Philippe Dauman Ousted From Viacom, Ending Nasty Feud With Redstone Family
Anasty protracted war for control of Viacom appeared over last night, with a preliminary legal settlement that forced the ouster of embattled CEO Dauman and reasserted the power of frail patriarch Sumner Redstone. The initial agreement approved by Viacom’s board settles three separate lawsuits and makes COO Thomas Dooley interim chief executive of the conglomerate while also launching a search for a permanent replacement for Dauman. (VAR)
Fox Shake-Up: Paul Hanneman Exiting as Worldwide Marketing, Distribution Head
The Fox film worldwide president of marketing and distribution is leaving the studio after deciding not to renew his contract. The plan is for the Hanneman to stay in the job until October. His pending departure comes as Stacey Snider takes the reins of the studio from outgoing 20th Century Fox Film chairman-CEO Jim Gianopulos. (THR)
Today In Remake News: Ben Affleck To Tackle ‘Witness For the Prosecution’
While the Oscar winner just recently wrapped Live By Night for Warner Bros, he is in talks to direct and star in the adaptation of Agatha Christie’s short story for Fox. Affleck is set to produce the project alongside Matt Damon, Jennifer Todd and the Agatha Christie estate. Christopher Keyser will pen the script based on the story about a lawyer who represents a man accused of murdering a wealthy widow who named him her sole heir. (IW)
Jared Leto Becomes the Latest Big Name To Join the ‘Blade Runner’ Sequel
The exact nature of the role remains unclear, but Leto joins Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, and Dave Bautista, among others. The film is being directed by Denis Villeneuve, and will hit theaters October 6th, 2017. (CB)
NBC Buys ‘Blackmail’ Drama From Aaron Paul & Sonntag Brothers
Project centers on a young married couple who, after suffering a life-changing incident, decide to get back at the man responsible by threatening to reveal his infidelity to his fiancée. But when things turn out to be more sinister than the couple originally thought, a dark game of cat-and-mouse sets them on the path to knowing what it means to be a real-life power couple. Paul will produce via his Lucid Road shingle alongside writers John and Thomas Sonntag. (DH)
‘The Lost Boys’ TV Show in Development from ‘Veronica Mars’ Creator Rob Thomas
The CW has landed a series adaptation of the 1987 cult film from Thomas, Gulfstream TV, and Warner Bros. Television. A re-imagining of Joel Schumacher‘s film, Thomas’ spin on the series has huge plans for a seven-season run that explores what it means to be immortal, spanning 70 years, with each season chronicling a decade. (COL)
Ellen Page and Kate Mara Will Embark on a Forbidden Romance for the Drama ‘Mercy’
Actresses will play embattled love interests in the drama, which will be directed by Israeli filmmaker Tali Shalom Ezer. Page will play Lucy, a woman whose dad is on death row and who gets romantically entangled with Mara’s character, Mercy. (VUL)
Taylor Kitsch Joins Dylan O’Brien in ‘American Assassin’
CBS Films and Lionsgate announced that Kitsch is joining O’Brien and Academy Award-nominee Michael Keaton in the adaptation of Vince Flynn’s massive bestseller. Acclaimed filmmaker Michael Cuesta will direct the thriller from a screenplay by Stephen Schiff. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Nick Wechsler are producing. (CS)
‘Ben-Hur’ Begs the Question — When Is a Remake Actually Worth Remaking?
If we’ve learned anything this summer, it’s that forcing unwanted sequels or remakes on an indifferent audience leads to a lousy box office. It’s possible we’re seeing, too, that just because an older movie has a pedigree, that doesn’t mean the same audience wants to see a newer, likely lesser version of it. (TB)
Screenwriters: ‘Battlefield Earth’
The screenplay by Corey Mandell, labeled first draft and dated October, 1998. (HL)