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Gael García Bernal’s brother debuts on film

2008/09/03 at 12:00am

Gael García Bernal’s brother debuts on film

09.3.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Alameda Films, Mexico’s oldest and most prolific film production company, marks its 60th year with a turn toward edgier fare. The producer of various Arturo Ripstein classics and 2003 Oscar-nommed “The Crime of Father Amaro,” the highest-grossing local pic in Mexican film history, started shooting “Daniel & Ana” last week. Drama tracks two siblings whose joint kidnapping takes its toll on their relationship and their family.

Budgeted at $1.5 million, somber tale is the directorial feature debut of Michel Franco and stars newcomers Dario Yazbek Bernal, the younger brother of “Father Amaro” lead Gael Garcia Bernal, and Marimar Vega, daughter of veteran thesp Gonzalo Vega.

Cinematographer Chuy Chavez‘s credits include the visually arresting “Me and You and Everyone We Know.” Spain’s Morena Films co- produces pic.

Under the stewardship of Daniel Birman Ripstein, who took over full reins of the company when partner/ grandfather Alfredo Ripstein (and father of helmer Arturo) died in January 2007, Alameda Films has a lined up a couple of ambitious projects.

Shingle moves into uncharted territory with its first animated pic, “El Santos,” based on the wildly popular ’80s comic strip by illustrators Jis and Trino. Development has been under way the past three years, according to Birman who, chafing at the sluggish pace of animation filmmaking, says the pic should be finished by 2010.

“El Santos” could bring Alameda box office gold, just as it did the makers of 2006 toon “Una pelicula de huevos” (A Movie With Eggs), which now ranks as the second all-time grossing Mexican pic. Alameda is also developing an adaptation of Arthur Machen’s short story, “The Islington Mystery” which inspired the darkly comic 1960 pic “El esqueleto de la Senora Morales” (The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales).

Meanwhile, company is prepping digitally restored collections of the more than 100 pics produced by Alfredo Ripstein/Alameda since 1948, among them Jorge Pons‘ “Midaq Alley,” which launched Salma Hayek.

Shingle produced a couple of docus in the past years, among them Carrera’s “The Red Queen: A Mayan Mystery” for the Discovery Channel. Birman is co-producing the Mexican adaptation of Broadway show “Avenue Q.” He also heads sister distrib Film House, which has released a number of pics.

“There just weren’t that many good projects out there,” says Birman of the shingle’s five year hiatus from fiction pics. But once he read Franco’s screenplay, Birman jumped at the chance to produce it. “I know that this has been well worth the wait.”

By Mack Chico

2008/08/30 at 12:00am

Movies

‘The Strangers 2’ on the way

08.30.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Rogue Pictures has set in motion a sequel to its summer hit “The Strangers“ and has set Bryan Bertino to return to write the script.

Bertino wrote the original and made his directing debut on the film; it’s yet to be determined whether he’ll helm the sequel.

The expectation is that Liv Tyler, along with several of the original villains, will return. Production is being slated for early 2009.

“Strangers” became Rogue’s first breakout hit, and the genre division of Focus Features is approaching the sequel as a franchise that could have the legs of “Saw“ or “Scream.”

Budgeted at $9 million, the film grossed $54 million domestically in a highly competitive summer release slot. It has just begun an international rollout that expands to the U.K. this Friday.

Like the original, the sequel will be a co-production of Vertigo Entertainment and Mandate Pictures, with Doug Davison, Roy Lee and Nathan Kahane producing. Rogue is co-financing along with Intrepid Pictures, whose principals, Marc D. Evans and Trevor Macy, will be exec producers.

Bertino is also scripting to direct “Black,” a character-driven thriller with supernatural elements, and is rewriting to direct the thriller “Alone.” Both are for Rogue.

John Lennon’s teenage years to be seen in ‘Nowhere Boy’

By Mack Chico

2008/08/30 at 12:00am

Movies

John Lennon’s teenage years to be seen in ‘Nowhere Boy’

08.30.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Brit artist-turned-helmer Sam Taylor-Wood has signed on to direct “Nowhere Boy,” which tells the story of the teenage years of John Lennon.

U.K.-based Ecosse Films’ Robert Bernstein and Douglas Rae will produce the project, with Hanway Films handling worldwide sales.

Pic will be part of Hanway’s slate in Toronto, which also includes Michael Winterbottom’s “Genova,” starring Colin Firth, and Gerald McMorrow’s “Franklyn,” starring Eva Green and Ryan Phillippe.

Taylor-Wood was nominated for a Palme d’Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival for her debut short “Love You More,” produced by her mentor, the late Anthony Minghella.

She was previously part of the loosely defined Young British Artist group, alongside the likes of Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, which turned the Brit art scene on its head during much of the 1990s. She is married to leading art dealer Jay Jopling.

“The story spoke to me on so many levels — both personal and artistic,” commented Taylor-Wood. “From the heightened emotional content to the color and animation that I want to bring to the story.

“The women in John’s early life truly shaped who he became and the strengths and weaknesses of their relationships are central to this film.

“It’s a passionate, alive and tender film; full of love, anger and rock’n’roll.”

Pic is written by Matt Greenhalgh, who won a BAFTA earlier this year for helmer Anton Corbijn’s “Control,” about doomed Joy Division singer Ian Curtis.

“Nowhere Boy” follows Lennon through his formative years growing up in Liverpool, the tense relationship between his aunt Mimi and mother Julia and on to his first meetings with Paul McCartney.

Casting for the lead roles is underway, with lensing set to start in March next year on location in Liverpool.

Pic was co-developed by public funding org. the U.K. Film Council.

By Mack Chico

2008/08/28 at 12:00am

Movies

Tom Cruise defends ‘Valkyrie’

08.28.2008 | By Mack Chico |

“I LOVE Paula Wagner but she wants to produce elsewhere and in her own venue and I don’t intend to stand in her way. I’ll say this of her leaving United Artists — whatever Paula wants is what I want her to have! And I hope we’ll continue working together on future projects.” So spoke Tom Cruise on the phone with me this week. He added, cryptically: “I don’t run United Artists; I just own it.” It’s always fun to talk to Tom who tells me that his now “controversial” film about the German resistance attempt to assassinate Adolph Hitler in World War II is coming out on Dec. 26. All those critics who have panned the project, “Valkyrie,” in advance, should know that nothing can deter Tom from his belief in this story. He says, “It’s original. It’s suspenseful. The writers Chris McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander are just great and I can’t say enough good things about the director Bryan Singer. I first met him at the ‘Mission: Impossible’ premiere and we’ve been hoping to work together ever since. (Singer is the man who did “X-Men” and “Superman Returns.”

WHEN I asked Tom why he felt so many people in the business have gone after the “Valkyrie” project as if it’s a bad idea or something historically obscene, he sighed: “It just doesn’t make sense to me either. The moment I read the screenplay I knew it was an important story and as it’s a true tale of heroic resistance to one of the great villains of history, I can’t imagine that people won’t want to see it.”

I ASKED Tom if he will continue doing comedies on the heels of his “character” impersonation as a fat, horrid studio executive in Ben Stiller‘s “Tropic Thunder?” He laughed, “Well, I’m always looking for something new and Ben’s movie is hilarious. He and I are old friends and he is a really good director, so originally I said I’d do it just for friendship. But it turned out great. I actually love comedy and I did it in ‘Risky Business‘ so I’ll do more if it presents itself. I’m also always looking for a good love story and I think I have one in a coming international thriller called ‘The Tourist.’ I believe I will be doing that.”

I told Tom I was looking forward to his wife’s debut on Broadway in the revival of Arthur Miller‘s “All My Sons.” He said, “Things are going really well for Katie and we’ll see you on opening night, Sept. 18.” I congratulated moviedom’s big star on his little baby girl. He began to burble: “Oh, yes, she’s so charming; she’s so beautiful; she’s just great!” (That was Daddy talking, not the formidable icon who has made billions of dollars for Hollywood since 1983.)

George Clooney to star in ‘Up in the Air’

By Mack Chico

2008/08/28 at 12:00am

Movies

George Clooney to star in ‘Up in the Air’

08.28.2008 | By Mack Chico |

George Clooney is in talks to star in “Up in the Air,” an adaptation of the Walter Kirn novel that Jason Reitman adapted and will direct for DreamWorks.

Clooney will play an unapologetic corporate downsizer whose untethered life is consumed by collecting air miles.

The project is set up at the Montecito Picture Co., which has its first-look deal with DreamWorks.

Producers are Ivan Reitman, Tom Pollock, Joe Medjuck and Jeff Clifford for Montecito and Hard C’s Daniel Dubiecki and Jason Reitman. Ted Griffin will also be involved in a producing capacity.

Kirn’s novel was previously set up at Fox 2000 and Jay Roach’s Everyman Pictures.

Montecito has controlled the book since 2004, when it was bought and packaged with a spec script by “The Longest Yard” scribe Sheldon Turner, with Griffin producing.

Reitman had separately been infatuated with the book and came into Montecito with 30 pages that showed how he saw the film. He has been writing it on and off for five years, putting it down when he read Diablo Cody’s “Juno” script. Reitman returned to the project in the spring (Daily Variety, May 15). He completed the script weeks ago and just showed it to Clooney.

Reitman and Dubiecki just completed producing the Karyn Kusama-directed Cody-scripted cheerleader-from-hell comic thriller “Jennifer’s Body” for Fox Atomic. Reitman hopes for “Up in the Air” to be his directorial followup to “Juno.”

Clooney will next be seen in “Burn After Reading“ and is voicing the title character in “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” Wes Anderson’s animated adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel.

‘A Serious Man’ – Coen brothers’ new film is cast

By Mack Chico

2008/08/20 at 12:00am

Movies

‘A Serious Man’ – Coen brothers’ new film is cast

08.20.2008 | By Mack Chico |

The Coen brothers have tapped a pair of relative unknowns to star in their next pic, “A Serious Man.”

Michael Stuhlbarg, a Tony-nominated actor with little experience in front of the cameras, and Richard Kind, a character actor best known for his role on ABC’s “Spin City,” will star as brothers in the period black comedy.

Set in 1967, story centers on Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg), a Midwestern professor whose life begins to unravel when his wife sets out to leave him and his socially inept brother (Kind) won’t move out of the house.

Shooting is set to start at the beginning of next month in Minneapolis.

Working Title is producing, and Focus Features will distribute.

Joel and Ethan Coen, whose George Clooney–Brad Pitt starrer “Burn After Reading“ will open next month, penned the screenplay for “A Serious Man” and are sharing producing duties. Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner exec produce.

Stuhlbarg, who has made guest appearances on “Law & Order” and “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” was nominated for a Tony for his role in “The Pillowman” and starred in the title role of this summer’s Shakespeare in the Park production of “Hamlet.”

He is repped by manager Lisa Loosemoore.

Kind’s credits include “For Your Consideration,” “The Station Agent” and “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” and the TV series “Mad About You.”

Mike Myers joins Tarantino’s ‘Inglorious Bastards’

By Mack Chico

2008/08/15 at 12:00am

Movies

Mike Myers joins Tarantino’s ‘Inglorious Bastards’

08.15.2008 | By Mack Chico |

Mike Myers has been recruited by Quentin Tarantino to join the ensemble cast of “Inglorious Bastards,” the Tarantino-scripted pic that the Weinstein Co. and Universal will put into production Oct. 13 in Germany.

Myers will play British Gen. Ed Fenech, a military mastermind who takes part in hatching a plot to wipe out Nazi leaders.

Brad Pitt recently committed to star in the film, along with Eli Roth, and Tarantino is also courting Simon Pegg, Nastassja Kinski, David Krumholtz and B.J. Novak.

George Clooney buys rights to ‘The Challenge’

By Mack Chico

2008/08/13 at 12:00am

Movies

George Clooney buys rights to ‘The Challenge’

08.13.2008 | By Mack Chico |

George Clooney is taking a taxi to the dark side.

The multi-tasking thesp has bought the rights to Jonathan Mahler‘s legal thriller “The Challenge,” about the long campaign waged by U.S. Navy lawyer Charles Swift and Georgetown law professor Neal Katyal to ensure a fair trial for Salim Hamdan, the bodyguard and driver of Osama bin Laden.

Project will be developed through Clooney and Grant Heslov‘s Smoke House shingle. Deal is believed to be in the low-seven-figure range.

As with any Smoke House project, “The Challenge” remains a potential directing, writing and starring vehicle for Clooney.

A spokesman for Clooney confirmed that no decision had been made yet on what exact role Clooney would take on the project, although some are already speculating that the role of idealistic lawyer Swift may prove a fit for the thesp.

Clooney had been tracking Mahler’s story for some time, and Smoke House execs met with the writer months before the book’s recent publication. While there had been interest from other potential buyers, Clooney’s persistence is believed to have played a key role in persuading Mahler to sign with Smoke House.

Hamdan was sentenced Aug. 7 by a panel of military officers at Guantanamo Bay to a prison term of 66 months, including time already served. The Yemeni-born convict was found guilty of material support for terrorism but cleared of the more serious charges of conspiracy to commit murder, seen by some analysts as a victory for retired naval officer Swift’s efforts.

Mahler’s book ends with the landmark 2006 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the military tribunals ordered for Hamdan and other Guantanamo Bay detainees violated the Geneva Convention and the Uniform Code for Military Justice. While Mahler is planning to update the paperback edition of his book to include Hamdan’s trial verdict, it is unclear when Clooney’s bigscreen adaptation of “The Challenge” will end.

Project is the latest in a series of politically charged projects being developed by Smoke House.

Also in the pipeline are dramedy “Escape From Tehran,” recounting the CIA’s attempts to use a fake movie project to smuggle a handful of Americans out of Tehran during the 1979 hostage crisis; “Men Who Stare at Goats,” based on Brit author Jon Ronson’s book about the U.S. Army’s 1st Earth Battalion, which was authorized to use paranormal powers; and “Our Brand Is Crisis,” an adaptation of Rachel Boynton‘s doc about the 2002 Bolivian presidential election, when candidate Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada hired James Carville‘s political consulting firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner to help him win.

Angelina Jolie takes over for Cruise in "Edwin A. Salt"

By Mack Chico

2008/08/11 at 12:00am

Movies

Angelina Jolie takes over for Cruise in "Edwin A. Salt"

08.11.2008 | By Mack Chico |

“Edwin A. Salt” is about to undergo a gender change.
Once expected to star Tom Cruise, the Columbia Pictures espionage thriller will be redrafted by screenwriter Kurt Wimmer as a star vehicle for Angelina Jolie. Philip Noyce remains attached as director and Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Sunil Perkash are producing.

Jolie is close to a deal to play the title character, a CIA officer who’s accused by a defector of being a Russian sleeper spy and must elude capture long enough to establish her innocence.

Cruise had long flirted with the project, but that ended recently. The well-regarded script had several male movie stars circling.

Jolie took a liking to it, prompting the studio’s decision to rewrite it. Sources said the project won’t require that much of an overhaul to suit her.

After Universal beefed up Jolie’s role in “Wanted” and then marketed the action film squarely on Jolie’s shoulders and watched it gross $132 million domestically, Jolie reestablished in the wake of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” that she is the rare female who is viable in an action genre that has been almost the exclusive domain of men.

“Edwin A. Salt” will undergo a title change, and if everything falls into place, the film shapes up as a return vehicle for Jolie, who recently gave birth to twins. Another candidate for her return is the Lionsgate drama “Atlas Shrugged,” which has been adapted by Randall Wallace from the Ayn Rand novel.

Jolie, who also provided a lead voice in the DreamWorks Animation hit “Kung Fu Panda,” drew strong notices at the Cannes Film Festival for her starring role in the Clint Eastwood-directed drama “The Changeling” for Imagine and Universal. That film opens in late October.

Jolie is repped by Media Talent Group’s Geyer Kosinski.