New Attachments
A Life in the Day
Logline: When Brian Epstein, who sold records from his father’s appliance store in Liverpool, heard the Beatles on his lunch break at the Cavern Club, he became relentless in his pursuit of a record deal for the quartet he promised would become bigger than Elvis.
Production Company(s): Permut Productions, SYCO Entertainment, IM Global, Rivers Edge Films
Producer(s): David Permut, Dylan Sellers, Simon Cowell, Adam Milano, Stuart Ford
Writer(s): Tony Gittelson
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Jack O’Connell
Details: Based on the life of Brian Epstein, who discovered and managed the Beatles from 1961 through 1967, when he died of a drug overdose at the age of 32.
SSN Insight: Justin Chadwick was previously in talks to direct.
A Speck in the Sea
Logline: The story of a lobster fisherman who fell overboard at night and the desperate efforts to rescue him are dramatized.
Studio/Distributor(s): The Weinstein Company
Production Company(s): Specialty Films, Blumhouse Productions
Producer(s): Rachael Horovitz, Jason Blum, Harvey Weinstein
Writer(s): Jeff Pope
Details: Based on the article “A Speck in the Sea” written by Paul Tough and published in The New York Times Magazine on January 2, 2014 as well as the book “A Speck in the Sea” written by John Aldridge and Anthony Sosinski; which will be published in 2017 by Weinstein Books.
SSN Insight: Project was included on the 2015 Black List.
All These Sleepless Nights
Logline: Christopher and Michal roam the streets of Warsaw, tirelessly exploring a city torn between it’s troubled past and being on the precipice of a transformative future.
Studio/Distributor(s): The Orchard
Production Company(s): Pulse Films, Endorfina Studio
Producer(s): Michal Marczak, Marta Golba, Julia Nottingham, Thomas Benski, Lucas Ochoa
Director(s): Michal Marczak
Details: Sundance contact is Julia Nottingham, julia.nottingham@pulsefilms.com, +44734800952
SSN Insight: The Orchard has bought U.S. distribution rights. The film won the Festival’s year’s Directing Award in its World Cinema Documentary competition.
American Express
Logline: On the verge of losing his job, a man discovers his wife has been cheating on him, so he kidnaps himself in hopes of collecting ransom.
Studio/Distributor(s): Amazon Studios, Amazon
Production Company(s): Denver & Delilah Films, Ahimsa Films, Amazon Studios
Producer(s): Charlize Theron, Rebecca Yeldham, A.J. Dix, Beth Kono, Anthony Tambakis
Writer(s): Matthew Stone, Anthony Tambakis
Director(s): Nash Edgerton
Cast: Charlize Theron, David Oyelowo, Amanda Seyfried, Joel Edgerton, Thandie Newton, Kenneth Choi, Harry Treadaway, Michael Angarano, Yul Vazquez
SSN Insight: Project was previously in development at Annapurna.
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, Paramount Pictures
Production Company(s): The Montecito Picture Company, Contrafilm, Vinson Films, Flynn Picture Co., 7 Bucks Entertainment
Producer(s): Beau Flynn, Ivan Reitman, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Michael Berk
Writer(s): Damian Shannon, Mark Swift, Barry Schwartz, Justin Malen, Robert Ben Garant
Director(s): Seth Gordon
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach, Ilfenesh Hadera, Belinda
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. Belinda is well-known to Latino audiences for having appeared in Aventuras en el Tiempo in 2001 and Cómplices al Rescate in 2002 that included soundtrack releases and international tours.
Cannonball Run
Logline: Hijinks ensue during an illegal cross-country car race.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Company(s): Alan Gasmer & Friends
Producer(s): Alan Gasmer, Andre Morgan
Writer(s): Etan Cohen
Director(s): Etan Cohen
Details: Remake of “The Cannonball Run” (1980) directed by Hal Nededham and starring Burt Reynolds and Farrah Fawcett.
SSN Insight: Guy Ritchie was previously attached to direct. Peter Jaysen was previously attached to produce.
Careful What You Wish For
Logline: A teen finds himself embroiled in a passionate love affair with a sexy, older, married woman who plans on killing her abusive husband and making him an accomplice.
Studio/Distributor(s): Starz
Production Company(s): Myriad Pictures, Hyde Park Entertainment, Merced Media Partners
Producer(s): Ashok Amritraj, Michael Helfant, Robert Stein, Bradley Gallo, Kirk D’Amico
Writer(s): Chris Frisina, Gregg Hurwitz
Director(s): Elizabeth Allen
Cast: Isabel Lucas, Nick Jonas, Dermot Mulroney, Graham Rogers, Johnny Simmons
SSN Insight: Jake Nava was previously attached to direct.
Carnage Park
Logline: A botched robbery forces two crooks to flee into the desert, where they encounter a disturbed ex-sniper.
Studio/Distributor(s): IFC Midnight
Production Company(s): Diablo Entertainment
Producer(s): Eric B. Fleischman, Sean Tabibian
Writer(s): Mickey Keating
Director(s): Mickey Keating
Cast: Ashley Bell, Darby Stanchfield, Pat Healy, Alan Ruck, James Hebert
SSN Insight: IFC Midnight has bought the U.S. rights. The film premiered at Sundance and screened at SXSW.
Carry On
Logline: Storyline is under wraps.
Studio/Distributor(s): Walden Media
Production Company(s): Walden Media, Identity Films, Apex Entertainment
Producer(s): Anthony Mastromauro, Mark Ciardi
Writer(s): Nate Parker, Jay Lavender
Details: Based on the ESPN Segment titled “Carry On” featuring Dartanyon Crockett, Leroy Sutton and Lisa Fenn. Based on the memoir “Carry On” by Lisa Fenn; to be published by Harper Collins in August 2016.
SSN Insight: Walden Media has preemptively acquired the screen and life rights to the story. Nate Parker previously wrote, directed, produced and starred in The Birth of A Nation, awaiting release.
Collateral Beauty
Logline: A man who works in a New York ad agency finds his life turned upside down when a tragedy sends him into a depression, and his colleagues set out to lift his spirits.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Production Company(s): Village Roadshow Pictures, Overbrook Entertainment, Anonymous Content, PalmStar Entertainment, Likely Story, Merced Media Partners
Producer(s): Michael Sugar, Bard Dorros, Will Smith, Allan Loeb
Writer(s): Allan Loeb
Director(s): David Frankel
Cast: Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Edward Norton, Michael Peña, Naomie Harris, Ann Dowd
SSN Insight: Hugh Jackman was previously attached to co-star. Johnny Depp was previously in talks to co-star. Rooney Mara was previously attached to co-star.
Downsizing
Logline: An Omaha man seeks a better life by undergoing a process to shrink himself and moves to a community of miniaturized people.
Studio/Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures
Production Company(s): Gran Via Productions, Ad Hominem Enterprises, Groundswell Productions
Producer(s): Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor, Mark Johnson
Writer(s): Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Director(s): Alexander Payne
Cast: Matt Damon, Reese Witherspoon, Alec Baldwin, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Sudeikis, Christopher Waltz, Hong Chau
SSN Insight: Project was previously set up at Fox. Sacha Baron Cohen was previously attached to co-star. Paul Giamatti was previously attached to co-star.
Hidden Figures
Logline: The film chronicles the true story of a group of unacknowledged African American women whose brilliance in math helped NASA win the space race.
Studio/Distributor(s): Fox 2000, 20th Century Fox Distribution
Production Company(s): Levantine Films, Chernin Entertainment, Goldenlight Films
Producer(s): Donna Gigliotti, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Ted Melfi
Writer(s): Allison Schroeder
Director(s): Ted Melfi
Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Costner, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, Glen Powell, Mahershala Ali
Details: Based on the book “Hidden Figures” written by Margot Lee Shetterly and to be published by HarperCollins in 2016.
SSN Insight: This is Janelle Monae’s first studio film.
Indiana Jones 5
Logline: Storyline is under wraps.
Studio/Distributor(s): Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Production Company(s): Kennedy/Marshall Company, Lucasfilm, Ltd.
Producer(s): Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall
Director(s): Steven Spielberg
Cast: Harrison Ford
Details: Fourth sequel to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981), directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Harrison Ford and Karen Allen.
SSN Insight: Steven Spielberg reportedly expressed early interest in casting Chris Pratt to star, and that casting is still TBD. The pic will hit screens on July 19, 2019.
Kickboxer: Vengeance
Logline: A man swears revenge after his older brother, who was world kickboxing champion, is crippled by a dirty fighter.
Studio/Distributor(s): RLJ Entertainment, Inc.
Production Company(s): Radar Pictures
Producer(s): Dimitri Logothetis, Ted Field, Nick Celozzi, Allen Knudson, Samuel Cory Timpson
Writer(s): Jim McGrath, Dimitri Logothetis
Director(s): John Stockwell
Cast: Jean-Claude van Damme, Alain Moussi, Dave Bautista, Gina Carano, Georges St. Pierre
Details: Based on the film “Kickboxer” (1988) directed by David Worth, Mark DiSalle and Jean-Claude van Damme, and starring Jean-Claude van Damme.
SSN Insight: Tony Jaa was previously attached, but was replaced by Jean-Claude Van Damme due to scheduling conflicts. Stephen Fung was previously attached to direct.
Life
Logline: Story follows the crew of the International Space Station, who, after retrieving a sample from Mars, discover that it displays signs of life, and proves to be more intelligent than expected.
Studio/Distributor(s): Sony Pictures
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
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds
SSN Insight: Ryan Reynolds was previously attached to star. Due to scheduling conflicts, Jake Gyllenhaal is now the lead, with Reynolds taking a smaller role. Sony Pictures will co-finance with Skydance Media Life.
Patriots Day
Logline: Surrounding the bombing at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013.
Studio/Distributor(s): CBS Films, Lionsgate
Production Company(s): Leverage Management, Closest To The Hole Productions, Bluegrass Films
Producer(s): Scott Stuber, Dylan Clark, Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Michael Radutzky
Writer(s): Matt Charman
Director(s): Peter Berg
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, J.K. Simmons, John Goodman
Details: Based on the firsthand account of Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, whose life rights have been optioned by CBS Films, and on research done and footage shot by “60 Minutes.”
SSN Insight: Goodman has been cast as real-life hero Ed Davis, the Boston Police Commissioner who led the department.
Philly Fury
Logline: Story revolves around a Philadelphia businessman whose deadbeat brother is kidnapped for a large ransom. When everyone involved believes the deadbeat is in on the kidnapping, the businessman must take action himself.
Studio/Distributor(s): Lionsgate Premiere
Production Company(s): Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films
Producer(s): Randall Emmett, George Furla
Writer(s): Jason Mosberg
Director(s): Steven C. Miller
Cast: Nicolas Cage
SSN Insight: The film will be released in the U.S. through Lionsgate Premiere through its multi-picture distribution deal with Emmett/Furla.
Rebel in the Rye
Logline: JD Salinger is followed from the early days of his writing career, though his service in WWII, which change him forever and help him find his voice as a writer.
Studio/Distributor(s): ,
Production Company(s): Blue Star Entertainment, Bruce Cohen Productions, Black Label Media
Producer(s): Danny Strong, Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, Thad Luckinbill, Bruce Cohen
Writer(s): Danny Strong
Director(s): Danny Strong
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Laura Dern, Brian d’Arcy James, Hope Davis, Zoey Deutch, Victor Garbor
Details: Based on the biography “JD Salinger: A Life” written by Kenneth Slawenski and published by Random House in 2010.
SSN Insight: Deutch recently wrapped Awesomeness Films’ Before I Fall and is currently shooting Why Him? alongside James Franco.
Sevenfold
Logline: A woman famous for undergoing an exorcism as a young girl must now face the demon that plagued her once again when it possesses her daughter, forcing her to follow the clues of her past in order to seek out one of the last few priests still practices the
Production Company(s): Haxan Films, Blumhouse Productions, Chapter One, Court Five
Producer(s): Jason Blum, Matt Kaplan, Mark Ordesky, Jane Fleming, Gregg Hale
Writer(s): Jamie Nash
Director(s): Eduardo Sanchez
SSN Insight: Screenplay was included in the 2014 Hit List.
Silicon Cowboys
Logline: The documentary centers on the birth of Compaq Computer and is a fresh look into the explosive rise of the 1980s PC industry.
Studio/Distributor(s): FilmRise
Production Company(s): Zipper Brothers Films, Campfire, Open Architecture Films
Producer(s): Ross M. Dinerstein, Glen Zipper
Director(s): Jason Cohen
SSN Insight: FilmRise bought the worldwide distribution rights to the film that world premiered in the Documentary Spotlight section at SXSW.
Sovereign
Logline: A man travels to space to avenge the death of his wife.
Production Company(s): 21 Laps Entertainment
Producer(s): Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Dan Cohen
Writer(s): Geoff Tock, Gregory Weidman
Director(s): Marc Munden
SSN Insight: Project was included on the 2013 Black List
Star Trek Beyond
Logline: Storyline is under wraps.
Studio/Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures, Paramount Pictures
Production Company(s): Bad Robot, Skydance Productions
Producer(s): J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Roberto Orci
Writer(s): Simon Pegg, Doug Jung, JD Payne, Patrick McKay
Director(s): Justin Lin
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Shohreh Aghdashloo
SSN Insight: Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz had been considered to write the script. Joe Cornish had been considered to direct. Project will be shot digitally.
The Kind Worth Killing
Logline: A man confides to a woman on a plane that he’s been thinking of murdering his cheating wife. He doesn’t know that she’s a ruthless killer and upon landing they hatch a murder plan.
Production Company(s): Nick Wechsler Productions, Chockstone Pictures
Producer(s): Steve Schwartz, Paula Mae Schwartz, Nick Wechsler
Writer(s): Christopher Kyle
Director(s): Agnieszka Holland
Details: Based on the novel “The Kind Worth Killing” written by Peter Swanson and to be published by Harper Collins Canada on January 6, 2015.
SSN Insight: Holland is the head of the European Film Academy and has received Oscar nominations for Europe Europa, In Darkness and Angry Harvest.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Logline: After a 50-year-old woman’s daughter is murdered, she confronts the police in her town who she believes are more interested in persecuting African-Americans than getting justice.
Production Company(s): Blue Print Pictures
Producer(s): Graham Broadbent, Peter Czernin, Martin McDonagh, Diarmuid McKeown
Writer(s): Martin McDonagh
Director(s): Martin McDonagh
Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, Caleb Landry Jones
SSN Insight: Originally developed by Film4 at an early stage.
Tracking of a Russian Spy
Logline: After an American journalist’s Russian girlfriend disappears when 10 Russian Americans are arrested for spying, he goes to Moscow to learn who she really is and enters a world of intrigue.
Studio/Distributor(s): StudioCanal
Production Company(s): The Picture Company
Producer(s): Andrew Rona, Alex Heineman
Writer(s): Charles Cumming
Director(s): Drake Doremus
Details: Based on the novella “The Tracking of a Russian Spy” written by Mitch Swenson and published by Thought Catalog on October 6, 2013.
SSN Insight: Doremus previously directed Like Crazy, most recently helmed the Kristen Stewart and Nicolas Hoult sci-fi-romance Equals.
New Projects
Gifted
Logline: A young aspiring musician, preparing for a competition and feeling incredibly confidant, falls into a frightening trap that she has to find her way out of.
Production Company(s): Hollywood Media Bridge, Unique Features
Producer(s): Robert Shaye, Michael Lynne, Benjamin Sacks, Sarah Victor
Writer(s): Donald Winston Wylie, John Rocco, Jenna Wright
Director(s): Robert Shaye
Cast: John Kroft, Katherine Hughes, Giles Matthey, Kyanna Simone Simpson, Dylan McNamara
SSN Insight: Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne produced When the Bough Breaks for Screen Gems, currently awaiting release.
He’s Out There
Logline: While visiting their lake house, a woman and her two daughters fight for their lives after getting mixed up in a psychopath’s murderous plan.
Studio/Distributor(s): Screen Gems
Production Company(s): Unbroken Pictures
Producer(s): Bryan Bertino, Adrienne Biddle
Writer(s): Mike Scannell
Director(s): Dennis Iliadis
SSN Insight: Iliadis recently directed Delirium and before that he helmed the remake The Last House on the Left.
Justice
Logline: A US Marshal arrives at a small town in an old frontier fort in the 1860s to find his brother, the town pastor, who died under suspicious circumstances. His investigation uncovers a web of corruption and deceit.
Production Company(s): JLE Cinema Group
Producer(s): A.J. Perez, John Lewis, Jim Burleson
Writer(s): John Lewis, Shawn Justice
Director(s): Richard Gabai
Cast: Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Robert Carradine, Stephen Lang, Ellen Hollman, John Lewis
SSN Insight: Jamie-Lynn Sigler currently appears in Baby Daddy on Freeform. Her upcoming films include I Want Kandee and Justice.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Logline: In 1920s Oklahoma, oil is discovered under Osage Indian land and the Osage start being murdered, as do all investigators, so the FBI gets its first major homicide case.
Production Company(s): Imperative Entertainment
Producer(s): Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas
Details: Based on the novel “Killers Of The Flower Moon: An American Crime And The Birth Of The FBI” by David Grann; which will be published by Doubleday in Spring 2016
SSN Insight: CAA is brokering the rights to the book which Imperative Entertainment won the rights for in a competitive auction for $5,000,000.
Nell Gwynn
Logline: The true story of Nell Gwynn, who rose from poverty to become one of the most famous actresses of the Restoration era and the mistress of King Charles II.
Production Company(s): Working Title Films
Producer(s): Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Jessica Swale
Writer(s): Jessica Swale
SSN Insight: Based on the play “Nell Gwynn” written by Jessica Swale and performed at the Apollo Theatre from February 4 to April 30, 2016.
River Town
Logline: An American writer returns to China for the publication of his first book and recalls memories of teaching English literature in there, just before the nation’s unprecedented change.
Production Company(s): Fugitive Films
Producer(s): Lu Chuan, Jamie Gordon, Courtney Potts
Writer(s): Tristine Skyler
Director(s): Lu Chuan
Details: Based on the novel “River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze” written by Peter Kessler and published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2001.
SSN Insight: Lu’s credits include The Missing Gun, Kekexili: Mountain Patrol, City Of Life And Death and The Last Supper.
Status Update
Logline: About Josh, a five-star high school quarterback who wants to be a journalist. When he writes an article about his social experiment of changing his Facebook status from “single” to “interested in men,” a fellow male student with a crush on him creates a tribute video to “Josh the Gay Quarterback” that goes viral. The media picks it up, and Josh becomes a hero to gay teens.
Production Company(s): Digital Riot Media
Producer(s): Gabe Torres, Britt Logan, John Baldecchi
Writer(s): Gabe Torres, Britt Logan
Director(s): Gabe Torres
Cast: Gregg Sulkin
SSN Insight: Sulkin currently stars on MTV’s Faking It and his other credits include Pretty Little Liars and Wizards of Waverly Place.
The Caretaker
Logline: During a violent robot uprising, a female android protects a young girl and tries to reunited her with her missing father, which might stem the tide of war.
Studio/Distributor(s): Screen Gems
Production Company(s): Energy Entertainment
Producer(s): Adam Rodin
Writer(s): Duncan Samarasinghe
SSN Insight: Rodin was a co-producer of the CBS series Extant and is producing the film Terrestrial set up at Lionsgate. His film Interrogation is awaiting release by WWE Studios.
The Evening Hour
Logline: Set in a small West Virginia mining town in the foothills of Appalachia, small-time drug dealer Cole Freeman is driven to action and redemption in response to a set of unexpected circumstances that threaten to tear apart the close-knit fabric of family.
Production Company(s): Star Thrower Entertainment
Producer(s): Trevor White, Tim White, Tom Skapars
Writer(s): Elizabeth Palmore
Director(s): Braden King
Cast: Michael Trotter, Cynthia Nixon, Brian Geraghty, Marin Ireland
Details: Based on the novel by Carter Sickels.
SSN Insight: Nell Gwynn first debuted in a sold-out limited engagement theater run at Shakespeare’s Globe last year with Gugu Mbatha-Raw cast as the lead.
The Good Liar
Logline: A veteran conman meets a wealthy widow online and believes she’s an easy mark, but before he can close the deal, there is a reckoning to be made.
Studio/Distributor(s): New Line Cinema
Details: Based on the novel “The Good Liar” written by pseudonymous author Nicholas Searle and published by Harper on January 14, 2016.
SSN Insight: The identity of the author is unknown. He was formerly a civil servant in the UK working on security issues before leaving in 2011 to write fiction and wrote “The Good Liar” while taking the Curtis Brown creative online course.
Untitled Claressa “T-Rex” Shields Project
Logline: The true story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, at teenager from Flint, Michigan who realized her dream to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing.
Studio/Distributor(s): Universal Pictures
Production Company(s): Michael De Luca Productions
Producer(s): Michael De Luca, Elishia Holmes
Details: Based on the documentary “T-Rex” (2015) directed by Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper.
SSN Insight: Michael De Luca’s upcoming films include Inferno and Fifty Shades Darker.