreveport, La.

Stone wrote the screenplay with his "Wall Street" co-writer Stanley Weiser.

Moritz Borman, who worked with Stone on "World Trade Center" and "Alexander," is producing, as is Jon Kilik.

[Barmy]

Madonna is remaking Casablanca =D> =P~

[colinr0380]

Very short teaser for Barbet Schroeder's latest film Inju, an Edogawa Rampo adaptation with Benoît Magimel (The Piano Teacher) and Ryo Ishibashi (Audition)

[Cold Bishop]

Werner Herzog set for 'Piano Tuner'
By Gregg Goldstein and Borys Kit

April 3, 2008

Werner Herzog will write and direct "The Piano Tuner," a lush Victorian-era drama about a Brit's journey to war-torn Burma, for Focus Features. Mandalay Independent Pictures' Cathy Schulman is a producer on the project.

Based on Daniel Mason's 2002 debut novel, the story centers on Edgar Drake, a man sent to a remote village in the late 1800s to repair an eccentric military man's piano. Drake falls in love with a Burmese woman and her country, but as the officer wins over locals through music and medicine, things grow treacherous when his troops begin to suspect him of treason.

"Tuner" is right up the intense helmer's alley. Herzog has directed several films about men venturing into exotic locales ("Rescue Dawn," "Grizzly Man," "Fitzcarraldo"), but this will be his biggest English-language costume drama in more than four decades as a filmmaker.

The original screen adaptation by Peter Buchman is being rewritten by Herzog. Focus Features executives John Lyons and Kahli Small will oversee the project for the studio.

Mason sold "Tuner" and another novel to Knopf in 2001 for $1.2 million. Schulman optioned the novel with her fellow Bull's Eye Entertainment principals Bob Yari and Tom Nunan in 2003, shortly before their bitter separation. Other producers might be added in the coming months as preproduction ramps up.

Herzog is repped by Gersh.

[colinr0380]

From the Cinerama blog Inhabited Island, the second film from Fyodor Bondarchuk, based on a novel by the writers of the story Stalker was based on.

I have not yet seen the director's first film 9th Company - has anyone here seen it yet and what did they think?

[miless]

From the Cinerama blog Inhabited Island, the second film from Fyodor Bondarchuk, based on a novel by the writers of the story Stalker was based on.

That teaser makes it clear that this film will have more in common with Night-Watch than Stalker (which is pretty much expected).

[King Prendergast]

I hope this means that Ridley has passed Blood Meridian to someone a little... um, better.

Jesus, let's hope so. I'm so sick of Ridley Scott and his ego. Should've retired after bladerunner.

[Antoine Doinel]

Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden of Half Nelson and Sugar fame are working on an adaptation of Special Topics In Calamity Physics. I read this over the past year and it is a whirling dervish of a novel that runs into many different tangents, while at the core is murder mystery. It will be interesting to see what they do with a novel that packed with seemingly innocuous information.

[dadaistnun]

From Variety:

'Antichrist' to shoot in Germany
Von Trier secures regional funding for pic
By Ed Meza

BERLIN — Lars von Trier is set to start shooting his next film, "Antichrist," in Germany this summer after securing financial backing in the country.

Von Trier will shoot the drama in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Pic marks the first time the Danish director has filmed in Germany.

"Antichrist" follows a couple who retreat to a lonely cabin in the woods in an effort to recover from the death of their child but are soon confronted by strange goings on.

Von Trier’s Zentropa Entertainments and Bettina Brokemper of Zentropa Intl. in Cologne are producing, along with France’s Liberator2/Slot Machine and Italy’s Lucky Red.

North Rhine-Westphalia’s regional subsidy org Filmstiftung NRW is backing the pic to the tune of Euro 900,000 ($1.4 million).

MFA+ Filmdistribution will release “Antichrist” in Germany, while TrustNordisk is handling international sales

[Fletch F. Fletch]

From Latino Review:

While I wait with baited breath for Hellboy II (liked the first one except for all that ooey-goeey love stuff) this little item caught my eye on the Hellboy II message boards.

What could be good over there? Well howzabout Guillermo Del Toro himself showing up to talk to us about The Hobbit. That's right peeps - LOTR prequel and there is some good news comin'.

Say Del Toro, "Whew- Not yet. BUT there has been a lot of movement. And for the last few weeks there has been a lot of creative / cast / crew / visual talks and agreements and we have witnessed great progress in areas that I cannot disclose or that have already leaked from other sources.

I am dying to share news but I have to be patient and wait until the papers are done and my attachment is real. Nevertheless- a LOT of progress in defining the films, their cast and crew. And, may I add, we are all happily in synch about all creative aspects so far and all willing and eager to move forth.

I cannot say more but if all´s well the time will come To talk of many things: Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing wax -- Of cabbages -- and kings --"

2 new pics from Benicio Del Toro's Wolf Man film.

[Antoine Doinel]

According to details here Johnnie To will be shooting an English language remake of Le Cercle Rouge this summer in Hong Kong with Chow Yun-Fat, Liam Neeson and Orlando Bloom.

[miless]

According to details here Johnnie To will be shooting an English language remake of Le Cercle Rouge this summer in Hong Kong with Chow Yun-Fat, Liam Neeson and Orlando Bloom.

well, at least it's not being remade by John Woo.

[Antoine Doinel]

According to details here Johnnie To will be shooting an English language remake of Le Cercle Rouge this summer in Hong Kong with Chow Yun-Fat, Liam Neeson and Orlando Bloom.

well, at least it's not being remade by John Woo.

Agreed. While I don't think they should remake this at all, Johnnie To's involvement hopefully means it will be watchable (though Chow Yun-Fat acting in English has never been convincing).

The Seven Samurai remake begins filming this fall with a 2009 release date scheduled.

[MuzikJunky]

What if Chico Ejiro filmed backgammon, the result would be in need of an Eclipse boxset!

Well, if Mr. Prolific did direct it, the budget would be all of US$5,000 and shot in three days! Peace.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Frank Miller plans to direct an adaptation of his own comic book, Hard Boiled.

[Murdoch]

I hope this means that Ridley has passed Blood Meridian to someone a little... um, better.

Jesus, let's hope so. I'm so sick of Ridley Scott and his ego. Should've retired after bladerunner.

I would really like to see Malick tackle a McCarthy novel, I think another version of All the Pretty Horses would be ideal.

[flyonthewall2983]

It's official.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

It's official.

About time! Scary to think that Del Toro has to block off four years of his life for these films. Yowza.