New Attachments
Bad Santa 2
Logline: Storyline is under wraps.
Studio/Distributor(s): Miramax Films, Broad Green Pictures
Production Company(s): Media Talent Group
Producer(s): Geyer Kosinski
Writer(s): Doug Ellin, Johnny Rosenthal, John Phillips
Director(s): Mark Waters
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Christina Hendricks
Details: Sequel to “Bad Santa” (USA/2003) directed by Terry Zwigoff and starring Billy Bob Thornton.
SSN Insight: Johnny Rosenthal and John Phillips were both hired to write separate drafts of the script, giving the studios a choice between the two screenplays and the possibility of using one for a third film. Steve Pink was previously in discussions to direct and rewrite.
Battling Boy
Logline: Based on the graphic novel about a city called Arcopolis, where monsters roam, swallowing children into the horrors of their shadowy underworld. Only one man is a match for them – the genius vigilante Haggard West. Unfortunately, Haggard West is dead. Arcopolis is desperate, but when its salvation comes in the form of a twelve-year-old demigod, nobody is more surprised than Battling Boy himself.
Studio/Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures,
Production Company(s): Plan B Entertainment
Producer(s): Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Sarah Esberg
Writer(s): Jason Mantzoukas, Josh Parkinson, David Gordon Green, Alex Tse
Director(s): Patrick Osborne
Details: Based on the graphic novel “Battling Boy” created by Paul Pope and to be published by First Second Books in 2010.
SSN Insight: Jason Mantzoukas can be seen in FX/FXX’s The League. He will be seen in the upcoming film How to Be Single for Warner Bros. and The House for New Line. He also is the screenwriter on Mr. Amnesia in development and attached as director and screenwriter on One Night Stand, also in development.
Fantastic Voyage (Remake)
Logline: About a submarine crew who shrink to microscopic size and venture into the body of an injured scientist to repair the damage to his brain.
Studio/Distributor(s): 20th Century Fox
Production Company(s): Lightstorm Entertainment
Producer(s): Rae Sanchini, James Cameron, Jon Landau
Writer(s): Laeta Kalogridis, Shane Salerno, Tab Murphy, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Director(s): Guillermo del Toro (In Talks)
Cast: Hugh Jackman
Details: Remake of “Fantastic Voyage” (1966), directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Raquel Welch, Stephen Boyd and Donald Pleasence.
SSN Insight: Roland Emmerich was previously attached to direct. Tarsem Singh was previously mentioned to direct. David S. Goyer will exec produce.
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, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener, Caleb Landry Jones
SSN Insight: QC Entertainment is a new partnership between Darko Entertainment and Movie Package Company to finance and produce director-driven fare.
Heart, Baby!
Logline: Based on the story of George Lee Martin, a convict who became infamous in the Tennessee prison system as an unbeatable boxer. When he is offered an opportunity at freedom in exchange for fighting for Team USA in the 1984 Olympic Games, he shocks everyone by saying no.
Writer(s): Angela Shelton
Director(s): Angela Shelton
Cast: Gbenga Akinnagbe, Jay Huguley
Details: Based on the true story of George Lee Martin.
SSN Insight: Huguley will play Paul, a sadistic prison security officer who ends up as Martin’s nemesis. The film will begin shooting this month in New Orleans.
Untitled Transformers 5 Project
Logline: Storyline is under wraps.
Studio/Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures,
Production Company(s): Amblin Entertainment, Bay Films, Weed Road Pictures, Hasbro, Inc., Di Bonaventura Pictures
Producer(s): Michael Bay, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Steven Spielberg, Akiva Goldsman, Mark Vahradian
Writer(s): Matt Holloway, Art Marcum, Ken Nolan, Akiva Goldsman
Director(s): Michael Bay
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, Stanley Tucci
SSN Insight: The producers organized a “writer’s room” to develop story ideas for sequels as well as potential spinoff projects. This will be Michael Bay’s last time in the director’s chair on a Transformers film.
New Projects
Aux
Logline: Follows the fallout after two young boys sneak into a secret military bunker, undetected since World War II, where they find something terrifying and deadly. The ensuing police investigation sees officers killed off one by one, but in a local nursing home an elderly vet, Jack, recognizes what’s happening and becomes involved.
Production Company(s): Evolutionary Films
Producer(s): John Adams, Diane Shorthouse
Writer(s): John Adams, Peter Adams
Director(s): John Adams
Cast: John Rhys-Davies
SSN Insight: Set to begin production January 13. John Rhys-Davies best known for his acting roles in the Indiana Jones and Lord of the Rings franchises will also executive produce.
Untitled John Riggi Mrs. Claus Project
Logline: Mrs. Claus deals with her life and marriage during the stressful month before Christmas.
Studio/Distributor(s): Universal Pictures
Production Company(s): Brownstone Productions
Producer(s): Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman
Writer(s): John Riggi
SSN Insight: John Riggi was a staff writer on The Dennis Miller Show before becoming head writer on The Larry Sanders Show and writing for shows such as Will And Grace and Family Guy. He is currently under a long-term overall deal at WBTV. Most recently, he directed the pilot and was showrunner for ABC’s Super Fun Night.