Film Development For 3/6/14: Universal Sets Director For ‘The Birds’ Remake

NEW ATTACHMENTS

Prosthesis Logline: Storyline is under wraps. Studio/Distributor: Universal Pictures Production Companies: Gotham/Principal, 1^st Avenue Machine Producers:  Serge Patzak, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Eric Robinson, Peter McHugh (Executive Producer), Sam Penfield (Executive Producer) Writer:  Max Botkin (current draft), Scott Gimple (previous draft), Arvin Palep (story by) Director: Arvin Palep  SSN Insight: Universal acquired the project off Arvind Palep's 10-minute presentation, which combined VFX with storyboards and live-action footage. The Birds (Remake) Logline: When all of England's birds begin to mysteriously attack people without reason, a small town farmer and his wife struggle to protect their family. Studio/Distributor: Universal Pictures Production Companies:  Mandalay Pictures, Platinum Dunes Producers:  Michael Bay, Peter Guber, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller, Cathy Schulman Writer:  Jonathan Herman (current draft), Juliet Snowden (previous draft), Stiles White (previous draft), Scott Derrickson (previous draft), Paul Harris Boardman (previous draft), Peter Craig (previous draft), Leslie Dixon (previous draft) Director: Diederik van Rooijen Details: Based on the short story The Birds, from the novel The Birds and other Stories, written by Daphne du Maurier published by Penguin Books 1963. Is also the remake of  The Birds (USA/1963) directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Tippi Hedren and Rodney Taylor.  SSN Insight: Project marks director Diederik van Rooijen’s studio feature debut. The Deep Blue Goodbye Logline: Travis McGee, a free-living bachelor living on a house boat, attempts to track down a hidden treasure. Studio/Distributor: 20^th Century Fox Production Companies:  Appian Way, Chernin Entertainment Producers:  Amy Robinson, Peter Chernin, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson Killoran, Joseph Ruben Writer:  Dennis Lehane (current draft), Kario Salem (previous draft), Dane Stevens (previous draft), Andy Tennant (previous draft) Director: James Mangold Details: Based on the novel The Deep Blue Good-by,written by John MacDonald and published by Fawcett on June 12, 1978.  SSN Insight: Project is based on the first novel in a 21-book series, so has the potential for a franchise.

NEW PROJECTS

Winter’s Knight Logline: The film takes a new look at the origins of Christmas and Saint Nicholas, with some Viking mythology in the mix. Studio/Distributor: Columbia Pictures Production Companies: Grey Matter Productions, Marc Platt Productions Producers:  Lawrence Grey, Marc Platt Writers:  Jake Thornton, Ben Lustig Directors: Espen Sandberg, Joachim Rønning Details: Based on the children's book The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, by L. Frank Baum; published by Bowen Merrill April 12, 1902.  SSN Insight: This spec created a bidding battle between studios for the project due both to the concept and the fact that Rønning and Sandberg are attached to direct. Sony ultimately won the bidding war with a reported $1 Million, which marks the highest spec sale of the year so far. The Reformatory Logline: The story of a boys' reformatory school in Florida where children were routinely abused and killed by the staff is dramatized, focusing on three boys who lived there in the 1950s. Production Company:  Bee Holder Prodcutions Producer: Steven L. Jones Writer:  Keir Pearson Details: Based on a collection of true stories from survivors of the abuse. SSN Insight: This is based on a true story, but sounds more like the premise for a horror film. Writer Keir Pearson has previously written scripts for Hotel Rwanda and the upcoming Chavez. Hauptmann Logline: The film tells the true story of German private Willi Herold, who stole the uniform of a dead Luftwaffe captain and used his new authority to try to survive in the last days of WWII. Production Companies: FilmGalerie 451, Opus Film, Alfama Films Producers: Frieder Schlaich, Ewa Puszczynska, Paulo Branco Writer:  Robert Schwentke Director: Robert Schwentke Details: Based on the true story of Willi Herold. SSN Insight: This is the first German language film for Insurgent director Robert Schwentke since 2003’s The Family Jewels.