New Attachments
Baywatch
Logline: Story is based on the ’90’s worldwide hit TV show.
Studio/Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures
Production Company(s): The Montecito Picture Company, Contrafilm, Vinson Films, Flynn Picture Co., 7 Bucks Entertainment
Producer(s): Michelle Rogers Berk, Beau Flynn, Ali Bell, Tripp Vinson, Ivan Reitman
Writer(s): Damian Shannon, Mark Swift, Justin Malen, Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon
Director(s): Seth Gordon
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario
Details: Based on the NBC television show “Baywatch” (1989-2000) starring David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra and Yasmine Bleeth.
SSN Insight: Jeremy Garelick was previously attached to direct. Project was originally in development at Dreamworks, which paid seven figures for the film rights to the TV show. Alexandra Daddario will star as Summer.
Birth of the Dragon
Logline: In Oakland, California, 1965, before Bruce Lee became an actor, he fought an epic, career-defining, no-holds-barred battle with Wong Jack Man, China’s most famous Kung Fu Master, and the two fighters subsequently teamed up, with their shared skills and mutual respect, to take on the Hong Kong Triads, a notorious criminal organization that maintained an iron grip on San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Production Company(s): Magnolia Entertainment, Groundswell Productions, Kylin Pictures
Producer(s): Christopher Wilkinson, Stephen J Rivele, Michael London, Janice Williams, Pang Hong
Writer(s): Christopher Wilkinson, Stephen J Rivele
Director(s): George J. Nolfi
Cast: Billy Magnussen, Philip Ng, Xia Yu, Jinging Qu, Jin Xing
SSN Insight: Bill Block was previously attached to produce. Mike Moh was previously in talks to play Bruce Lee.
Death Note (Remake)
Logline: A high school student, after discovering a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone by writing the victim’s name, attempts to cleanse the world of evil by using the book.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures,
Production Company(s): Vertigo Entertainment, Witten Pictures, Lin Pictures, VIZ Productions, Mobius Productions
Producer(s): Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Jason Hoffs, Masi Oka
Writer(s): Jeremy Slater, Anthony Bagarozzi, Charles Mondry, Shane Black, Charles Parlapanides
Director(s): Adam Wingard
Cast: Nat Wolff, Margaret Qualley (in negotiations)
Details: Based on the manga series “Death Note” created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata and published by Shueisha in the magazine Weekly Shonen Jump from December 2003 to May 2006.
SSN Insight: Shane Black was previously attached to direct.
Diablo
Logline: About a young Civil War veteran, Jackson, who wakes up to find his wife kidnapped by ruthless bandits. With killers around every corner, the lines begin to blur between who the good and the bad are — including Jackson.
Studio/Distributor(s): Momentum Pictures, Orion Releasing
Producer(s): Lawrence Roeck, Carlos de los rios, Shana D. Wilson
Writer(s): Lawrence Roeck, Carlos de los rios
Director(s): Lawrence Roeck
Cast: Scott Eastwood, Walton Goggins, Danny Glover, Camilla Belle, Adam Beach
SSN Insight: It will be released on January 8 in theaters and on Premium VOD.
Free Fire
Logline: In 1978, an arms deal in Boston goes terribly wrong.
Studio/Distributor(s): Alchemy
Production Company(s): Rook Films
Producer(s): Andy Starke, Ben Wheatley
Writer(s): Ben Wheatley, Amy Jump
Director(s): Ben Wheatley
Cast: Armie Hammer, Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, Michael Smiley, Sharlto Copley
SSN Insight: Olivia Wilde was previously attached to the role played by Brie Larson. Luke Evans was previously attached to co-star. Alchemy acquired domestic rights for an amount estimated to be above $3 million at 2015 AFM.
Gambit
Logline: The adventures of the X-Men world¹s favorite mutant thief, Remy LeBeau, AKA Gambit.
Studio/Distributor(s): 20th Century Fox, 20th Century Fox Distribution
Production Company(s): Donners’ Company, Marvel Entertainment, Genre Films, Free Association
Producer(s): Lauren Shuler Donner, Channing Tatum, Reid Carolin, Simon Kinberg
Writer(s): Josh Zetumer
Director(s): Doug Liman (In Negotiations)
Cast: Channing Tatum, Léa Seydoux
Details: Based on the comic book character Gambit who appeared in “Uncanny X-Men” #266 created by Jim Lee and Chris Claremont and published by Marvel Comics on August 15, 1990.
SSN Insight: Rupert Wyatt was previously attached to direct.
Get Out
Logline: A young African American man visits his white girlfriend’s family, with horrifying consequences.
Production Company(s): Blumhouse Productions, QC Entertainment
Producer(s): Jason Blum, Sean McKittrick, Ted Hamm
Writer(s): Jordan Peele
Director(s): Jordan Peele
Cast: Allison Williams, Daniel Kaluuya
SSN Insight: Kaluuya appeared in Sicario as FBI agent Emily Blunt’s partner, Kick-Ass 2 and in Johnny English Reborn.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
Logline: Former military cop Jack Reacher finds himself embroiled in a quandary when he visits his old unit.
Studio/Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures
Production Company(s): Skydance Productions, Don Granger Productions
Producer(s): Tom Cruise, Don Granger, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Christopher McQuarrie
Writer(s): Richard Wenk, Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick
Director(s): Edward Zwick
Cast: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Danika Yarosh, Austin Hebert, Patrick Heusinger, Robert Catrini
Details: Sequel to “Jack Reacher” (USA/2012) directed by Christopher McQuarrie and starring Tom Cruise. Based on the novel “Never Go Back” written by Lee Child and published by Delacorte Press on September 3, 2013.
SSN Insight: Catrini’s role has not been revealed. He previously appeared in G.I. Joe: Retaliation, NCIS, The Mentalist, True Blood, NYPD: Blue, Monk, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and many others.
Life
Logline: Storyline is under wraps.
Production Company(s): Mockingbird Pictures, Skydance Productions
Producer(s): David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Bonnie Curtis, Julie Lynn
Writer(s): Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Director(s): Daniel Espinosa
SSN Insight: Daniel Espinosa previously directed Child 44, Easy Money and Safe House.
Live by Night
Logline: A young gangster climbs through the ranks during the Prohibition era.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Company(s): Pearl Street Films, Appian Way
Producer(s): Ben Affleck, Jennifer Davisson Killoran, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Todd
Writer(s): Ben Affleck
Director(s): Ben Affleck
Cast: Ben Affleck, Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana, Elle Fanning, Chris Messina, Brendan Gleeson
Details: Based on the novel “Live by Night,” written by Dennis Lehane and published by William Morrow on October 2, 2012.
SSN Insight: Gleeson’s upcoming films include Assassin’s Creed, In the Heart Of The Sea, Alone In Berlin and Trespass Against Us.
Love May Fail
Logline: After leaving her philandering husband, a woman returns to her hometown to right a wrong from her past.
Studio/Distributor(s): TriStar Productions
Production Company(s): Matt Tolmach Productions, The Cantillon Company
Producer(s): Matt Tolmach
Writer(s): Mike White
Director(s): Sam Raimi
Cast: Emma Stone
Details: Based on the novel “Love May Fail” written by Matthew Quick; published by Harper Collins in June 2015.
SSN Insight: Project was previously set up at Columbia Pictures.
The Comedian
Logline: A once-loved, but past-his-prime rage comedian is sentenced to community service after hitting an audience member in the head with his microphone. It’s there that he meets a woman who changes his life.
Production Company(s): The Linson Company, Atmosphere Entertainment MM LLC
Producer(s): Art Linson, Courtney Solomon, Mark Canton, John Linson, Jon Kilik
Writer(s): Art Linson, Jeffrey Ross
Director(s): Taylor Hackford
Cast: Robert De Niro, Kristen Wiig, Jennifer Aniston
SSN Insight: Sean Penn was previously attached to direct. Mike Newell was previously attached to direct.
The Dark Tower
Logline: The tale of gunslinger Roland Deschain’s quest for the Dark Tower.
Studio/Distributor(s): Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing
Production Company(s): Imagine Entertainment, Weed Road Pictures
Producer(s): Brian Grazer, Akiva Goldsman, Ron Howard, Erica Huggins, Stephen King
Writer(s): Anders Thomas Jensen, Nikolaj Arcel, Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinkner
Director(s): Nikolaj Arcel
Cast: Matthew McConaughey (in talks)
Details: Based on the seven-book series “Dark Tower” that begins with “The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger” written by Stephen King and published by Donald M. Grant in 1982.
SSN Insight: “The Dark Tower” is planned to be the first in a series of movies. A complementary television series is also being developed by co-financier Media Rights Capital.
The Famous Five
Logline: A group of four young adults and their dog go on an amazing adventure.
Production Company(s): Working Title Films
Producer(s): Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan
Writer(s): Jon Croker
Details: Based on the childrens’ book series “The Famous Five” written by Enid Blyton. The first book, “Five on a Treasure Island,” was published by Hodder & Stoughton in 1942.
SSN Insight: Working Title plans to create a franchise based on the series of 20 children’s novels.
The Frontier
Logline: In 1974, a woman on the run from the law gets a job at a desert motel on Route 66. When she learns that some of the guests have just pulled off a big robbery, she decides to steal the money.
Studio/Distributor(s): Alchemy
Production Company(s): Thieves Highway
Producer(s): Dana Lustig
Writer(s): Webb Wilcoxen, Oren Shai
Director(s): Oren Shai
Cast: Kelly Lynch, Jim Beaver, Jocelin Donahue, Izabella Miko, Liam Aiken
SSN Insight: Alchemy has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film which had its world premiere this year in the Narrative Spotlight section at SXSW.
The Merlin Saga
Logline: An epic adventure tracing the boyhood and coming-of-age years of the Arthurian magician.
Studio/Distributor(s): Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Production Company(s): Gil Netter Productions
Producer(s): Gil Netter
Writer(s): Philippa Boyens, Patrick Massett, John Zinman
Details: Based on the book series written by T.A. Barron and published by Penguin. The titles include “The Lost Years of Merlin” (1996), “The Seven Songs of Merlin” (1997), “The Fires of Merlin” (1998), “The Mirror of Merlin” (1999), “The Wings of Merlin” (2000).
SSN Insight: Project was previously in development at Miramax Films with Lorenzo Di Bonaventura attached to produce.Project was previously in development at Warner Bros. with Donald De Line attached to produce a screenplay written by Ed Whitworth and Simon Kinberg.
The Pact
Logline: Three dads band together to stop their daughters from losing their virginity in a sex pact on prom night.
Production Company(s): DMG, Point Grey Pictures, Hurwitz & Schlossberg Productions, Good Universe
Producer(s): Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Chris Fenton, Jon Hurwitz
Writer(s): Eben Russell, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, Jim Kehoe, Brian Kehoe
Director(s): Kay Cannon
SSN Insight: Project was included on the 2012 Black List. Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg were previously attached to direct.
Tomb Raider (Reboot)
Logline: The adventures of young Lara Croft, a beautiful antiquity hunter-for-hire.
Studio/Distributor(s): Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), Warner Bros. Pictures,
Production Company(s): GK Films
Producer(s): Graham King
Writer(s): Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Evan Daugherty, Marti Noxon, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby
Director(s): Roar Uthaug
Details: Based on the best-selling video game series “Tomb Raider” developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was originally released in 1996.
SSN Insight: Film rights to the video game were previously held by Paramount Pictures, which produced two films. Warner Bros. Pictures previously optioned film rights to the game and was developing with Dan Lin producing via Lin Pictures.
Untitled Freddie Mercury Project
Logline: Based on the life of Freddie Mercury, storline under wraps.
Studio/Distributor(s): Columbia Pictures,
Production Company(s): Tribeca Films, Queen Films, GK Films
Producer(s): Graham King, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Jim Beach, Brian May
Writer(s): Anthony McCarten, Stephen J Rivele, Christopher Wilkinson, Peter Morgan, Michael Cunningham
Cast: Ben Whishaw, Johnny Flynn, Gemma Arterton
SSN Insight: Sacha Baron Cohen was previously attached to star. Dexter Fletcher was previously attached to direct. Project was included on the 2007 Black List.
Wonderstruck
Logline: Two children, each living in a different era, set out to solve a mystery.
Production Company(s): Killer Films, Killer Content
Producer(s): Christine Vachon
Writer(s): Todd Haynes, Brian Selznick
Director(s): Todd Haynes
Cast: Julianne Moore
Details: Based on the children’s book “Wonderstruck” written by Brian Selznick and published by Scholastic Press on September 13, 2011.
SSN Insight: Moore can be seen in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, Freeheld and Maggie’s Plan.
New Projects
Bees Make Honey
Logline: Set at a high-society Halloween party in 1934, the film centers on Honey (Eve), the gathering’s hostess whose husband was murdered the previous year. She re-creates the scenario in an attempt to solve the crime.
Production Company(s): Skyline Films, EveXEveXEve
Producer(s): Alice Eve, AJ Raich
Director(s): Jack Eve
Cast: Alice Eve
SSN Insight: Eve recently wrapped indies features Criminal and Beyond Deceit and will be seen in the upcoming Please Stand By with Dakota Fanning and Helen Hunt.
Deeper
Logline: A disgraced astronaut on a mission to reach the bottom of a newly discovered oceanic trench encounters mysterious forces.
Production Company(s): Phantom Four, Addictive Pictures
Producer(s): David S. Goyer, Kevin Turen, Russell Ackerman, John Schoenfelder, Max Landis
Writer(s): Max Landis
SSN Insight: Landis previously wrote Chronicle and American Ultra and wrote the upcoming Victor Frankenstein.
Empress of Serenity
Logline: An animal rights lawyer, shocked learn of his mother’s death, finds unexpected friendship after his estranged father persuades him to go on a 45-day cruise.
Production Company(s): Mr. Mudd Productions, Good Universe
Producer(s): Stephen Chbosky, Lianne Halfon, Russell Smith, John Malkovich
Writer(s): Jesse Andrews
Director(s): Jesse Andrews
Cast: Bill Hader
Details: Based on the novel “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again” written by David Foster Wallace and published by Little, Brown and Co. in 1997.
SSN Insight: Bill Hader will next be seen in Maggie’s Plan and The BFG, and will lend his voice to The Angry Birds Movie and Sausage Party.
Memento Remake
Logline: A man suffering from amnesia tries to solve his wife’s murder.
Production Company(s): AMBI
Producer(s): Andrea Iervolino, Monika Bacardi
Details: Remake of “Memento” (USA/2000) directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Guy Pearce.
SSN Insight: This is the first project to be developed from the Exclusive Media Group film library, which Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi’s AMBI Group bought in the fall.
Rosy
Logline: A lonely guy kidnaps a struggling actress, hoping that she will fall in love with him.
Producer(s): Jonathan Schwartz, Alex Bach
Writer(s): Jessica Manafort
Director(s): Jessica Manafort
Cast: Nat Wolff, Stacy Martin
SSN Insight: Wolff will next be seen starring in the James Franco-directed In Dubious Battle, listed in SSN’s 10 Most Bankable Films at AFM 2015.
The Travelers
Logline: A journalist who unknowingly works for a spy agency is drawn into a tangled web.
Studio/Distributor(s): DreamWorks Studios
Production Company(s): The Picture Company
Producer(s): Andrew Rona, Alex Heineman
Details: Based on the novel “The Travelers” written by Chris Pavone; to be published March 2016.
SSN Insight: Andrew Calof took the book to Dreamworks and will oversee the project along with CEO Michael Wright and Production President Holly Bario.
Traces
Logline: A ’90s one-hit wonder gets a second chance when he is asked to produce the debut album of an up-and-coming musical artist.
Producer(s): Ted Kroeber, Roger Goff, Kevin Lamb
Director(s): Matthew Holmes
Cast: Pablo Schreiber, Rick Springfield, Sosie Bacon
SSN Insight: Marks the directorial debut of Matthew Currie Holmes.
Untitled Adolph Eichmann Project
Logline: In 1960, a team of Mossad and Shin Bet agents conduct a search for Nazi Adolf Eichmann.
Studio/Distributor(s): Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
Production Company(s): Automatik
Producer(s): Brian Kavanaugh-Jones
Writer(s): Matt Orton
SSN Insight: UK writer Orton’s spec CLEAN made the 2014 Brit List. He is mentored by Bridge Of Spies scribe Matt Charman, who he met through the Guiding Lights program.
Untitled Emile Griffith Biopic
Logline: Emile Griffith was a boxer who led a secret life as a bisexual in the 1960s, and killed his opponent on live television after the man taunted him and called him a homosexual before the fight.
Production Company(s): Film4 Productions, Element Pictures
Producer(s): Ed Guiney
Writer(s): Lenny Abrahamson
Director(s): Lenny Abrahamson
Details: Based on the book “A Man’s World: The Double Life of Emile Griffith” written by Donald McRae and published by Simon & Schuster in the UK on September 10, 2015.
SSN Insight: UK-based Film4 funded the option and has funded development of the film. Camilla Young brokered the agreement for Curtis Brown along with Element’s Mark Byrne.