UNIVERSAL CITY, CA, October 8, 2012—Universal Pictures and Focus Features today announced that Kelly Marcel will write the screenplay to the highly anticipated film adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti will produce the film based on E L James’ #1 Bestselling book, alongside James. The announcement was made by [...]
Universal has just debuted the first teaser trailer for Greg Mottola’s “Paul,” a sci-fi comedy that sees the reunion of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (“Shaun of the Dead”). Two British comic book nerds who, after a road trip to Comic-Con, happen upon an alien escapee from Area 51. Seth Rogen voices the computer-animated alien.
Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens), the iconic and later infamous nerd who rose to prominence in the 1980s with his popular children’s television show, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” has teamed up with Comedy guru, Judd Apatow on an untitled Pee-wee Herman feature for Universal. Variety reports that Reubens is hard at work on the script along with actor/comedian/writer [...]
Tentatively perpetuating his volatile relationship with Universal Pictures after disagreements over a possible fourth installment in the Matt Damon-as-super-spy “Bourne” franchise, director Paul Greengrass, with the studio’s blessing, has decided take his ball and go home — er, I mean to Iraq. After scoring massive hits with the second and third “Bourne” installments, “The Bourne [...]
Sam Worthington, the inexplicable star of James Cameron’s giant worldwide success, “Avatar,” is in negotiations to anchor the cast in the title role of Alex Proyas’ period vampire project, “Dracula Year Zero,” for Universal. Michael De Luca is set to produce. THR reports that the spec script written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, which [...]
Oscar winner Russell Crowe stars as the legendary figure known by generations as Robin Hood, whose exploits have endured in popular mythology and ignited the imagination of those who share his spirit of adventure and righteousness. In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an [...]
We reported in September that Universal Pictures was developing a live-action movie based on Hasbro’s naval combat board game “Battleship,” to be directed by Peter Berg. Berg explained that the film will be a contemporary story about an international five-ship fleet engaged in intense warfare, but since then, much of the details have been sketchy [...]
French director, Pierre Morel, has signed on to direct “Signals,” reports THR. Morel’s most recent film, the overachieving “Taken,” grossed upwards of $220 million worldwide. “Signals,” written by Richard Potter and Matthew Stravitz, is set up over at Media Rights Capital Films, who bought the script in April and put it on the fast track [...]
Ridley Scott, the famed director behind futuristic dramas like “Blade Runner” and “Alien,” will take on the critically acclaimed and beloved dystopian work, Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World.” The Risky Biz Blog reports that Universal is taking the reins on the project where Scott will produce through his Scott Free banner and likely direct. Marty [...]
Russell Crowe has finalized negotiations with Lionsgate to star in “The Next Three Days,” an adaptation of the 2008 French film “Pour Elle,” reports Variety. “Crash” director Paul Haggis, who penned the script, will direct as well as produce with Michael Nozik through their Highway 61 Films. Crowe’s character is a teacher whose wife is [...]
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