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Projects Announced
Marty! Leo! Money Laundering! Count Us A 100% Behind This Project! Martin Scorsese is set to team up with his current male muse, Leonardo DiCaprio, on “The Wolf of Wall Street.” The film is based on the memoir by Jordan Belfort, a former stock broker who wrote about his successes, hard partying and eventual conviction for security fraud and money laundering. http://news.moviefone.com/2012/03/15/the-wolf-of-wall-street-martin-scorsese-leo-dicaprio_n_1347887.html?ref=moviefone
He Writes ‘em And Hollywood Adapts ‘em: Nicholas Sparks’ “The Best Of Me” Headed To The Big Screen Warner Bros. has hired J. Mills Goodloe to adapt Nicholas Sparks’ “The Best Of Me.” the story centers on two former high school sweethearts, from opposite sides of the track, who after 25 years, are brought back to their hometown of Oriental, North Carolina (note to the studio: change that) for the funeral of a local mentor. Will they rekindle that flame once again? Can they find the passion in each other they don’t have in their lives? Why are we even asking? http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/yet-another-nicholas-sparks-book-headed-to-the-big-screen-this-time-its-the-best-of-me
Zoe Saldaña And Megan Fox’s Desire To Work Together (Really?) Spawns A Film Paramount Pictures has acquired the action-heist spec script developed by Moneyball producer Michael De Luca, titled Swindle, for Zoe Saldana and Megan Fox to star in and co-produce. No word on what exactly the film’s plot will be, but apparently it was a hot property before Paramount picked it up, as both Universal was also on the chased to acquire it. http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/zoe-saldana-megan-fox-team-up-to-produce-star-in-action-heist-project-called-swindle Project Updates
Careful Out There! Hugh Jackman Is Taking “Prisoners” Hugh Jackman is set to star in “Prisoners,” a thriller produced by Alcon Entertainment, that company’s co-founders and co-CEOs said Thursday. Jackman stars as Keller, a small-town carpenter who heads to the big city to find his young daughter and best friend, who have been kidnapped. But he butts heads with the detective assigned to the case.
http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/hugh-jackman-star-prisoners-alcon-36289 Sean Penn Might Be In Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Counterfeit Movie (Possibly) Circa last summer, Sean Penn was one of the actors (along with Leonardo DiCaprio) that were interested and circling an Alejandro González Iñárritu project called, “The Revenant.” Unfortunately, it never came to pass and just last week, we heard news that the Mexican helmer was instead chasing a new project which was an adaptation of Jennifer Vogel’s memoir “Flim-Flam Man: The True Story Of My Father’s Counterfeit Life,” that New Regency were backing. Penn and DiCaprio could have starred in “The Revenant” this summer, but Penn was more smitten with “Flim-Flam Man.” The story of a real-life bank robber, arsonist, fraudster, addict, $20 million counterfeiter and all around swindler is apparently the role Penn wants and we assume Iñárritu would be more than happy to work with the talented actor again. http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/sean-penn-may-join-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritus-film-flam-man-possibly-retitled-red-flag#
In Another Sparks Related News, Keira Knightley Plans To Star In “Safe Heaven” Keira Knightley is in early talks to take the lead in Nicholas Spark’s “Safe Heaven.” The story follows a young North Carolina woman who is determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships. As she begins to fall in love, she struggles with a dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her. http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/keira-knightley-may-take-safe-haven-in-nicholas-sparks-adaptation-from-lasse-hallstrom Oh! There You Are Halle Berry... Starring In “The Hive”
You might recall that back in October, director Joel Schumacher was quoted as saying that he wanted Halle Berry for his next project, which was this one, “The Hive,” although no deals were in place at the time, and shooting was supposed to begin in February. Fast-forward to today, as it’s being reported that Halle is indeed attached to star in the thriller, although this time with a different director helming the project – Brad Anderson. Rich D’Ovidio penned the script, which is based on an original story by Rich, Nicole D’Ovidio, Jon Bokencamp. http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/halle-berry-officially-attached-to-star-in-thriller-the-hive-project-gets-new-director-start-date
Vivica Fox To Star In “It’s Not You, It’s Me”
Vivica Fox is slated to co-star in an original romance comedy titled “It’s Not You, It’s Me” that starts filming in Los Angeles in a few weeks. Joelle Carter and Ross McCall also star in the flick. The film tells the story of a thirty-something guy who’s commitment phobic and breaks up with the love of his life because of “conflicting advice from his outrageous, inner voice.” Nathan Ives, the screenwriter of the project, will also direct. http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/vivica-fox-co-starring-in-indie-romcom-its-not-you-its-me#
Brad Pitt Still Considering A Role In “The Counselor” Though he’s cropped up in reports about the film, most expected that the usually selective, tough to schedule Brad Pitt wouldn’t be taking a role in Ridley Scott’s “The Counselor.” But it seems the superstar is still taking a hard look, and may be reteaming with the man who gave him his breakout turn in “Thelma & Louise.” According to reports, Pitt has met with Scott to discuss taking the role of Westray in the film. Set mostly in the border country where Cormac McCarthy’s stories often take place, the screenplay follows the titular character – an attorney, whose name we never learn – who is in search of a big payday after he proposes to his girlfriend, Laura. So he hooks up with Reiner, an acquaintance with deep criminal ties, for a new business proposition: they’ll take $20 million worth of cocaine from south of the border and offload it themselves, aided by the no-good Westray. http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/brad-pitt-still-in-the-mix-for-ridley-scotts-the-counselor-eyeing-the-role-of-westray
Chris Pine’s “Welcome To People” Gets A More Generic Title
Disney and DreamWorks have decided that “People Like Us” is a more befitting name for Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks’ upcoming summer drama-comedy. The film, also starring Olivia Wilde and Michelle Pfeiffer, was previously titled “Welcome to People.” Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci–the powerhouse writing and producing duo behind such hits as “Star Trek”–penned “People Like Us” with Jody Lambert.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chris-pines-elizabeth-banks-alex-kurtzman-welcome-people-300817 Gavin O’ Connor To Helm Sony’s “Neverland”
Hot off the mixed martial arts drama “Warrior,” director Gavin O’Connor is in talks to take on Sony’s Peter Pan project “Neverland.” The studio confirms that O’Connor is the choice to direct the project that has Channing Tatum attached to play the lead. Billy Ray wrote the script for producer Joe Roth. Plot details are not known but Neverland, which was originally titled Pan, is said to be an origin story for the J.M. Barrie character, an immortal boy. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warrior-director-gavin-oconnor-takes-300822 Owen, Crudup And Kunis Have Some “Blood Ties” “Tell No One” actor-director Guillaume Canet is stepping back behind the camera for his latest film, ‘70s-set crime thriller “Blood Ties.” But even though he already had Marion Cotillard on board to star (who also happens to be Mrs Guillaume Canet), he’s had some trouble locking in the rest of his leads. All that has since changed as Clive Owen, Mila Kunis and Billy Crudup are now in place. Canet adapted the screenplay from French novel “Les liens du sang,” working alongside “We Own The Night” writer-director James Gray. http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=33423 “Paranormal Activity 4″ Has A Writer Zack Estrin has closed a deal to write “Paranormal Activity 4″ for Paramount. Estrin has a strong relationship with the filmmakers behind the lucrative “Paranormal” franchise: He is a writer/executive producer on ABC’s “The River,” which also is executive produced by “Paranormal” producer Jason Blum and the horror franchise’s creator, Oren Peli. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/paranormal-activity-4-river-zack-estrin-300716
Nathan Fillion Has Been Cast As Hermes In “Percy Jackson” Sequel You may already of Joss Whedon veteran Nathan Fillion and his status as a pop culture god. He’s scored a new film role, signing up to play an actual god, Hermes, in “Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Sea Of Monsters.” This sequel to Chris Columbus’ adaptation of “The Lightning Thief” finds Percy, the son of Poseidon, going all Jason (as in “And The Argonauts”, not Voorhees) in search of the Golden Fleece and to rescue best pal / satyr Grover from the clutches of Kronos’ minions. http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=33421 Death Is Only The Beginning For Danny Trejo Mickey Rourke once tangled with the Devil in “Angel Heart.” This year, however, he’s getting the chance to be Satan in Roel Reine’s new “Grindhouse” flavoured action adventure “Dead In Tombstone,” which sees him appearing alongside Danny Trejo and Anthony Michael Hall. “Tombstone” finds Trejo as Guerrero Hernandez, the leader of the fearsome Blackwater* gang of outlaws. He hatches a plan to break his half brother Red out of the slammer and takes him along on a looting spree in the mining town of Edendale. Trouble is, Red double- crosses him and Guerrero ends up dead. But such a little thing as mortality rarely stops a Danny Trejo character and, after doing a deal with the devil, he rises from the dead a year later and unleashes bloody revenge across the town of Tombstone. http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=33418
“Glee” Gives Puck A Father And He’s None Other Than Dr. Michael Mancini “Glee” is adding a former “Melrose Place” psycho to its ranks. The Fox series has enlisted the former Dr. Michael Mancini, Thomas Calabro, for a guest turn as Puck’s estranged father. Calabro will play Puck’s estranged father in the 18th episode of the season, slated to air in April. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/glee-melrose-place-thomas-calabro-mark-salling-puck-father-300784
Pilot Season “Smallville” Producers Want To Uncover The Mystery Behind The Bermuda Triangle Universal is hoping to shed some light on the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle, picking up a pitch with superpowered scribe team Alfred Gough and Miles Millar on board to write. Scott Stuber, who produced Universal’s hit Safe House and also is behind the studio’s summer tentpole Battleship, is attached to produce. No details are being revealed other than it is an original idea from Stuber centered on the infamous Caribbean area traditionally cornered by the Florida Straits, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. The area has been home to a several unusual disappearances attributed to supernatural or alien origins. Gough and Millar will now write the script. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/bermuda-triangle-movie-universal-smallville-300779
Sebastian Stan Gets Political For USA “Gossip Girl”’s Sebastian Stan has joined USA’s “Political Animals.” The actor closed a deal to co-star in the net’s six-hour political drama series from executive producers Greg Berlanti and Laurence Mark. Set for a summer launch, “Animals” centers on Elaine Barrish, a divorced former first lady and current secretary of state, who is struggling to keep her family together while simultaneously dealing with the crises of the State Department. She finds an unlikely ally in a famous D.C. journalist who has spent her career tearing Elaine down. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gossip-girl-sebastian-stan-usa-political-animals-300666 Acquisitions/Film Festivals
What The US Needs In Samuel Goldwyn Films’ Mind: “Cowboys ‘N Angels”
Samuel Goldwyn Films has announced that it will be releasing Timothy Armstrong’s family film “Cowboys ‘N Angels,” which will star legendary actor James Cromwell, Bailee Madison, Alicia Witt, and “Breaking Dawn Part 2.” The film will be released on Memorial Day weekend, May 25, in the U.S. Fox will handle the film internationally.
http://www.indiewire.com/article/samuel-goldwyn-will-bring-cowgirls-n-angels-to-the-u-s-this-memorial-day Indomina Takes “Filly Brown” All Over The Word Indomina has acquired worldwide rides to Youssef Delara and Michael D. Olmos’s “Filly Brown,” it was announced today. Starring Gina Rodriguez, Jenni Rivera, Lou Diamond Phillips, Edward James Olmos, the film debuted in competition at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Indomina is planning a theatrical release in the Fall of 2012. http://www.indiewire.com/article/sundances-filly-brown-heads-to-indomina Business/Legal News
Sony Pictures Teams Up With Fluent Entertainment To Speak Your Local-Language Sony Pictures and Fluent Entertainment have entered into a three-year, first-look agreement for the studio to distribute local-language films. The movies would be produced by local producers in collaboration with Fluent, the partners said Thursday. The two companies portrayed the pact as an opportunity for Sony to leverage its filmmaking know-how and distribution network while capitalizing on Fluent’s knowledge of local markets and production partners. http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/sony-pictures-partners-fluent-entertainment-local-language-productions-36285
Ralph Macchio Gets A Gig In “Happily Divorced” TV Land is looking to an ’80s heartthrob to romance Fran Drescher on “Happily Divorced.” Former “Karate Kid” star Ralph Macchio has been tapped to appear on the cable network’s Drescher vehicle. Macchio’s character is described as a nice guy from “the old neighborhood” who runs his father’s old pizza joint. Macchio will first appear in a late-Season 2 episode as a suitor for Fran with the potential to recur in subsequent episdoes of the comedy. His arrival will create a potential love triangle when factoring in her on-again-off-again relationship with her ex-boyfriend (played by D.W. Moffett). http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/ralph-macchio-romance-fran-drescher-300800 When "Suits" Returns To USA, Harvey Specter Is Gonna Be Busy Harvey Specter is going to have his hands full when the second season of USA Network’s “Suits” returns. Eric Close is set to reprise his role as Boston lawyer Travis Tanner, whom viewers met in the first season of the series in the episode “Undefeated.” In the hour, Travis weened his way into a class action lawsuit with the desire to beat hotshot attorney Harvey. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/eric-close-suits-usa-network-300692
Don’t Get Confused. Fathom Events Is NOT Capitalizing On Whitney Huston’s Death, But Celebrating The 20th Anniversary Of “The Bodyguard”
“The Bodyguard” will return to theaters in a special one-night only presentation on March 28, Fathom Events said this week. The 1992 film and its anthem “I Will Always Love You” have re-emerged in prominence in the wake of its star Whitney Houston’s death last month. The re-release is not being billed as a posthumous tribute to the pop diva. Rather, Fathom is presenting it as an opportunity to celebrate the romantic drama’s twentieth anniversary. http://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/bodyguard-returning-theaters-20th-anniversary-36270 It Seems That “I Hate My Teenage Daughter” Is On Its Deathbed
“I Hate My Teenage Daughter” is as good as dead. Fox has canceled its plans to shift the critically-panned and low-rated freshman comedy about two moms and their teenage offspring. Instead of moving from Tuesday to Wednesdays in April, the comedy– which only had 3.6 million viewers tune into its most recent episode– has been shelved until the summer. Two-hour episodes of “American Idol” will make up Wednesdays instead of the previously announced 90-minute installments. A Fox representative confirmed the scheduling change.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/15/i-hate-my-teenage-daughter_n_1348548.html?ref=tv
The Multi-Talented Idris Elba Will Play Two Characters, Exec Produce And Write The Miniseries “Ascension”
On the heels of the immense commercial and critical success of Luther, Idris Elba has set up a new TV project – an adventure/thriller minio-series titled “Ascension.” Elba has teamed with producer Vivek J. Tiwary and writer Warren Ellis for the new series which revolves around “the history and future of astronomy and mankind’s impulse for the stars.” The story is based on an original idea by Tiwary and his wife, Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary. Elba, who will also act as exec producer, will play two leads in the project – the Egyptian polymath Imhotep in 3000 B.C., and a brilliant astronomer in the near future. Ellis is writing the script for “Ascension,” which is currently being shopped to British TV networks; I’d imagine, given Idris’ success with Luther for the BBC, Ascension should get lots of looks across the pond. http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/idris-elba-will-play-imhotep-brilliant-astronomer-in-new-adventure-tv-miniseries-ascension Technology/Multi-Platform Content
BBC Finally Implements A Digital Download Program For Its TV Shows Welcome to the 21st century BBC! Announced this morning… the BBC has confirmed plans for what they’re calling “an iTunes-style download service” that will allow audiences to purchase BBC programs minutes after they’ve aired on TV. Called Project Barcelona, the initiative would allow audience to buy a digital copy of a show at “a relatively modest charge,” says the Guardian; early speculation is that the “modest charge” will run around £1.89 (or about $3, which is just about what iTunes charges per episode for most TV shows it carries in HD), and then you can watch whatever you want, wherever, and whenever (well, almost). http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/bbc-announces-itunes-style-pay-download-service-for-all-its-programs TED Takes Its Talks To Netflix
Netflix has made another move in its quest to reinvent itself. The streaming video service announced on Thursday that it would package an assortment of TED Talks – lectures and panels from celebrities and experts – into 14 themed shows, available to view immediately. They will select more talks and themes going forward. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/netflix-stream-selected-ted-talks-300732 Around The Web
All Actors Wish They Had The Same Problems That Jennifer Lawrence Has — THR
Go Back To High School With These 23 Good Movies — IndieWire
What Does This "John Carter" Business Means For Disney? — THR
Website to Watch
http://www.osmosisapps.com/ On a never-ending quest to find a quality iPhone app for G-chat? We may have a winner: this app, from Osmosis Apps. Available on all iOS devices, the apps provide you a slick, easy-to-use and visually pleasing interface. The best feature is actually a really simple one: the choice of whether you want the app to sign you off when you minimize it on your device. Other free apps with great visual aesthetics have been very unreliable in this regard. This one allows one to stay connected to friends and multi-task without a hassle. Other features include the ability to re-size fonts, message notifications, color themes, voice-over support and seriously, a really nice visual design (online friends appear with their own pictures in a grid-like set-up similar to the iPhone’s home screen). Tap to Chat is also available for Facebook Chat; will be coming soon for AIM and MSN Messenger, and has premium versions for $1.99. Additional Source:
www.cynopsis.com
Catherine Clinch’s Media Grazing
Screenwriting In America, Part 2 Back in the 90’s, somebody in Hollywood had a bad day and turned it into an interesting idea. Tired of sitting around with other writers lamenting that the gatekeepers wouldn’t know a brilliant screenplay if it fell in their lap, they decided to conduct an admittedly unscientific experiment using the screenplay of “Casablanca” (Written by Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch). They retyped the script exactly as written and made only one change. They used the title of the name of the play the screenplay had been based on and attributed the screenplay to the play’s authors: “Everybody Comes To Rick’s” Written by Murray Burnett & Joan Alison. They submitted the screenplay to every agent, producer and studio in town. Surprisingly, everybody passed on it. At this point, it might be interesting to note that in his introduction to the 2-DVD set, Roger Ebert said that “Casablanca” is probably on more lists of the greatest films of all time than any single title, including “Citizen Kane.” Be that as it may, not a single buyer stepped forward to even ask for a meet and greet with the writers. Later, when called on it, a number of agents and executives said they passed on it because they knew it was Casablanca. Not. If the conventional wisdom decides that anyone can read a few books and write a box office blockbuster, then the real story artists have been completely devalued by counterfeit goods, so to speak. The screenplay is the foundation upon which everything else in the film industry is built. Would you rather have the foundation of your house in the hills built by someone who has years of experience building foundations and observing how they hold up – or by someone who has read a lot of books about how to build a foundation? If agents or executives let an intern reader pass on a script because “the writer didn’t follow the rules” they risk losing out on the next Aaron Sorkin, the next Shane Black, the next John Hughes or the next currently unknown genius who is getting ready to burst onto the scene with the same kind of creative impact. Catherine@nuclearfamilyfilms.com | 
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