STARTS
A Futile and Stupid Gesture
04/13/2016
Logline: The tragic story of Doug Kenney, co-founder and editor of the National Lampoon magazine and a major force in 1970s comedy, who tragically died at a young age.
Production Company(s): Principato-Young Entertainment, Darko Entertainment, Abominable Pictures
Director(s): David Wain
Executive Producer(s): Ed Helms, Michael Colton, John Aboud, Benjamin Ormand, Ted Hamm
Producer(s): Peter Principato, Jonathan Stern
Cast: Will Forte, Domhnall Gleeson, Joel McHale, John Gemberling, Thomas Lennon
Writer(s): Michael Colton, John Aboud
Details: Based on the book “A Futile and Stupid Gesture” written by Josh Karp and published by Chicago Review Press in 2006.
SSN Insight: Gleeson was recently seen in Ex Machina, The Revenant, Brooklyn and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Avatar 2
04/15/2016
Logline: Storyline is under wraps, but will focus on the moons of Polyphemus, the ocean and rainforests of Pandora, and the previous colonization of the planet.
Studio/Distributor(s): 20th Century Fox
Production Company(s): Lightstorm Entertainment
Director(s): James Cameron
Producer(s): Jon Landau, James Cameron
Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang
Writer(s): James Cameron, Josh Friedman, Shane Salerno
Details: Sequel to “Avatar” (2009) written and directed by James Cameron and starring Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver and Zoe Saldana.
SSN Insight: Avatar 2, 3, 4 & 5 will be filmed simultaneously.
Bikini Sunshine
04/11/2016
Logline: A charismatic, mercurial and troubled former Marine returns from Iraq and inadvertently becomes the center of a documentary film while she tries to integrate herself back into society, as well as regain custody of her young daughter.
Production Company(s): Czar
Director(s): Milcho Manchevski
Producer(s): Anja Wedell, Munire Armstrong
Cast: Condola Rashad
Writer(s): Milcho Manchevski
SSN Insight: Rashad is the star of Showtime’s Billions and she’s been seen in many Broadway productions including Romeo and Juliet, The Trip To Bountiful and Stick Fly.
Breath
04/11/2016
Logline: Two 16-year-old boys, looking to escape their mundane lives in Australia, take up surfing under the tutelage of a man named Sando and his mysterious wife.
Production Company(s): Gran Via Productions, See Pictures
Director(s): Simon Baker
Executive Producer(s): Tom Williams, John MacDonald, David Hansen, Laura Rister
Producer(s): Simon Baker, Mark Johnson, Jamie Hilton
Cast: Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake, Samson Coulter
Writer(s): Simon Baker, Peter Duncan, Gerard Lee, Tim Winton
Details: Based on the novel “Breath” written by Tim Winton and published by Macmillan in 2008.
SSN Insight: The film marks the directorial debut for Simon Baker who previously starred in CBS’ The Mentalist, during which he directed episodes of the series. On the film side, he was seen in Margin Call and I Give it a Year.
Fifty Shades Freed
04/11/2016
Logline: Christian and Anastasia have become a couple, but Christian’s past is coming back to haunt Anastasia.
Studio/Distributor(s): Universal Pictures
Production Company(s): Trigger Street Productions, Michael De Luca Productions
Director(s): James Foley
Producer(s): Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, E.L. James, Marcus Viscidi
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Arielle Kebbel, Kim Basinger, Luke Grimes
Writer(s): Niall Leonard
Details: Based on the book “Fifty Shades Freed,” the third book in the Fifty Shade trilogy, written by E.L. James and published by Vintage on April 17, 2012. Second sequel to “Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015) directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.
SSN Insight: Sam Taylor-Johnson was previously attached to direct. Universal Studios is shooting the sequels Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed back-to-back.
Justice League Part 1
04/11/2016
Logline: Storyline under wraps.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Company(s): DC Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment, Cruel & Unusual Films, Lin Pictures
Director(s): Zack Snyder
Executive Producer(s): Wesley Coller, Geoff Johns
Producer(s): George Miller, Barrie M. Osborne, Doug Mitchell, Dan Lin, Deborah Snyder
Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Ezra Miller, Gal Gadot
Writer(s): Chris Terrio, Will Beall, Kieran Mulroney, Michele Mulroney
Details: Based on the comic book series “Justice League of America” published by DC Comics.
SSN Insight: Adam Brody was previously attached to the role of The Flash. Common was previously attached to the role of Green Lantern. George Miller was previously attached to direct.
Steven
04/11/2016
Logline: This unauthorized biopic of former Smiths leader Morrissey focuses on his his troubled childhood in Manchester and how he overcame it to become a star.
Production Company(s): Honlodge Productions
Director(s): Mark Gill
Producer(s): Orian Williams, Baldwin Li
Cast: Jack Lowden, Jessica Brown Findlay
Writer(s): Mark Gill, William Thacker
SSN Insight: Findlay’s credits include Downton Abbey, The Riot Club, Jamaica Inn and The Outcast.
Submergence
04/11/2016
Logline: The interwoven stories of former lovers; one a member of British Intelligence, the other a scientist. They deal with life-threatening situations in different parts of the world, but by thinking of their short, passionate love affair, they find the strength to survive.
Production Company(s): Morena Films, Neue Road Movies, Lila 9th Productions, Waterstone Entertainment
Director(s): Wim Wenders
Producer(s): Cameron Lamb, Andrew Banks, Jeff Kalligheri
Cast: James McAvoy, Alicia Vikander
Writer(s): Erin Dignam
Details: Based on the novel “Submergence” by J.M. Ledgard; published by Coffee House Press March 26, 2013.
SSN Insight: James McAvoy can next be seen in X-Men: Apocalypse, Sherlock Gnomes (voice), Split and Focus’ Coldest City.
The Dark Tower
04/13/2016
Logline: The tale of gunslinger Roland Deschain’s quest for the Dark Tower.
Studio/Distributor(s): Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing
Production Company(s): Imagine Entertainment, Weed Road Pictures, Media Rights Capital
Director(s): Nikolaj Arcel
Executive Producer(s): Modi Wiczyk, Asif Satchu, Todd Hallowell, Jeff Pinkner
Producer(s): Brian Grazer, Akiva Goldsman, Ron Howard, Erica Huggins, Stephen King
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Idris Elba, Abbey Lee, Tom Taylor, Jackie Earle Haley
Writer(s): Anders Thomas Jensen, Nikolaj Arcel, Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinkner
Details: Based on the seven-book series “Dark Tower” that begins with “The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger” written by Stephen King and published by Donald M. Grant in 1982.
SSN Insight: Screenwriters Goldsman and Pinkner reportedly started from scratch and disregarded previous incarnations of the project, basing their script on the first book in the series. A complementary television series is also being developed by co-financier Media Rights Capital.
WRAPS
Fifty Shades Darker
04/15/2016
Logline: Anastasia has broken off her relationship with the troubled Christian to pursue a new career in a Seattle publishing house.
Studio/Distributor(s): Universal Pictures
Production Company(s): Trigger Street Productions, Michael De Luca Productions
Director(s): James Foley
Producer(s): Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, E.L. James, Marcus Viscidi
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Kim Basinger, Bella Heathcote, Robinne Lee
Writer(s): Niall Leonard
Details: Based on the book “Fifty Shades Darker,” the second book in the Fifty Shade trilogy, written by E.L. James and published by Vintage on April 17, 2012. Sequel to “Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015) directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.
SSN Insight: Fifty Shades Darker is scheduled for release on Feb. 10, 2017 while Fifty Shades Freed will be released on Feb. 9, 2018.
Goodbye, Felix Chester
04/15/2016
Logline: After finding out he has a month left to live, high school junior Felix Chester focuses all of his time and energy on one goal: losing his virginity to his dream girl.
Production Company(s): Anonymous Content, Madhouse Entertainment
Director(s): Autumn de Wilde
Executive Producer(s): Adam Kolbrenner, Ryan Cunningham
Producer(s): Robyn Meisinger, Vanessa Coifman, Eric Stern, Steven M Gagnon
Cast: Olivia Luccardi, Bill Kottkamp, Jason Sims-Prewitt, Amelia Mae Sheikh, Sasha Frolova
Writer(s): Max Taxe
SSN Insight: Project was included in the 2012 Black List.
Journeyman
04/15/2016
Logline: A boxing champ defends his title and collapses at home after the bout, resulting in a coma, memory loss, and the most important fight of his life.
Production Company(s): Inflammable Films
Director(s): Paddy Considine
Producer(s): Diarmid Scrimshaw
Cast: Paddy Considine, Jodie Whittaker, Faraz Ayub, Tony Pitts, Paul Popplewell
Writer(s): Paddy Considine
SSN Insight: StudioCanal will release the film in the UK with Cornerstone Films handling international rights.
Justice
04/15/2016
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
Director(s): Richard Gabai
Executive Producer(s): Niko Foster
Producer(s): A.J. Perez, John Lewis, Jim Burleson
Cast: Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Robert Carradine, Stephen Lang, Ellen Hollman, John Lewis
Writer(s): John Lewis, Shawn Justice
SSN Insight: Jamie-Lynn Sigler currently appears in Baby Daddy on Freeform. She will next be seen in the feature, I Want Kandee.