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Elvis & Nixon 1/12/2015 Logline: Story of Elvis Presley's visit with Richard Nixon at the White House on December 21, 1970. Production Companies: Holly Wiersma Productions, Elevated Film Sales Director: Liza Johnson Executive Producer(s): Byron Wetzel, Tim Smith, Paul Brett Producer(s): Cassian Elwes, Holly Wiersma Cast: Kevin Spacey, Michael Shannon, Luke Wilson, Kevin Connolly, Evan Peters Writer(s): Jason Micallef, Cary Elwes, Joseph Sagal, Hanala Sagal SSN Insight: Eric Bana was previously in negotiations to play Elvis Presley. Emma Roberts was previously in negotiations to play Margaret. Danny Huston was previously attached to star. The film was featured in SSN’s list of the most bankable films at AFM, click here to read more.
Lion 1/17/2015 Logline: A five-year-old Indian boy gets lost on a train and ends up being adopted by an Australian couple. Using Google Earth he attempts to find his lost family 25 years later. Based on a true story. Studio: The Weinstein Company Production Companies: Sherman Pictures (AUS), See-Saw Films, Aquarius Films (Australia), Sunstar Entertainment Director: Garth Davis Executive Producer(s): Andrew Fraser, Shahen Mekertichian, Daniel Levin Producer(s): Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Angie Fielder Cast: Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Priyanka Bose, Tannishtha Chatterjee Writer(s): Luke Davies Details: Based on the novel "A Long Way Home" written by Saroo Brierley and published by Putnam on June 12, 2014. SSN Insight: Weinstein acquired worldwide distribution rights, excluding Australia and New Zealand, for a rumored $12 million. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman also appeared together in "Australia" (2008), directed by Baz Luhrmann.
Mohenjo Daro 1/18/2015 Logline: A Bronze-Age period tale of adventure and romance set during the heyday of the Indus Valley Civilization. Production Companies: Disney India - UTV, Ashutosh Gowariker Productions Director: Ashutosh Gowariker Producer(s): Ashutosh Gowariker Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde, Kabir Bedi SSN Insight: The schedule was delayed when Hrithik who was gearing up for shooting was injured. Filmmaker Gowariker specializes in period pieces. His previous film entitled, “Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India,” was set during the period of India's colonial British Raj and starred Aamir Khan, won an Oscar nomination for foreign-language film and was a enormous box office success totaling over $1.4 billion dollars.
The Accountant 1/19/2015 Logline: A seemingly a run-of-the-mill small town accountant who has overcome his severe Asperger's Syndrome and now heads a one-man accounting firm, where his clients include the world's most notorious criminals, secretly works as a hitman. Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Production Company: Electric City Entertainment Director: Gavin O'Connor Executive Producer(s): No Executive Producer Available. Producer(s): Lynette Howell, Mark Williams, Kevin Scott Frakes, Raj Singh Cast: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson Writer(s): Bill Dubuque SSN Insight: Screenplay was on the 2011 Black List. Albert Hughes was previously mentioned to direct. Project was previously set up at Warner Bros. before their option expired, then was picked up by Sony but was put in turnaround. Warner Bros. bought the project back.
Untitled (Blumhouse/Joel Edgerton Project) 1/19/2015 Logline: A happily married couple's lives are threatened when an old school classmate of theirs enters their lives seeking revenge for his past treatment by the husband. Production Companies: Blumhouse Productions, Blue Tongue Films, Ahimsa Films Director: Joel Edgerton Executive Producer(s): No Executive Producer Available. Producer(s): Rebecca Yeldham, Jason Blum Cast: Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, Joel Edgerton, Joel Kinnaman Writer(s): Joel Edgerton SSN Insight: The film marks Edgerton’s directorial debut. Blumhouse is on a roll and its recently released “Ouija” held the number one box office spot for two weeks, marking Blumhouse’s 7th microbudget film to hit the top spot.
Untitled De Niro/Efron Project 1/12/2015 Logline: A recently widowed veteran tricks his adult grandson into going on a road trip for Spring Break in Florida. Studio: Lionsgate Production Companies: Josephson Entertainment, Ninjas Runnin' Wild Productions Director: Dan Mazer Executive Producer(s): Alexander F. Young, John Friedberg Producer(s): Barry Josephson, Bill Block, Jason Barrett, Michael Simkin Cast: Zac Efron, Robert De Niro, Zoey Deutch, Aubrey Plaza, Dermot Mulroney Writer(s): John Phillips SSN Insight: Screenplay was on the 2011 Black List. Project was previously set up at Universal.
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Colonia 1/14/2015 Logline: A young German couple is swept up in the violence of the Chilean military coup of 1973. Production Companies: Majestic Filmverleih, Rat Pack Filmproduktion, Iris Productions Deutschland Director: Florian Gallenberger Producer(s): Benjamin Herrmann Cast: Emma Watson, Daniel Bruhl, Michael Nyqvist Writer(s): Florian Gallenberger, Torsten Wenzel SSN Insight: The filming locations included Luxembourg, Munich, Berlin and South America. This project marks Gallenberger’s first fully English-language feature following the German/English ‘John Rabe’ and 2004’s Bengali ‘Shadows of Time’.
The 5th Wave 1/17/2015 Logline: A young girl searches for her missing brother taken by aliens that have invaded Earth. She falls for a human boy who helps her, but might actually be an alien. Studio: Columbia Pictures Production Companies: Material Pictures, GK Films Director: J Blakeson Executive Producer(s): Denis O'Sullivan, Richard Middleton Producer(s): Tobey Maguire, Graham King, Matthew Plouffe, Lynn Harris Cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Alex Roe, Liev Schreiber, Tony Revolori Writer(s): Susannah Grant Details: Based on the book "The 5th Wave," written by Rick Yancey published by Putnam May 7, 2013.
Unlocked 1/17/2015 Logline: A female CIA interrogator is tricked into getting a terrorist to provide crucial information to the wrong side, forcing her into the middle of a devastating biological attack on London. Production Companies: Di Bonaventura Pictures, Silver Reel Partners Director: Michael Apted Executive Producer(s): Erik Howsam Producer(s): Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Georgina Townsley Cast: Noomi Rapace, Michael Douglas, Orlando Bloom Writer(s): Peter O'Brien SSN Insight: Project was previously set up at Warner Bros. Mikael Hafstrom was previously attached to direct.
Vincent-N-Roxxy 1/16/2015 Logline: A man and woman go on a crime spree while falling in love. Studio: No Studio Available. Production Company: Red Band Films Director: Gary Michael Schultz Executive Producer(s): No Executive Producer Available. Producer(s): Keith Kjarval Cast: Emile Hirsch, Zoe Kravitz, Zoey Deutch, Emory Cohen Writer(s): Gary Michael Schutlz SSN Insight: Anton Yelchin and Megalyn Echikunwoke were previously attached to star.