Chris Columbus

CBS Orders Three Drama Pilots; HOMELAND’s Michael Cuesta to Direct Network’s Sherlock Holmes Pilot

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 26th, 2012 at 7:29 pm

CBS has put in orders for three wildly different dramas. Check out the details below:

• From Ilene Chaiken (The L Word) comes Quean, which follows a Lisbeth Salander-style hacker chick who assists an Oakland police detective in crime solving. Chaiken and Joel Silver will executive produce.
• Applebaum is based on Mommy-Track Mysteries, a book series by author Ayelet Waldman. The story follows an ex-public defender turned stay-at-home mom who becomes a private investigator to stave off boredom. Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) will direct the pilot and is among the executive producers.
• An untitled period piece from screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi (American Gangster) and Without a Trace executive producer Greg Walker will follow a 1960s rodeo cowboy turned Las Vegas sheriff. James Mangold (Walk the Line) will direct the pilot for the series based on the true story of Ralph Lamb.

Also from the network, Homeland’s executive producer and pilot-director Michael Cuesta recently signed a seven-figure deal that was good from the time the ink dried until June 1st of next year. His next test will be directing the pilot titled Elementary for the network’s contemporary Sherlock Holmes series. Hit the jump for more.

Chris Columbus to Produce HOW TO LIVE SAFELY IN A SCIENCE FICTIONAL UNIVERSE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 2nd, 2011 at 10:53 am

Chris Columbus and his 1492 Productions have picked up the screen rights to Charles Yu‘s novel How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe.  The story focuses on a time travel machine repairman (also named Charles Yu) who has spent 10 years going through the time stream to find his lost father.  His search eventually causes him to land a time loop and he must find a way to change the future.  Yesterday, I accused Daughter of Smoke and Bone of having a “Mary Sue” protagonist, but I’m assuming that despite Yu giving the lead character his name, How To Live doesn’t have the male equivalent (a “Gary Stu”) since the book received honors from Time Magazine and the New York Times.

Brendan Bellomo will make his feature directing debut on the movie.  The NYU film school grad previously directed the live action sci-fi short Bohemibot, which netted him a bronze medal in the narrative category at the 2009 Student Academy Awards.  Hit the jump to check out Bellomo’s director’s reel and try to focus on the visuals, not the silly use of the Inception trailer music.

MGM and Screenwriter Adam Green May Deliver KILLER PIZZA

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 9th, 2011 at 7:38 am

MGM is in talks to pick up screenwriter Adam Green‘s adaptation of Greg Taylor‘s novel Killer Pizza.  The story follows a teenager who gets a summer job working at the eponymous pizzeria, but then discovers it’s a front for a monster-hunting operation.  Also a good front for a monster-hunting operation: Linens N’ Things.  According to Deadline, Chris Columbus and his 1492 Entertainment Production Company brought the project to MGM believing it would fit with the studio’s desire to develop a movie in the vein of Gremlins and The Goonies.  For those unfamiliar with Green, he previously wrote and directed Hatchet and Frozen among other popular horror movies.  However, there’s no word at this point as to whether or not he’ll be getting behind the camera for Killer Pizza.

Hit the jump for a synopsis of Greg Taylor’s Killer Pizza.

CBS Reviving 1950s Western TV Series THE RIFLEMAN; Chris Columbus Will Direct and Produce

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: November 8th, 2011 at 8:14 pm

CBS is developing a remake of The Rifleman, the classic Western series that ran from 1958-1963.  In keeping with the legacy of Rifleman creator Sam Peckinpah, the new series is in the hands of a trio of interesting talents from the feature world.  Variety reports Chris Columbus (Percy Jackson & the Olympians), Patrick Lussier (Drive Angry), and Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island) are on board as executive producers.  Columbus is attached to direct, while Lussier and Klogridis will handle the script.

Hit the jump for more on the original series, which centers on “a skilled gunman and widowed Civil War hero (Chuck Connors) who moves to uncharted New Mexico territory to raise his young son and gets recruited by the sheriff to help protect the unruly town.”

Chris Columbus in Talks to Direct THE SECRET LIVES OF ROAD CREWS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 23rd, 2011 at 4:06 pm

I guess Adventures in Babysitting, Home Alone, and Mrs. Doubtfire will carry director Chris Columbus forever (the Harry Potter movies don’t count; they were successful because they were Harry Potter).  Despite having almost three times as many flops as hits, Columbus continues to get work.  He’s attached to direct a remake of the Korean comedy Hello Ghost and now Deadline reports that he’s in talks for the action comedy The Secret Lives of Road Crews.  The story is “about a clandestine group of road crew workers who are the last line of defense against a subterranean alien race.”  I expect and demand plenty of traffic cone-based humor.

Kevin Lund and T.J. Scott wrote the original script, Craig Mazin (The Hangover Part II) did a rewrite and now the script is out again to writers for a new rewrite.  To the writer that gets the gig, remember: that “Stop/Slow” is comedy gold.

1492 Pictures and CJ Entertainment & Media to Remake TROLLHUNTER

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: June 10th, 2011 at 8:18 am

As Magnet releases the Norwegian action film Trollhunter on to VOD and into theaters, Chris Columbus’ 1492 Pictures is partening with CJ Entertainment & Media to remake the film.  The film is part of the currently-popular found-footage genre and is about a group of students investigating a series of mysterious killings.  They eventually team up with a stranger hunter who is in the business of hunting trolls.  I haven’t seen the film, but I’ve heard there’s a strong religious aspect, and you can even gather that from the trailer.  Deadline reports that Marc Haimes will write the script and I’m curious to see if he’ll keep the religious elements of the story.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer for the Norwegian version of Trollhunter.  You can check out the film now on Video-on-Demand and possibly at your local art house theater.

Fox 2000 Prepping Sequel PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE SEA OF MONSTERS

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: March 1st, 2011 at 7:32 pm

Fox 2000 is at work assembling a sequel to last year’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief which could start shooting as early as next summer.  The studio has signed Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (1408) to adapt the second novel in Rick Riordan’s fantasy series, titled The Sea of Monsters.  Lightning Thief director Chris Columbus is not expected to step behind the camera again, but he will remain on board as producer.  Logan Lerman will return as Percy Jackson, and 24 Frames suggests the other leads will follow suit.  Lerman was supported by Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan, Steve Coogan, and Rosario Dawson in The Lightning Thief.

Hit the jump for a  synopsis for The Sea of Monsters.

Chris Columbus to Direct Remake of Korean Film HELLO GHOST

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 23rd, 2011 at 11:03 am

Chris Columbus has signed on to direct a remake of the Korean box-office hit Hello Ghost.  The film centers on a man who tries to kill himself, but survives and becomes haunted by four ghosts.  The ghost won’t stop haunting the man until he helps them fulfill a wish.  If this premise gives you a flashback to the 1993 Robert Downey Jr. flick Heart and Souls, you’re not alone.

Columbus tells Deadline that he’s a fan of Korean cinema after he saw Hello Ghost, he “was immediately struck by the film’s ability to mix comedy, drama and complex emotional themes.  Its strong universal storyline translates to any culture, and I’m looking forward to bringing a version of this wonderful story to the English-speaking audience.”  So if Columbus comes to your door and hands you a copy of Heart and Souls, you’ll know why.

Warner Bros Announces THE GOONIES 25th Anniversary Edition; Trailer and List of Extras Here

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: July 26th, 2010 at 3:18 pm

Warner Home Video has officially announced The Goonies 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition on DVD and Blu-ray.  Scheduled for release on November 2, the new edition will feature:

• Cast commentary with Director and all seven actors
• The Making of the Goonies documentary
• Cyndi Lauper music video “The Goonies ‘R Good Enough”
• Outtakes
• Includes new board game, original movie storyboard reproductions, 1985 souvenir magazine reprint, and reprint of 2009 Empire Magazine article with cast photos and updates

The Goonies is one of my favorite films, and I’ll admit the new edition sounds cool.  Check out the cover art and a new trailer for the Blu-ray after the jump:

PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF Blu-ray Review

by Harrison Pierce    Posted: July 16th, 2010 at 6:39 am

Growing up in a strict monotheistic household, it really wasn’t a priority for anyone to teach me about the ancient Greek gods. Perhaps my devout Catholic parents figured it best not to confuse my evolving young mind since the Bible was already dense enough with tales of one wrathful God and his demigod-like son. Children’s author Rick Riordan, however, raised his son in far more Greco-friendly fashion, regaling his boy with nightly bedtime stories featuring Zeus, Poseidon and the Olympian gang. When he ran out of myths to retell, he made up a new Greek demigod: “Percy Jackson,” modern teenager with human learning disabilities (A.D.H.D. and Dyslexia) and godly lineage (he’s the son of Poseidon). Well, at least, that’s the origin story for the best-selling “Percy Jackson” book series provided on one of the making-of featurettes of the Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief blu-ray.

Rumor Debunked: Director Chris Columbus NOT Offered Next Superman Movie

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 9th, 2010 at 12:32 pm

Contrary to yesterday’s online rumor, trusted sources have told us that Chris Columbus has NOT been offered the chance to helm the next Superman movie.  Yesterday’s rumor was just one of those cases of a titillating story catching fire and igniting intense speculation.  And it wasn’t the craziest rumor ever.  Columbus is known for putting together big franchise pictures (the first two Harry Potter movies; Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief).  But Columbus hasn’t been offered the opportunity to put together Superman’s next adventure on the big screen.

The new Superman movie, tentatively titled The Man of Steel, is being written by David Goyer (Batman Begins) with Christopher Nolan producing.  Hit the jump to learn more about where the film movie currently stands.

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF DVD Review

by Max Steven Miller    Posted: June 18th, 2010 at 6:50 am

The gods are becoming an increasingly dominant force at the box office.  Clash of the Titans was a box office success and a sequel is on the way. Immortals with Mickey Rourke is currently in production.  And of course, we’re all looking forward to seeing Chris Hemsworth as the Norse God of Thunder, Thor, on the big screen in 2011.  However, it was Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief that had an early advantage on Hollywood’s resurrection of the gods.

Released in theaters earlier this year, The Lightning Thief is the first film based on the popular young adult novel series by author, Rick Riordan, and will be released on DVD on June 29, 2010. My review of Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief after the jump:

1492 Pictures and CJ Entertainment to Produce THE GRAVEYARD BOOK and Other Projects

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 28th, 2010 at 9:12 am

Last December, we reported that Neil Jordan (The Brave One) would be adapting Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book.  It’s been quiet since then, but today Heat Vision reports that Chris Columbus’ 1492 Pictures and South Korean company CJ Entertainment are coming on board to help produce the film.  They’ll join producers Wayfare Entertainment, Framestore, and Gaiman.

Graveyard Book is like Ruyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” except the boy (named “Nobody Owens”) is raised by ghosts in a cemetery instead of animals in a jungle.  He has a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy – an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer.  Also, if he leaves the graveyard, he will be attacked by a man named Jack has already killed Nobody’s family.  It won the 2009 Newberry Medel and spent over 50 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List.  An adaptation of Gaiman’s book Coraline managed to grab $124 million worldwide last year along with an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film.  I’d say 1492 and CJ Entertainment have made a wise investment.  Hit the jump for two other projects they’re investing in.

Tate Taylor to Direct THE HELP for DreamWorks

by Laura Kelley    Posted: March 5th, 2010 at 6:59 am

DreamWorks has bought the rights to Kathryn Stockett’s best-selling novel The Help.  Tate Taylor will be directing from his own adapted screenplay.  He will be producing along with Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, 1492′s Mark Radcliffe, and his producing partner Brunson Green.  According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stockett is pleased with the choice of her friend Tate Taylor as the film’s director, saying that Tate and Green “will stay true to the story.”  Taylor last directed Pretty Ugly People and his next project will be Road Signs with Steven Rogers.  The Help is a widely popular book club choice published by Amy Einhorn Books and Putnam last year depicting relationships between women of differing social classes in the South in 1962.  A more detailed synopsis is after the jump.

PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 12th, 2010 at 12:51 am

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief wants you to cheer for three characters who don’t know how to count.  Leave aside the tired hero’s journey (Have a crappy life? It turns out you’re actually special and a cool new life awaits!  Jackpot!), the awful special effects, the forgettable characters, and the complete lack of wonder Greek myths set in the modern world should offer, and you still have three protagonists who don’t know that three is less than four.  Percy Jackson wants to be the next Harry Potter, but The Boy Who Lived knows how to count higher than two and in his first adventure he’s five years younger Jackson.  Percy Jackson may be special, but it’s in that condescending way meant to imply learning disabilities.

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