Paramount Sets its Next Three ‘Transformers’ Flicks For Each Of the Next Three Years
Studio announced today that Transformers 5 will open on June 23rd, 2017 — the same date already selected by Warner Bros. for Wonder Woman. Transformers 6 has been slotted for June 8th, 2018, which sets it up against Godzilla 2 from WB and Legendary. Transformers 7 has been scheduled for June 28th, 2019. It’s the first title to land on the date. Michael Bay will return to direct the fifth installment, with Mark Wahlberg also returning. (VAR)
Paramount Also Circles a Deal To Take Distribution Rights For George Clooney’s ‘Suburbicon’
Dramedy was written by Joel and Ethan Coen and is set in the quiet family town of “Suburbicon,” where a home invasion causes a picture perfect family to turn to blackmail, revenge and betrayal. Julianne Moore and Matt Damon will star in the project. Clooney is directing and will also produce alongside producing-partner Grant Heslov, as well as Joel Silver and Teddy Schwarzman. (THR)
Four Studios Bidding On ‘Gone Girl’ Author Gillian Flynn’s Short Story ‘The Grownup’: Hot Package Du Jour
While most of the movie deal makers are focused on Berlin, Universal, Fox, Paramount and TriStar are in the mix on The Grownup, a package built around the short story by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn. Natalie Krinsky will adapt the tale, and Micheal De Luca and Flynn will produce together what is her first big project since Gone Girl became a big hit movie. Studios were pitched the material earlier this week, and bids hit the table yesterday. (DH)
Joe Carnahan Tweets Out That He Is Definitely Directing ‘Bad Boys 3’
Writer-director was in talks to write a new draft and possibly the direct the third installment of the action film franchise starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Carnahan responded to those reports over social media back in June, but stopped short of confirming them. Now, with yesterday’s tweet, he has. Smith confirmed they would be making a third film on Wednesday, and Columbia Pictures has it scheduled for a February 17th, 2017 release. (COL)
Candice Bergen Is Making a Long-Awaited Return To TV In ABC’s Cancer Comedy, ‘Pearl’
The “Murphy Brown” star will play the titular character in the ABC comedy “Pearl,” about a matriarch who decides to take control of every aspect of her family’s lives when she discovers she has terminal cancer. The series will mark Bergen’s first regular small-screen role since ABC’s “Boston Legal,” which ran from 2005 to 2008. (WAH)
Mark-Paul Gosselaar Set as Male Lead in Fox’s Female Baseball Drama ‘Pitch’
Baseball drama hails from prolific producer Dan Fogelman and centers on Ginny, a young female pitcher who defies the odds when she becomes the first woman to play in the major leagues. Gosselaar is set to portray a handsome, charming, self-assured future Hall of Fame MLB catcher. Skeptical of her at first, he still can’t help but show her the ropes. Over time, they’ll bring new meaning to the term, “team chemistry.” (LF)
Women In Hollywood: Meryl Streep to Fund The Writers Lab, Supporting Women Screenwriters Over 40
Co-organized by New York Women in Film & Television and the women filmmakers’ collective IRIS, the four-day development intensive nurtures those whose voices “have not been heard and are in danger of being lost entirely.” This is the second year of the screenwriting retreat, and Streep funded it last year, as well. (TOH)
Trailer Buzz, Part One: ‘Mother’s Day’
Open Road has dropped the first look at Garry Marshall’s latest holiday-themed film. Starring Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Jason Sudeikis, Timothy Olyphant, and a host of others, it hits theaters April 29th. (YT)
Trailer Buzz, Part Two: ‘The Huntsman: Winter’s War’
Universal Pictures has released the new trailer for the upcoming fairy tale sequel starring Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain. The film, directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, hits theaters April 22nd. (CS)
Screenwriters: ‘Twins’
The 141-page consolidated fourth draft, by William Osborne & William Davies, with revisions by Timothy Harris & Hershel Weingrod and William Goldman. Script is dated April 27th, 1988. (DS)