Variety reportsthat Universal Pictures has beat out New Line and Summit to acquire film rights to Spencer Quinn’s novel Dog on It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery.
The story centers on a down-on-his-luck private eye and his loyal dog, which set out to solve a missing person’s case. The narrative is told from the vantage point of Chet, a dog that flunked out of K-9 school.
The script is being adapted by Jeff Lowell. Danniel Rappaport, Ben Forkner and Cathy Schulman will produce.
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The graphic books, by Bryan Lee O’Malley, are feature romance, teen angst and plenty of fantastical action involving a large supporting cast. The fifth book of the series is set to hit the shelves in February according to Hollywood Reporter.
Evans is set to play Lucas Lee, evil boyfriend No. 2, a pro skateboarder-turned-movie star, while Routh is set to play Todd Ingram, third evil boyfriend, a rocker with vegan psychic powers.
Larson is set to play Envy Adams, Pilgrim’s ex-girlfriend, for whom he still has feelings.
Other cast members include Mae Whitman as Roxy Richter, the fourth ex, Ellen Wong as Knives Chau, a female who is half-ninja, who is dating Pilgrim when he meets his dream girl; and Anna Kendrick as Pilgrim’s sister.
The casting continues with Mark Webber playing Stephen Stills, a member of Pilgrim’s rock band. Alison Pill is the band’s drummer and Johnny Simmons is Young Neil, the band’s biggest fan. Aubrey Plaza plays Webber’s on-again off-again girlfriend.
Finally, Satya Bhabha is set to play an ex-boyfriend who can summon demon hipster girls at will.
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Monopoly like Blade Runner? That’s a little hard to visualize, but Ridley Scott, lately, has been attached to direct several projects. Monopoly has been added to his list with a futuristic flavor like Blade Runner.
Hasbro-Universal is collaborating on Monopoly, based on the board game according to Hollywood Reporter with Scott attached to direct.
Scott is also producing with Pamela Pettler writing the script, which is supposed to shape into a narrative from the real-estate game. Pettler’s credits include Corpse Bride, Monster House and upcoming 9.
Several other projects are in the works between Universal and Hasbro while Platinum Dunes is producing feature adaptations of Ouija Board and Battleship. Paramount is set to release G.I. Joe this summer.
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With Broadway original musical “Mamma Mia!” becoming a movie that grosses $558.8 million worldwide, more than any other movie musical, it is no wonder that Universal Pictures decided to tune up another stage musical transformation. They have acquired the rights to Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “In the Heights” into a feature.
Lin-Manuel Miranda must be one happy fellow. He created the musical, wrote the lyrics and music and has played the starring role through its Off Broadway and Broadway runs. It looks like Miranda will reprise his role in the film.
Quiara Alegria Hudes, who wrote the book for the show, will write the screen adaptation.
According to Variety, the musical takes place over three days in the upper Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights, where a bodega (Spanish for grocery store) owner (Manuel) inherits his late grandmother’s lottery winnings and plans to shutter his store and retire on a beach in the Dominican Republic. Trying to say farewell to the characters that live on the block, he realizes that his neighbors are his real family, and he’s torn about leaving.
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Universal Pictures is currently in talks to sell its Rogue Pictures label to Relativity Media for about $150 million. This includes the division’s thirty-title library, the four films it will release in 2009 and the countless other projects on its development slate.
Interestingly, Universal will still distribute any Rogue Pictures production until 2013 and pay Relativity a sub-10% distribution fee. However, Relativity will have first-look deals with Platinum Dunes and Wes Craven.
Some of Rogue Pictures famous films are Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Doomsday, Seed of Chucky and Assault on Precinct 13.
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MGM hired screenwriting team Stiles White and Juliet Snowden to write the remake for Poltergeist. I am a fan of the original movie that was scripted by Steven Spielberg in 1982.
I truly think the writing duo should write a similar story but not a remake. Remakes of popular movies ruins the original while I set and compare the two movies throughout.
By the way, the White and Snowden penned The Birds remake produced by Universal, and also Knowing, which stars Nicolas Cage.
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I am sure with baited breath and sleepless nights you were concerned whether Brad Pitt would be officially casted in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards, a Tennessee hillbilly and eight Jewish-soldiers take on the Nazis.
It’s official today! Pitt is set to take on the lead role as Lt. Aldo Raine. Other casting is in the works including Natassja Kinski and Simon Pegg.
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Universal Pictures are the lucky bastards to have gotten Inglorious Bastards, reports Variety. The studio will partner with the Weinstein Company to produce the Quentin Tarantino film scheduled for release next year.
In related news, Tarantino has met with Brad Pitt and Leonardo diCaprio for their respective roles as Aldo Raine and Nazi Hans Landa.
Shooting is set to begin this Fall in Germany and France.
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3:10 to Yuma director James Mangold is set to helm The Archive, an upcoming time-travel thriller based on a script by David Auburn. The film is being produced by Scott Stuber and longtime Mangold collaborator Cathy Konrad; it will be distributed by Universal.
Auburn’s past credits include Proof, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, which he adapted from his own stage play. He is also credited with The Lake House. Mangold is currently in production on the HBO mini-series The Sportswriter. While The Archive could be his next project, he is also attached to direct the graphic novel adaptation Cyclopes.
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Nancy Meyers will write and direct her next film at Universal. The untitled romantic comedy is set for big parts – a woman and two men – following a long-term relationship.
Meyers made her last two films — “Something’s Gotta Give” and “The Holiday” at Columbia.
According to Variety, Meyers said she will complete the script by August.
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