Screenhead

Patrick Dempsey has joined up with Universal Pictures to star in The Art of Racing in the Rain. Studio will develop the bestselling Garth Stein novel.

The story is narrated by the reminiscences of Enzo, a family dog with a near-human soul and a philosopher’s mind, who evaluates his life through the lessons learned by his human owner, the race-car driver Denny Swift.  Enzo in his own dog way helps Swift through a lot of angst with a worthwhile ending, throughout all this Enzo dreams of being human.

As an interesting note and perhaps some of you don’t know this, Dempsey, who’ll play Swift, is a consummate pro race car driver and car owner who most recently drove Le Mans and finished ninth in the race. He also races in the American Rolex Series and owns Dempsey Racing, a team that has a deal with Mazda.

(Source)

Variety reports that Universal Pictures is planning a live-action musical based on an upcoming toy line from Mattel that remains unannounced.

Mattel is yet to reveal the name of the toy line, or even its launch date, but revealed that the property will strive to add a fresh twist to monster lore.

Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and composers March Shaiman and Scott Wittman are re-teaming for the film. They previously worked together on Hairspray.

Variety reports that Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Bill Hader, Jane Lynch and Kristen Wiig have joined the cast of Paul, an upcoming comedy in the works at Universal.

Written by Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, it follows two sci-fi lovers who find their “conspiracy dreams” becoming true when they visit an escaped alien at Area 51. Seth Rogen is set to provide the alien’s voice.

Greg Mottola, known for Superbad, will direct the film, which is scheduled for release later this year.

From Variety comes word that Universal Pictures is set to adapt Mike Richardson’s graphic novel The Secret into a major film.

Published by Dark Horse, the comic revolved around a group of high school students involved in a prank that goes horribly wrong. Sound familiar? However, he puts a spin on the teen horror thriller, so things are kept interesting and fresh.

Scott Milam is set to adapt the script.

Popular director Guillermo del Toro is reported to be in negotiations to produce the horror film Mama for Universal Pictures.

The English-language script is being written by Andy and Barbara Muschietti based on their acclaimed Spanish-language short. Andy is set to direct; Barbara will produce. They are currently working on their script.

While plot details are being kept under wraps, it will follow two girls who are on the run from a ghostly woman who appears to be their mother.

In very sad news, Universal Pictures has halted the development on the BioShock film adaptation due to budget concerns.

The film was gearing up to be shot in Los Angeles, but budget estimates rose to $160 million which has put a stop to development until a more reasonable number can be reached.

Written by John Logan, the movie, much like the game, takes place in the underwater city of Rapture, where a pilot crash lands near a secret entrance and becomes involved in a power struggle.

Despite having stopped the film’s development, the studio remains determined to complete the project.

Sean Penn is showing an interest in a drama for Universal Pictures called Cartel, which Asger Leth is set to direct.The story, penned by Peter Craig, follows Ed Marker as he journeys to protect his son after his wife is brutally murdered in the disturbing world of Mexican cartels.

The drama stems from a remake concept of 1993 Italian film La scorta, which follows four cops who struggle to guard a special prosecutor trying to bring mob bosses to justice.

This film marks Leth’s dramatic feature directing debut. According to Variety, he previously won a DGA Award for directing the 2006 documentary Ghosts of Cite Soleil.

The plan is to get the picture into production by summer. Once Penn is signed on to star, the production date goes on the calendar.

Robert Ludlum is a hot, hot product right now with Universal negotiating for screen rights to “The Parsifal Mosaic,” an espionage thriller as the first major project for Captivate Entertainment, the company that manages screen rights to Ludlum novels.

Universal has complete rights to continue the Bourne Identity series and has the studio first look at all Ludlum titles, 25 that haven’t yet been optioned for the screen yet.

Universal is developing a fourth Bourne film for Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass based on an original idea, and Universal and Strike Entertainment are prepping an adaptation of Ludlum’s “The Sigma Protocol.”

The Parsifal Mosaic centers on a U.S. intelligence agent who believes he witnessed the execution of his lover, who was identified as a KGB double agent.

The Adventurer’s Handbook script sold for seven-figures to Universal Pictures. Handbook is a comedy that will star Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman about a quartet of buddies who go on a global adventure because they are inspired by hardcore stories of explorers.

Universal Pictures is stuck on bringing board game — Candy Land – to the big screen with some talented folks to start it off sweet.  

The studio has set Ethan Cohen to write and Kevin Lima to direct a live-action feature based on the enduring Hasbro board game.

The kid-friendly board game isn’t as obvious an inspiration for a movie project as those other Hasbro brands, but the studio has tapped talent adept at comedy and family fare.