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A Dog’s Purpose
8/17/2015
Logline: A canine’s quest to discover his purpose in the world over the course of several lifetimes with multiple owners.
Studio/Distributor(s): DreamWorks Studios
Production Company(s): Walden Media, Pariah, Mark Sourian Productions
Director(s): Lasse Hallstrom
Executive Producer(s): Mark Sourian, Alan C. Blomquist
Producer(s): Gavin Polone
Cast: Britt Robertson, Dennis Quaid, K.J. Apa, Juliet Rylance, Peggy Lipton
Writer(s): Audrey Wells, Keith Bunin, W Bruce Cameron, Cathryn Michon
Details: Based on the novel “A Dog’s Purpose” written by W. Bruce Cameron and published by Forge Books on July 6, 2010.
SSN Insight: Lasse Hallstrom is also attached to direct Tom’s Dad starring Will Ferrell in active development along with Boy 21 in active development at Catch and Release Films.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Part One)
8/17/2015
Logline: In New York, seventy years before Harry Potter’s birth, an ambitious magiczoologist named Newton Artemis Fido Scamander, aka Newt, is commissioned to write a reference guide to magical beasts, which would eventually become a definitive Hogwart’s textbook studied by Harry, Hermione, and Weasley.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Company(s): Heyday Films, Wigram Productions, Bronte Film and Television
Director(s): David Yates
Producer(s): J.K. Rowling, David Heyman, Steve Kloves, Lionel Wigram
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Alison Sudol, Samantha Morton
Writer(s): J.K. Rowling
Details: Based on the novel “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” by J.K. Rowling; published by Arthur A. Levine June 2001 .
SSN Insight: Project is the first in a trilogy. Alfonso Cuaron had previously been mentioned to direct.
Mother’s Day
8/18/2015
Logline: The stories of several mothers intertwine during the day leading up to the Mother’s Day holiday.
Studio/Distributor(s): Open Road Films
Production Company(s): PalmStar Entertainment, Gulfstream Pictures
Director(s): Garry Marshall
Executive Producer(s): Mark Benton Johnson, Ankur Rungta, Heather Hall
Producer(s): Wayne Rice, Mike Karz, Kevin Scott Frakes
Cast: Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Jason Sudeikis
Writer(s): Anya Kochoff, Lily Hollander
SSN Insight: Film marks a re-team for Roberts and Marshall, who previously worked together on hit Pretty Woman.
Running Wild
8/17/2015
Logline: A widow works with convicts to rehabilitate a herd of wild horses that wandered on to her ranch.
Production Company(s): ESX Entertainment
Director(s): Alex Ranarivelo
Producer(s): Ali Afshar, Forrest Lucas
Cast: Sharon Stone
Writer(s): Brian Rudnick, Christina Moore
SSN Insight: New studio ESX’s film slate includes social issue drama The Wrong Side Of Right with Lea Thompson, coming-of-age story The Wizard starring Jon Voight and Afshar’s Born To Race franchise which includes a TV series.
The Lost City of Z
8/17/2015
Logline: The true story of British explorer Col. Percy Harrison Fawcett, who disappeared in 1925 while searching for a mysterious city in the Amazon.
Production Company(s): Keep Your Head Productions, Plan B Entertainment, MadRiver Pictures
Director(s): James Gray
Executive Producer(s): Marc Butan, Julie May, Glenn P Murray
Producer(s): Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Anthony Katagas, Dale Armin Johnson
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Tom Holland
Writer(s): James Gray
Details: Based on the book “Lost City of Z” written by David Grann; published by Doubleday in February 2009. The book is an expansion of an article, written by Grann, that appeared in The New Yorker magazine in September 2005.
SSN Insight: Project previously set up at Paramount Pictures. Brad Pitt previously attached to star.
The Sense of an Ending
8/16/2015
Logline: A man’s comfortable world is rocked by the discovery of a letter from his youth.
Production Company(s): Origin Pictures
Director(s): Ritesh Batra
Executive Producer(s): Christine Langan, Ed Wethered, Ben Browning, Glen Basner, Norman Merry
Producer(s): David M. Thompson, Ed Rubin
Cast: Jim Broadbent, Charlotte Rampling, Harriet Walter, Michelle Dockery, Emily Mortimer
Writer(s): Nick Payne
Details: Based on the novel “The Sense of an Ending” by Julian Barnes; published by Jonathan Cape in 2011.
SSN Insight: Ritesh Batra previously wrote and directed the film The Lunchbox released by Sony Pictures Classics in the U.S. in 2013.
Unforgettable
8/17/2015
Logline: A woman settling into a new marriage and life as a mom must contend with her husband’s ex, who is seemingly trying to gaslight her.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Company(s): Di Novi Pictures
Director(s): Denise Di Novi
Executive Producer(s): No Executive Producer Available.
Producer(s): Denise Di Novi, Alison Greenspan
Cast: Katherine Heigl, Rosario Dawson
Writer(s): Christina Hodson
SSN Insight: Kerry Washington and Kate Hudson were previously attached to co-star. Amma Asante was previously attached to direct. Feature directorial debut for noted producer Denise Di Novi.
Untitled (Woody Allen 2015 Feature Film)
8/17/2015
Logline: Logline under wraps.
Production Company(s): Gravier Productions
Director(s): Woody Allen
Executive Producer(s): Ronald L. Chez, Adam B. Stern, Allan Teh
Producer(s): Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum, Edward Walson
Cast: Jeannie Berlin, Jesse Eisenberg, Parker Posey, Kristen Stewart, Blake Lively
Writer(s): Woody Allen
SSN Insight: Jesse Eisenberg can currently be seen in American Ultra. His next films include Batman v Superman for WB and Louder Than Bombs for The Orchard and Now You See Me 2. He’s also attached to Midnight Sun in active development.
WRAPS
47 Meters Down
8/15/2015
Logline: Two sisters are trapped in an observation cage at the bottom of the ocean, with oxygen running low and sharks circling.
Studio/Distributor(s): Dimension Films
Production Company(s): The Tea Shop & Film Company
Director(s): Johannes Roberts
Producer(s): Mark Lane, James Harris
Cast: Claire Holt, Mandy Moore, Vanessa Kirby, Matthew Modine
Writer(s): Johannes Roberts, Ernest Riera
SSN Insight: Johannes Roberts also wrote and directed the horror Fox International Productions film The Other Side of the Door awaiting release. Altitude Film Sales is handling worldwide sales.
Captain America: Civil War
8/21/2015
Logline: Following an international incident, Steve Rogers, aka Cap, goes head to head with Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, in a battle over the Superhero Registration Act, which governs that those with superhuman abilities must reveal themselves as such to the United States government and pledge to enforce law in conjunction with government agencies.
Studio/Distributor(s): Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Production Company(s): Marvel Entertainment
Director(s): Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
Producer(s): Kevin Feige, Nate Moore
Cast: Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Robert Downey Jr., Chadwick A Boseman, Daniel Brühl
Writer(s): Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Details: Based on the comic book character Captain America created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and first seen in “Captain America Comics #1″ published by Marvel in March 1941. The Marvel Comics character was previously adapted for the screen in “Captain America” (1990). This is the second sequel to “Captain America: First Avenger” (2011) directed by Joe Johnston.
SSN Insight: The Russo brothers are also on board to direct Avengers: Infinity War. The two-part movie will be released in 2018 and 2019, and will be scripted by Captain America movie writers Markus and McFeely.
Deepwater Horizon
8/20/2015
Logline: Based on the true events that occurred on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, the story chronicles the courage of those who worked on the Deepwater Horizon and the extreme moments of bravery and survival in the face of what would become one of the biggest man-made disasters in world history.
Studio/Distributor(s): Summit Entertainment
Production Company(s): Leverage Management, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Participant Media, Closest To The Hole Productions
Director(s): Peter Berg
Producer(s): Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian, Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, David Womark
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Gina Rodriguez, Dylan O’Brien, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich
Writer(s): J.C. Chandor, Matthew Michael Carnahan, Matthew Sand
Details: Based on the article “Deepwater Horizon’s Final Hour” written by David Barstow, David Rohde, and Stephanie Saul and published in the New York Times on December 25, 2010.
SSN Insight: Ric Roman Waugh previously in negotiations to direct. J.C. Chandor was previously attached to direct.
Neruda
8/18/2015
Logline: A portrait of the Nobel Prize-winning Latin American poet Pablo Neruda.
Production Company(s): Reborn Productions, Funny Balloons, Participant Media, Fabula Producciones , Setembro Cine, AZ Films
Director(s): Pablo Larraín
Executive Producer(s): Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King
Producer(s): Juan de Dios Larraín
Cast: Luis Gnecco, Gael Garcia Bernal, Mercedes Moran, Alfredo Castro, Jaime Vadell
Writer(s): Guillermo Calderon, Pablo Larraín
SSN Insight: Pablo Neruda was also depicted in the film Il Postino in 1994 about a postman who delivers mail to the famous poet.
Sleepless Night (Remake)
8/20/2015
Logline: In an effort to rescue his kidnapped son, an undercover cop ends up racing through a packed nightclub, dodging drug dealers and corrupt cops.
Studio/Distributor(s): Open Road Films
Production Company(s): Vertigo Entertainment, Chic Films
Director(s): Baran bo Odar
Executive Producer(s): Lauranne Bourrachot, Marco Cherqui, John Middleton, Tom Ortenberg, Peter Lawson
Producer(s): Roy Lee, Adam Stone
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan, Gabrielle Union, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Dermot Mulroney
Writer(s): Andrea Berloff, Dante W. Harper
Details: Remake of “Sleepless Night” (France/2011) directed by Frederic Jardin.
SSN Insight: Project was previously set up at Warner Bros.