New Attachments
All Eyez on Me
Logline: This biopic will follow rapper Tupac Shakur’s career, including his time at Death Row Records and his involvement in the rivalry between East coast and West coast rappers, culminating in his murder in 1996.
Studio/Distributor(s): Open Road Films
Production Company(s): Morgan Creek Productions, Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films
Producer(s): James G. Robinson, David C. Robinson, LT Hutton, Randall Emmett, George Furla
Writer(s): John Singleton, Ed Gonzalez, Jeremy Haft, Michael Starrbury, David McKenna
Director(s): Benny Boom
Cast: Demetrius Shipp Jr., Jamal Woolard, Danai Gurira, Katerina Graham, Jamie Hector
SSN Insight: Antoine Fuqua was previously attached to direct. Soulja Boy was previously mentioned to star. Project was previously in development at Universal. Hector will play Tupac’s stepfather Mutulu Shakur in the film.
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, Andrew Gunn
Writer(s): Doug Ellin, Johnny Rosenthal, John Phillips
Director(s): Mark Waters
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Christina Hendricks, Cristina Rosato
Details: Sequel to “Bad Santa” (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.
Baywatch
Logline: An elite group of lifeguards are forced to team up with a young, hotshot former Olympian to save their beloved bay.
Studio/Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures
Production Company(s): The Montecito Picture Company, Contrafilm, Vinson Films, Flynn Picture Co., 7 Bucks Entertainment
Producer(s): Tripp Vinson, Beau Flynn, Michelle Rogers Berk, Ivan Reitman, Tom Pollock
Writer(s): Damian Shannon, Mark Swift, Justin Malen, Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon
Director(s): Seth Gordon
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach, Priyanka Chopra (in discussions)
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.
Cruel Hearts
Logline: A man discovers the woman he’s seeing is married to a crime boss.
Production Company(s): Conspicuous Pictures, Verax Films, Dark Ash Films
Producer(s): Joe Pezzula, Jonathan Brown
Writer(s): Paul Osborne
Director(s): Paul Osborne
Cast: Alev Aydin, Patrick Day, Eddie Jemison, Bonnie Root, Melora Hardin
SSN Insight: Hardin can be seen as character Tammy Cashman on Amazon Studios’ Transparent. Her film credits include Self/Less, 17 Again and 27 dresses.
Girl on the Train
Logline: A young woman gets mixed up in a murder investigation because of what she sees on her daily commute.
Studio/Distributor(s): DreamWorks Studios, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Production Company(s): Marc Platt Productions
Producer(s): Marc Platt
Writer(s): Erin Cressida Wilson
Director(s): Tate Taylor
Cast: Haley Bennett, Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Édgar Ramírez, Luke Evans, Laura Prepon
Details: Based on the novel “Girl on the Train” written by Paula Hawkins and published by Riverhead Books in 2015.
SSN Insight: Kate Mara was mentioned to co-star. Chris Evans was previously in negotiations for the role filled by Justin Theroux.
Heart Baby!
Logline: The new pic tells the true story of a convict named George Lee Martin 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.
Producer(s): Angela Shelton, Shawn Caulin-Young and Kim Barnard
Writer(s): Angela Shelton
Director(s): Angela Shelton
Cast: Gbenga Akinnagbe, Jackson Rathbone, Quinton Aaron, Keir O’Donnell, Justice Leak, Abe Benrubi, Michael Badalucco, Ann Cusack, Jamie Kennedy
Details: Based on the life of boxer George Lee Martin.
SSN Insight: The film is set to begin shooting in New Orleans this month and is being planned for Sundance 2017 premiere.
Meet the Blacks
Logline: A spoof of “The Purge.”
Studio/Distributor(s): Freestyle Releasing
Producer(s): Deon Taylor, Roxanne Avent, Shannon McIntosh
Writer(s): Deon Taylor
Director(s): Deon Taylor
Cast: Mike Epps, George Lopez, Mike Tyson, Bresha Webb, Zulay Henao
SSN Insight: Freestyle Releasing was co-founded by Mark Borde and the late Susan Jackson and was acquired by Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios in October.
Molly’s Game
Logline: Molly Bloom was a world-class skier while in college, but after failing to make the Olympic team, a chain of events lea to her into running the most exclusive high-stakes poker game in the world.
Studio/Distributor(s): Columbia Pictures,
Production Company(s): Mark Gordon Company, Casa B Productions, Pascal Pictures
Producer(s): Mark R. Gordon, Amy Pascal, Leopoldo Gout
Writer(s): Aaron Sorkin
Director(s): Aaron Sorkin
Details: Based on the memoir “Molly’s Game: From Hollywood’s Elite to Wall Street’s Billionaire Boy’s Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker” written by Molly Bloom and published by itbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins in 2014.
SSN Insight: Previously signed on just to script the feature, this project will now mark Sorkin’s directorial debut.
Robin Hood: Origins
Logline: A gritty story of when Robin Hood returns to Sherwood Forest after The Crusades and finds only corruption and evil, so he forms a posse of outlaws to take over.
Studio/Distributor(s): Lionsgate
Production Company(s): Appian Way, Thunder Road Pictures, Safehouse Pictures
Producer(s): Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson Killoran, Tory Tunnell, Joby Harold, Basil Iwanyk
Writer(s): Joby Harold
Director(s): Otto Bathurst
Cast: Taron Egerton, Eve Hewson, Jamie Foxx
SSN Insight: Guy Ritchie was previously attached to direct. Jamie Foxx will play Little John.
The Deep End
Logline: Two sisters become trapped under the fiberglass cover of a public pool.
Production Company(s): Citizen Skull Productions
Writer(s): Matt Eskandari, Michael Hultquist
Cast: Alexandra Park
SSN Insight: Alexandra Park can be seen on the hit E! series, The Royals.
The Prisoner
Logline: The Prisoner (known only as Number Six) is a former government agent who abruptly resigns from his job and finds himself imprisoned in an idyllic yet bizarre seaside village isolated from the world by the sea and mountains. He can’t escape because he knows too much, but that doesn’t stop others trying to capture him for his knowledge. What he wants is to keep them at bay and find his way to freedom.
Studio/Distributor(s): Universal Pictures
Production Company(s): Barry Mendel Productions, Bluegrass Films
Producer(s): Barry Mendel, Scott Stuber, Dylan Clark, Emma Thomas
Writer(s): William Monahan, David Peoples, Janet Peoples, Mark D. Rosenthal, Lawrence Konner
Director(s): Ridley Scott (in talks)
Details: Based on the British television series “The Prisoner” starring Patrick McGoohan, which aired from 1967 to 1968.
SSN Insight: Simon West previously attached to direct and produce. Christopher Nolan was previously attached to direct.
The Titan
Logline: In the near future, a military family is relocated so they can participate in a ground-breaking experiment of man’s genetic evolution into space.
Production Company(s): Motion Picture Capital, 42, Automatik
Producer(s): Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Benjamin Pugh, Rory Aitken, Arash Amel, Leon Clarance
Writer(s): Max Hurwitz
Director(s): Lennart Ruff
Cast: Sam Worthington, Ruth Wilson, Sofia Boutella, Taylor Schilling, Tom Wilkinso, Diego Boneta, Aleksander Jovanovic, Agyness Deyn
SSN Insight: Voltage Pictures is overseeing international sales and CAA handling domestic sales. Leon Clarance and Motion Picture Capital will produce and fully finance the film.
Untitled Paramount/Protozoa Couple Project
Logline: A couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests come to their home.
Studio/Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures, Paramount Pictures
Production Company(s): Protozoa Pictures
Producer(s): Darren Aronofsky, Scott Franklin, Ari Handel
Writer(s): Darren Aronofsky
Director(s): Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem
SSN Insight: The film is planned for a 2017 release. News of this film first broke in October when Lawrence exited The Rosie Project to be directed by Richard Linklater.
Untitled STX/Mom Comedy Project
Logline: Three moms go on a quest to free themselves from their mundane, everyday chores, but they accidentally end up on a collision course with their children’s school’s PTA president and her devoted clique of “perfect” moms.
Studio/Distributor(s): STX Entertainment, STX Entertainment
Production Company(s): Team Todd, PalmStar Entertainment, Merced Media Partners, BillBlock Media
Producer(s): Suzanne Todd, Bill Block, Raj Singh, Kevin Scott Frakes, Josh Church
Writer(s): Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Director(s): Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Cast: Mila Kunis, Christina Applegate, Kristen Bell, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kathryn Hahn
SSN Insight: Leslie Mann was previously attached to star, with husband Judd Apatow previously attached as producer.
Why Him?
Logline: A father from the Midwest brings the whole family to visit his daughter at Stanford, where she’s a student, for Christmas, and the dad winds up getting into a tense competition with the daughter’s boyfriend, an Internet billionaire.
Studio/Distributor(s): 20th Century Fox, 20th Century Fox Distribution
Production Company(s): Red Hour Films, 21 Laps Entertainment
Producer(s): Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld
Writer(s): John Hamburg, Ian Helfer, Nicholas Stoller
Director(s): John Hamburg
Cast: James Franco, Bryan Cranston, Zoey Deutch, Griffin Gluck, Megan Mullally
SSN Insight: In August, 2015, the California Film Commission picked “Why Him?” as one of 11 films to share $55.2 million in incentives and receive up to 25 percent in tax credits.
New Projects
Keep Calm
Logline: An American fights to clear his name when he falls under suspicion after a bomb detonates in London, wounding the British prime minister.
Studio/Distributor(s): New Line Cinema
Producer(s): Charles Roven, Alex Gartner
Writer(s): Mike Binder
Director(s): Mike Binder
Details: Based on the novel “Keep Calm” written by Mike Binder and published by Henry Holt on February 2, 2016.
SSN Insight: Atlas Entertainment’s Gartner and Binder previously worked together on The Upside Of Anger and Gartner was an executive producer of Black Or White.
Kitty
Logline: Adapted from a Paul Bowles short story of the same name, this film is about a little girl who dreams of becoming a kitten and finds herself transformed into one.
Producer(s): Christina Piovesan, Lizzie Nastro
Director(s): Chloë Sevigny
Cast: Ione Skye, Lee Meriwether
SSN Insight: This short film marks the directorial debut for Chloë Sevigny.
Paterson
Logline: Storyline is under wraps.
Production Company(s): K5 Media Group, Animal Kingdom, Inkjet
Producer(s): Joshua Astrachan, Carter Logan
Writer(s): Jim Jarmusch
Director(s): Jim Jarmusch
Cast: Adam Driver, Golshifte Farahani
SSN Insight: Driver recently completed Martin Scorsese’s Silence alongside Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield and can next be seen in Jeff Nichols’ Midnight Special with Kirsten Dunst and Michael Shannon.
Sexcastle
Logline: In a throwback to ‘80s action movies, the world’s formerly greatest assassin leaves the profession and retires to a small town, but is pulled back into the world of killing.
Studio/Distributor(s): 20th Century Fox
Production Company(s): Getaway Productions
Producer(s): Blake Anderson, Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca
Director(s): Kyle Newacheck
Cast: Blake Anderson
Details: Based on the graphic novel “Sexcastle” written by Kyle Starks and published by Image Comics on March 31, 2015.
SSN Insight: Newacheck and Anderson both work together in multiple roles behind and in front of the camera on Comedy Central’s Workaholics.
The Fireman
Logline: A worldwide pandemic of spontaneous combustion will destroy civilization unless it can be stopped by a group of heroes led by a man known as “The Fireman.”
Studio/Distributor(s): 20th Century Fox
Production Company(s): Temple Hill Entertainment
Producer(s): Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen
Director(s): Louis Leterrier
Details: Based on the novel “The Fireman” written by Joe Hill and published by William Morrow on May 17, 2016.
SSN Insight: Hill recently inked a deal at AMC to develop a supernatural series based on his bestselling novel NOS4A2.
Three Miles North of Molkom
Logline: A jock gets separated from his backpacking buddies in a Swedish forest and winds up at the annual New Age festival in Molkom.
Studio/Distributor(s): StudioCanal
Production Company(s): Blue Print Pictures
Producer(s): Graham Broadbent
Writer(s): Dan Mazer, Jamie Minoprio, Jonathan Stern
Director(s): Dan Mazer
SSN Insight: StudioCanal will finance and distribute in its territories and handle international sales.
Untitled 1821 Media/Vertigo Treasure Hunt Project
Logline: A group of treasure seekers who steal artifacts from museums all over the world set out to get the greatest treasure of all time.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Company(s): Vertigo Entertainment, 1821 Media
Producer(s): Roy Lee
Writer(s): Grant Myers
SSN Insight: Kasidokostas-Latsis and Dougas recently produced Paul Weitz’ critically acclaimed Grandma for Sony Classics, Jane Got A Gun starring Natalie Portman for TWC and are executive producing Doug Liman’s Mena for Universal Pictures.
Untitled American Samoa Football Project
Logline: Based on true events and centers on an assistant football coach in the ’80s who goes to American Samoa on a fool’s errand to recruit a high school phenom. Of course what he discovered was a gold mine of talent that the college and pro ranks have mined ever since.
Production Company(s): Company Name
Producer(s): Colin Hanks, Sean Stuart, Troy Palomalu
Writer(s): Jim Burnstein, Garrett Schiff
SSN Insight: UTA Independent Film Group is packaging the film and will represent distribution rights. Troy Palomalu retired from the NFL and the Pittsburgh Steelers where he was an All-Pro safety.