Tag: MGM
James Franco in Talks for THE GAME
The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pick-up Artists aka The Game chronicles investigative reporter Neil Strauss’ journey and encounters in the seduction community. James Franco, an actor-author-writer-director-unsatisfied Oscar host-student-man could also be a pick-up artists’ guru.
MGM Hires Oppenheim for WAR GAMES Remake
The suspense/science-fiction classic notable for inventing the term ‘firewall’ in reference to computer network security is going to be remade — MGM has hired Noah Oppenheim to write the script for War Games reboot, with Horrible Bosses helmer Seth Gordon previously attached to direct.
MGM & Universal to Remake Child’s Play Franchise
Don Mancini, the writer of all the preceding Chucky movies, has written the script, which had been delayed so far due to rights matters now resolved between MGM and Universal.
The remake had been in development for quite a few years, with a script already written by Don Mancini, who also wrote all the prior sequels in the Chucky franchise. MGM has the rights to the 1988 killer-doll horror flick Child’s Play, whilst Universal held rights to the latter sequels. It seems that a decision has been made between the two studios.
For those unacquainted with the Child’s Play franchise, the stories were about a doll named Chucky (voiced by Brad Dourif) who was obsessed by the evil spirit of a serial killer. The red-headed rogue would return for four sequels, Part II, Part III, Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky.
MGM picks up ‘Adventures in the Land of Zametherea’
Continuing its buying streak, MGM has pre-emptively picked up a high-concept fantasy comedy spec script from Peter Speakman and Michael M.B. Galvin that might be up for the longest title of the year award: “Executive VP, David M. Murch’s Adventures in the Land of Zametherea.”Rick Alexander, Rick Benattar and Jim Wedaa are producing.
The story centers on a boy who has the ability to travel to a magical land, but after coming home and telling his parents about his adventures, they have him committed. The boy grows into a coldhearted executive, then gets the call to return to the magical land. The man must get help from his estranged son to save the land.
Cale Boyter is overseeing for MGM.
The script went out Wednesday morning and sold by mid-afternoon. The deal was $850,000 against $1.35 million.
Guillermo Del Toro Is directing ‘The Hobbit’!
The news that everyone was betting their One Rings on has finally been confirmed yesterday after Variety have reported that Guillermo Del Toro will be directing ‘The Hobbit‘.
The announcement was made by the original master of Middle Earth, producer Peter Jackson, co-producer Fran Walsh, New Line President, Toby Emmerich and recently titled chief of MGM‘s Worldwide Motion Picture Group, Mary Parent.
MGM Buys Ludlum’s ‘The Matarese Circle’ for $3 million
With an eye on the success of the Bourne spy franchise, MGM has snapped up movie rights to another Robert Ludlum thriller.
In its first major material deal made since Mary Parent took over as head of MGM’s worldwide motion picture group, the studio ponied up for “The Matarese Circle,” a 1979 book by Robert Ludlum.
The book sold for $3 million, with another seven-figures to be paid to screenwriters Michael Brandt and Derek Haas according to Variety.
Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity Media will co-finance the film, and Denzel Washington is attached to star.
Like many books by the late Ludlum, “The Matarese Circle” is set during the Cold War. The book pairs rival spies, one from the CIA and the other from the KGB, who bury the hatchet for the moment because only they possess the smarts and killing abilities to go up against an international circle of criminals called the Matarese. Insiders said the Cold War tensions will be dropped and the storyline contemporized.
