Film Development for 3/19/15: Amy Pascal to Produce ‘Little Women’, ‘Beauty & the Beast’ Cast Updates & More

NEW ATTACHMENTS

Little Women Logline: The four March sisters grow up in the years following the Civil War. Studio/ Distributor: Columbia Pictures Production Company: Di Novi Pictures, Amy Pascal Company Producers: Denise Di Novi, Robin Swicord, Amy Pascal Writer: Sarah Polley SSN Insight: The addition of Pascal and Polley round out an already female driven story and give Polley a good chance at directing down the line. Deepwater Horizon Logline: Based on the true events that occurred on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, the story chronicles the courage of those who worked on the Deepwater Horizon and the extreme moments of bravery and survival in the face of what would become one of the biggest man-made disasters in world history. Studio/ Distributor: Lionsgate Production Company: Participant Media, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Closest to the Hole Productions, Leverage Management Producers: Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian, Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, David Womark Writer: J. C. Chandor Director: Peter Berg Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Mark Wahlberg SSN Insight: Rodriguez would star as the film’s lead, the communications officer for the oil company. Wahlberg stars as an electrician on the rig. Beauty and the Beast (Reboot) Logline: Re-imagining of the fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”. Studio/ Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures Production Company: Mandeville Films Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman Writer: Stephen Chobosky Director: Bill Condon Cast: Emma Thompson, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Luke Evans, Emma Watson, Dan Stevens SSN Insight: Hot on the heels of the success of it’s live action adaptation of Cinderella, Disney is anxious to get this film out and has rounded out its cast and announced a release date of March 17, 2017. Stars My Destination Logline: The sole survivor of a wrecked spaceship drifts through space. When a passing vessel ignores his distress signal, he becomes obsessed with revenge and ultimately uncovers a secret destined to change the course of history. Studio: Paramount Pictures Production Company: Disruption Entertainment Producers: Mary Parent Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts Notes: Based on the novel "The Stars My Destination" written by Alfred Bester published by Berkley Books 1956. SSN Insight: Betty Thomas was previously attached to direct.and the project was set up at 20^th Century Fox,, Constantin Film, and Impact Pictures. Project was also previously set up at Universal with Lorenzo di Bonaventura attached to produce via Di Bonaventura Pictures. The Seven Five Logline: The true story of Michael Dowd is told. Dowd led a ring of criminalized cops in the corrupt 1980s NYPD until he was arrested in 1992. Studio/ Distributor: Columbia Pictures Production Company: Le Grisbi Productions, Annapurna Pictures, All3Media America Producers: John Lesher, Megan Ellison, Eli Holzman Writer: Scott Frank Director: Yann Demange Notes: Based on the documentary The Seven Five (USA/2014) directed by Tiller Russell. SSN Insight: Putting Frank together with in demand director Demange means the studio has high hopes for the project and hopes to make the movie. Agatha Logline: Mystery author Agatha Christie mysteriously goes missing for almost two weeks on a secret adventure. Studio/ Distributor: Paramount Pictures Production Companies: Disruption Entertainment Producers: Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Chris Bender, Jake Weiner, JC Spink Writer: Annie Neal SSN Insight: Project was originally a spec script by writer Allison Schroeder, but directors are now circling the project and the studio was looking for a rewrite. Scarface (Reboot) Logline: Update of the classic crime tale, charting the rise and fall of a mafia kingpin in Los Angeles. Studio/ Distributor: Universal Pictures Production Companies: Global Produce, Bluegrass Films Producers: Mark Shmuger, Martin Bregman, Scott Stuber, Dylan Clark Writer: Jonathan Herman Director: Pablo Larrain SSN Insight: Hot screenwriters Paul Attanasio and David Ayer have also penned previous drafts of the project. Tag Logline: Former classmates, now in middle age, routinely participate in an elaborate game of tag. Studio/ Distributor: New Line Cinema Production Companies: Broken Road Productions Producers: Todd Garner Writer: Rob McKittrick Cast: Jack Black, Will Ferrell Notes: Based on the article "Tag Brothers" written by Russell Adams and published in The Wall Street Journal January 29, 2013. SSN Insight: New Line won a bidding war with DreamWorks originally to pick up the picture.

NEW PROJECTS

Zero Footprint Logline: Story recounts the chain of events that led to that fateful day when U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, U.S. Foreign Services’ Sean Smith and CIA operatives Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods were mercilessly killed by Islamic terrorists in Benghazi. Studio/ Distributor: Alcon Entertainment Producers: Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson and Cynthia Sikes Yorkin Writers: Scott Charnick, Charley Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides SSN Insight: Two other Benghazi films are also in development. Michael Bay is adapting 13 Hours: The Inside Account Of What Really Happened On Benghazi for Paramount based on the Mitchell Zuckoff nonfiction book. Relativity and producer Dana Brunetti (Fifty Shades Of Grey) acquired life rights to the two former Navy SEALs/CIA operatives — Doherty and Woods — who lost their lives that day as they tried to save others. Fox Hunt Logline: U.S. and Chinese investigators team up to investigate a car smuggling ring in the South China sea, and the operation causes unexpected and violent results. Studio/ Distributor: Fox International Production Company: Bona Film Group Writer: Antony Hoffman, Brian Brightly Director: Antony Hoffman SSN Insight: Hoffman is one of the hottest directors in the commercial world and has much experience shooting in China. This would be his feature film directorial debut. Variant Logline: Storyline under wraps. Studio/ Distributor: Warner Bros. Production Companies: Weimaraner Republic Pictures Producers: Lynn Harris, Matti Leshem Writer: Tony Jaswinski SSN Insight: Lynn Harris, who was a former Warner Bros. exec, is producing the project with her new production label. Project sold in a bidding war. Blue Thunder (Remake) Logline: The United States uses their most advanced drones to battle terrorists. Studio/ Distributor: Columbia Pictures Production Companies: Trigger Street Pictures, Escape Artists Producers: Dana Brunetti, Jason Blumenthal Writer: Craig Kyle Director: Bryan Singer Notes: Remake of "Blue Thunder" (USA/1983), directed by John Badham and starring Roy Scheider and Daniel Stern. SSN Insight: In the new take, the helicopter from the first film will be replaced by the world’s most advanced drone. Jesse Owens Biopic Logline: This biopic tells the story of Jesse Owens, the African American sprinter who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, disproving Hitler’s theory of Aryan supremacy. Distributor: Relativity Media Production Companies: Inspire Entertainment Producers: Anthony Mackie, Jamie Linden, Jason Spire, George Olsen Writer: George Olsen Cast: Anthony Mackie SSN Insight: Mackie developed the project and first shopped it in May of 2014. But, as his star rises in films such as the next Captain America, John Hillcoat’s Triple 9 and Warner Bros’ Our Brand Is Crisis, the biopic gained heat and Relativity wants to start shooting in October. Blackbird Logline: A girl who wakes up on the tracks of the LA subway with no memory, a tattoo, $1,000, a phone number and instructions not to call the police, knowing only that people are trying to kill her. Studio/ Distributor: Lionsgate Production Company: Alloy Entertainment Producers: Elysa Dutton, Leslie Morgenstein Writer: Daniel Mackey Notes: Based on the YA novel, “Blackbird” published by HarperTeen last September. SSN Insight: Lionsgate continues its YA hot streak after Twilight and The Hunger Games with this new acquisition. The Brain Hack Logline: When two student create a way to induce hallucinogenic visions of God, they find themselves stalked by a cult that wants to destroy them. Studio/ Distributor: Studio 8 Production Companies: 3 Arts Entertainment Producers: Jeff Robinov, Erwin Stoff, Will Rowbotham, Richard Abate Director: Joe White Notes: Based on the short film "The Brain Hack" (USA/2014) written and directed by Joe White. SSN Insight: White is a hot commercials director and designer. This would be his feature directorial debut.