DreamWorks

DreamWorks and Working Title Set Steven Knight to Write New Adaptation of REBECCA

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 9th, 2012 at 4:37 pm

A new version of Rebecca is on its way courtesy of DreamWorks and Working Title. The Gothic novel by Daphne Du Maurier was famously adapted into a Best Picture winner by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940, and now Showblitz reports that Eastern Promises scribe Steven Knight has been tapped to pen a new adaptation. Knight will return to Du Maurier’s novel for the update, which centers on a young woman who marries a rich widower, only to find that her husband’s late wife still haunts their mansion estate. I’m not the biggest fan of Du Maurier’s novel, but there’s something encouraging about the fact that DreamWorks and Working Title are bent on making a Gothic drama. Though in lesser hands Rebecca could easily turn into a cheap spook-fest, Knight is a promising addition. In a film landscape filled with sequels and explosions, I’m pulling for something different with Rebecca.

Obviously it’s early in the game, so no director is attached at the moment. Knight has written a few high profile scripts as of late, including the Dan Brown adaptation The Lost Symbol and an untitled thriller starring Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall. He’s set to make his directorial debut on the thriller Hummingbird with Jason Statham in the lead. Hit the jump to read a synopsis for Du Maurier’s Rebecca.

ROLE MODELS Scribe Timothy Dowling to Rewrite New DreamWorks Office Comedy

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 11th, 2012 at 4:34 pm

DreamWorks may not have a title for its upcoming office comedy, but they now have a writer. The studio tapped Timothy Dowling (Role Models) to draft up a fresh script for the project, doing a full rewrite on a submission originally turned in by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore of The Hangover fame. The original premise of the comedy carries a bit of The Hangover-meets-The Office as it centered on a company Christmas party going awry. There is no word yet as to whether or not the new interpretation will take place during the holidays. Also, though there is no official cast in place, several top comedic actors have apparently expressed interest in the project, which will be helmed by Blades of Glory directors, Will Speck and Josh Gordon. Hit the jump for more on Dowling.

E.T. Writer Melissa Mathison to Adapt Roald Dahl’s THE BFG for DreamWorks

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: September 23rd, 2011 at 9:04 pm

I remember loving the Roald Dahl book The BFG when I was a kid, but I can’t recall a single detail from it.  Thankfully, I won’t need to go back to and read it (ugh), because DreamWorks has acquired the movie rights.  According to The Wrap, Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy (Hereafter) will produce the adaptation.  Marshall and Kennedy have few animation credits on their lengthy filmographies, and there is no mention of DreamWorks Animation in the report.  So for now we will assume this is a live-action BFG.

Melissa Mathison (E.T.) will adapt the story about a young orphan girl who befriends the Big Friendly Giant: together they “cook up an ingenious plot to free the world of troggle-humping — forever.”  Read the full book synopsis after the jump.

PUSS IN BOOTS Is the Most Interesting Cat in the World

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 9th, 2011 at 4:41 pm

It’s no secret that modern animated films seek to attract audiences young and old alike. As it goes, parents can take their kids who will almost undoubtedly love “Animated Movie A” while trusting that the more adult humor and themes will go over their heads. More times than not, at the end of the day, it’s a win-win-win (kids, parents, studios) situation.

All of this in mind, DreamWorks is unabashedly reaching out to its adult ticket buyers with a new Puss in Boots promo that parodies Dos Equis’ “World’s Most Interesting Man” commercials. It’s a clever idea that I think is worth checking out after the jump. Directed by Chris Miller (Shrek the Third) and starring the vocal talents of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis and Billy Bob Thorton, Puss in Boots opens later this year on November 4th.

DreamWorks and Fox Join Forces for Steven Spielberg’s ROBOPOCALYPSE [Updated with July 3, 2013 Release Date]

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 7th, 2011 at 11:40 am

It’s been a while since we’ve heard much regarding Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the Daniel H. Wilson novel Robopocalypse. Almost a year ago, we reported that the director would make the pic his next film after War Horse (due out this December 28th). However, it now looks as if his historical drama Lincoln starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt will take on that role with a potential December 2012 release in sight. All of that no news stuff ends today, though, as reports are filing in that DreamWorks and Fox will co-finance Robopocalypse with the former distributing the film domestically and the latter internationally (news that should be welcomed by those hoping to see the film follow Lincoln).

Cloverfield‘s Drew Goddard has penned the script for Robopocalypse based upon the aforementioned Wilson novel which hit bookshelves this June. For those unfamiliar, the book is set in the near future and tells the story of an artificial intelligence named Archos who assumes the persona of an innocent boy and takes over control of the global network, turning our own technology against us. For a little more on the project, hit the jump to read a full synopsis of Wilson’s novel.

[Update: THR reports that Robopocalypse will hit theaters on July 3rd, 2013.]

Check Out a New Featurette for REAL STEEL

by Jason Barr    Posted: August 22nd, 2011 at 4:44 pm

DreamWorks has released a new featurette for director Shawn Levy’s (Date Night) robot-boxing, action/drama Real Steel. Starring Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand, Hope Davis, and Dakota Goyo, the film is set in the year 2020 when robot-boxing has inevitably become the most popular sport in the world. The pic centers on Charlie (Jackman) a former boxer who is now attempting to mentor/program a robot to the top of the android-boxing ranks. Essentially, it’s Rocky V with robots (and hopefully a climactic back-alley brawl between Jackman and his electronic protege).

Check out the new featurette, which assures potential moviegoers that boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard was in fact involved in the making of the film, after the jump and click here to watch the latest trailer. Real Steel opens on October 7th.

DreamWorks Acquires Rights to Karen Marie Moning’s FEVER Series

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: August 19th, 2011 at 2:31 pm

Not wanting to be left out of the fantasy/adventure/vampires craze, Variety reports that DreamWorks has acquired the rights to Karen Marie Moning’s series Fever. The five-book series tells the story of a young woman from Georgia who travels to Ireland in order to track down her sister’s killer, but she encounters a world filled with “ancient secrets, vampires and other tough-to-kill creatures” (I think they mean Irishmen). The series is being envisioned as a potential live-action fantasy franchise, because the marketplace is sorely in need of those. Hit the jump to read a synopsis for the first book in the series, Darkfever.

THE HELP Director Tate Taylor in Talks to Adapt PEACE LIKE A RIVER

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: August 16th, 2011 at 9:33 pm

The Help is doing very well at the box office in its first week.  Writer/director Tate Taylor has perhaps the most to gain from the success, since this is just his second feature (and the first with any kind of profile).  The Help studio DreamWorks wants to keep him in house for a partnership with Warner Bros. and Plan B to adapt Leif Enger’s novel Peace Like a River.  THR reports Taylor is in early negotiations to direct, and I imagine his asking price is higher than the last time around.

Warner Bros. and Plan B have spent the last several years trying to adapt Peace Like a River.  Taylor’s involvement would advance the project, though as a hot director, he’s said to be considering several scripts for his follow-up.  The book is narrated by 11-year-old Reuben Land, who travels with his sister and father across the Midwest in 1962 to find his fugitive brother.  Read the full synopsis after the jump.

BEE MOVIE Co-Director Simon Smith to Helm DreamWorks’ MADAGASCAR Penguins Spin-Off Movie

by Jason Barr    Posted: August 11th, 2011 at 3:10 pm

After co-directing 2007′s Bee Movie alongside Steve Hickner, Simon Smith is now riding solo on another DreamWorks Animation feature. Smith has been tapped to direct the studio’s Madagascar spin-off movie centering on the franchise’s ever-popular penguins Skipper, Kowalski, Private, and Rico. DreamWorks announced development on the project back in March when it handed over script duties to Megamind screenwriters Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons.

In spite of its recent progress, Heat Vision reports that the film isn’t expected to begin casting anytime in the near future. As for Smith, the director is quite familiar with DreamWorks properties having worked as the head of layout for Antz and Shrek as well as directing two video shorts entitled Far Far Away Idol and Megamind: The Button of Doom while working his way through the studio ranks. Megamind‘s Lara Breay will produce the spin-off pic.

DreamWorks Knocks Out Antoine Fuqua and Eminem’s Boxing Drama SOUTHPAW; Filmmakers to Shop Project Elsewhere

by Jason Barr    Posted: August 11th, 2011 at 2:44 pm

Back in June, we told you about director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) leaving his long-gestating Tupac Shakur project in favor of a boxing drama entitled Southpaw. Written by Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter, Southpaw was picked up by DreamWorks as a pitch with Eminem attached to lead the pic in his first performance since 2002′s 8 Mile. Fast-forward to the present and DreamWorks has essentially given the film back to Fuqua and co. to market to other potential takers. Sutter’s Southpaw script would see Eminem play a welterweight boxing champion who crashes hard following an unspecified tragedy. As a result, the heart of the film will see him make a comeback for the ages so as to supplement he and his young daughter.

No specific reasons are being cited for DreamWorks’ move, but Deadline purports that Southpaw‘s budget (rumored to be around $30 million) could be the culprit. The general theory is that a budget closer to the one utilized by The Fighter (in the low $20 million range) would be more enticing in a market that is fighter-heavy already (i.e. The Fighter and Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy’s upcoming Warrior). All this in mind, given the talent behind Southpaw, I would guess that we’ll be hearing about the project landing on its feet somewhere sooner rather than later.

New Trailer for PUSS IN BOOTS

by Jason Barr    Posted: June 20th, 2011 at 5:29 pm

The theatrical trailer for DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots has landed online and I have to admit that it looks like it could be a lot of fun. Featuring the vocal talents of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton, and Amy Sedaris, the pic is set before the feline protagonist meets up with Shrek and centers on an adventure in which he must protect the “Golden Eggs” from falling into the wrong hands. While I’m as skeptical as the next person about the necessity of spinoffs such as Puss, if its done in an entertaining and clever way I won’t hold its inherently derivative nature against it. Based on what I’ve seen and heard from the film thus far, it looks as if Puss in Boots could stand on its own fairly well.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer for yourself. Directed by Chris Miller (Shrek the Third) , Puss in Boots hits 3D theaters later this year on November 4th.

Reese Witherspoon to Produce and Possibly Star in DreamWorks’ WHO INVITED HER?

by Jason Barr    Posted: June 7th, 2011 at 6:20 pm

DreamWorks has emerged victorious from a bidding war for novelist Sascha Rothchild’s comedy pitch Who Invited Her? with Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon set to produce and potentially star. Variety reports that the project centers on a woman who invites herself to a male bachelor party weekend and will purportedly follow the shenanigans that inevitably ensue. If Witherspoon does indeed end up in Who Invited Her?, it will not be the first starring/producing double-duty pulled by the actress as she is also filling both shoes on the upcoming action/comedy This Means War also starring Chris Pine and Tom Hardy. In addition to her work on Who Invited Her?, Rothchild is also writing and executive producing an adaptation of her book How to Get Divorced by 30 over at Universal.

Tom McCarthy to Write Supernatural Family Comedy HOME MOVIES

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: June 7th, 2011 at 12:50 pm

Win Win writer-director Tom McCarthy has made three outstanding films but his most recent gigs are writing jobs only (at least at this point).  In February, he was hired to write the inspirational sports drama Million Dollar Arm, and now he’s been hired to write the supernatural family comedy Home Movies for DreamWorks  According to Heat Vision, the story “centers on a man who is able to revisit certain moments in his life through his home movies and change things.”  That’s an intriguing premise and it seems like a script that’s well-suited for McCarthy.  All of his previous movies not only find honest drama, but they’re earnest and never resort to cheap laughs.

Antoine Fuqua Leaves TUPAC; May Helm SOUTHPAW Starring Eminem

by Jason Barr    Posted: June 6th, 2011 at 6:26 pm

If you were holding your breath for Antoine Fuqua’s (Training Day) Tupac Shakur biopic, you may want to go ahead and exhale because it looks as if its going to be awhile. 24 Frames reports that Fuqua has not only left the biopic which was slated to begin shooting this summer, but is now in talks to helm a boxing drama starring Eminem instead. Per the report, Fuqua’s latest squeeze is entitled Southpaw and comes from the pen of Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter. The film centers on a left-handed welterweight (Eminem) whose rise to the title is riddled with numerous trials/tribulations. The pic is currently set up at DreamWorks.

The report makes no mention regarding the reasoning behind Fuqua’s apparent departure from the Tupac biopic and is quick to point out that no formal announcement regarding Southpaw has been released as of yet. Nevertheless, a Fuqua-less biopic seems somewhat of a long shot given its long road through development and the director’s apparent proximity to the material. As for Southpaw, the film would be Eminem/Marshall Mathers’ first film since Curtis Hanson’s 8 Mile and potentially Fuqua’s first output since 2010′s Brooklyn’s Finest. Finally, in spite of the uncertainty of his biopic, Shakur may still have a presence on the silver screen in the form of his recently acquired screenplay Live 2 Tell which focuses on a teenage drug lord’s attempt to ditch his life of crime.

First Trailer and Poster for FRIGHT NIGHT Starring Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: May 13th, 2011 at 10:52 am

DreamWorks has released the first trailer for Craig Gillespie’s 3D remake of Fright Night which stars Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Toni Collette, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, David Tennant and Imogen Poots,  I did a set visit for Fright Night and recently watched twenty minutes of the film in a Santa Monica editing suite.  I’m confident the remake is going to be cool.  Judge for yourself by checking out the trailer after the jump along with the poster.  Fright Night hits theaters August 19th.

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