SSN ORIGINALS
The Accidental Turitz: Will ‘Batman V Superman’s’ Record-Breaking Audience Drop-Off Effect WB’s Planned Shared Universe?
Senior Editor Neil Turitz returns with his eponymous column, taking a look at one of the little known facts about the record-breaking movie’s opening weekend, and what it means to the overall success of an entire studio’s master plan. (SSN)
Film Development For 3/31/16: Jonah Hill to Write/Direct ‘Mid-90’s’, Kristen Wiig Joins ‘Downsizing’, Disney Snags ‘The Paper Magician’
Among the other bits and pieces in this week’s activity are a distributor for Rob Zombie’s latest horror enterprise, some new cast for David Wain’s Doug Kenney’s biopic, and lots of new attachments to the live action ‘Little Mermaid’ flick. As always, there’s plenty more, so click on the link to read on. (SSN)
OTHER HEADLINES
Hollywood Feminist of the Day: Paul Feig to Add Equity Clause to Future Film Contracts
Ghostbusters director and co-writer said that he would add an equity clause to his future film contracts that would require gender-balanced casting for minor roles. Feig has made a fine career of writing great roles for women and directing women-centric projects, like Bridesmaids and The Heat. (WAH)
Acclaimed Documentarian Alex Gibney To Helm His First Narrative Feature, ‘The Action’
Director behind Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief and Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine will take on The Action, which is the story of eight anti-war activists who exposed J. Edgar Hoover as he spied and blackmailed Vietnam War protesters. Scott Z. Burns, who worked on the screenplays for Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion and Side Effects, will pen the feature. (IW)
A Lesson Learned From ‘Batman v Superman’? ‘Suicide Squad’ Doing Reshoots To Add Humor and Lightness
Film’s principal photography began in early April of last year and wrapped four months later. Nowadays, big blockbusters going in for reshoots isn’t anything out of the ordinary, but Warner Bros is now taking steps to give audiences a movie that, while still heavy on the action, will let the primary characters to have more lighthearted moments. (CB)
The Cast Of Peter Berg’s ‘Patriots Day’ Adds Yet Another Big Name, as Kevin Bacon Signs Up
Bacon is breaking out his FBI windbreaker and returning to Boston for the CBS Films and Lionsgate pic about the events surrounding the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. He’ll play Richard DesLauriers, the Bureau’s special agent in charge, one of the law-enforcement figures during the manhunt for the bombers who carried out the attacks on the city’s annual race. Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, Michelle Monaghan and J.K. Simmons also star. (DH)
Jim Parsons Is Making a Rare Foray Into Movies, Will Star In Warner Bros. Comedy ‘Man-Witch’
Actor is in talks to star in Man-Witch, a long-gestating comedy set up at Warner Bros. Parsons also will develop the project and work behind the camera, joining Neal Moritz as a producer. The story tells of a schoolteacher (Parsons) who abruptly discovers he’s got witchlike powers. A coven of real witches takes him in, promptly sending him to “witch school,” where he is the lone adult, surrounded by little girl witches-in-training. (HV)
After Literally Years and Years Of Struggles, Terry Gilliam Will Finally Shoot His ‘Don Quixote’ Movie In September
The genius/mad man behind Brazil, Time Bandits, The Fisher King, and Twelve Monkeys, will finally get his passion project new financing and go before cameras this September. The latest producer to tempt fate and try to get The Man Who Killed Don Quixote made is Paulo Branco, who will produce through his Paris-based Alfama Films. Spain’s Tornasol Films and Portugal’s Leopardo Filmes will co-produce. The film will have a budget of $18 million. (SF)
Robin Wright Joins Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Blade Runner’ Sequel With Harrison Ford And Ryan Gosling
House of Cards star is in final negotiations to join the movie. The story that screenwriters Hampton Fancher and Michael Green have come up with is being kept under wraps. Production begins in July and the “Untitled Blade Runner Sequel” will open on January 12th, 2018. (TP)
Live Action Fairy Tale Alert: Disney Now Developing Movie About Snow White’s Sister, Rose Red
The new pitch from screenwriter Evan Daugherty will add Rose Red into the well-known tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with the aim of making her a lead character who plays a pivotal role in the latter half of the narrative. When Snow White is cursed into unconsciousness after biting a poison apple, her estranged sister Rose Red is forced to undertake a quest with the Dwarves to find a way to break the curse and bring Snow White back to life. (COL)