New Line Cinema has acquired feature film rights to Monster, a best-selling Japanese manga comic book series from author Naoki Urasawa. Neil Kaplan, Pen Densham and John Watson of Trilogy Entertainment are producing. Monster is a psychological thriller that tells the story of a young doctor who saves the life of a little boy only to find out a few years later that the life he saved was that of a brilliant killer. The doctor must then track down the young killer and solve a larger conspiracy. Urasawa is a manga master in Japan, where Monster has been adapted into an animated television series and has spawned 18 volumes as a manga series. The Monster mangas have sold more than 25 million copies in Japan, and it has a strong following in Asia and Europe. The book's publisher, Shogakukan Inc., is executive producing the project. Shogakukan was behind the Pokemon series. Trilogy produced The Outer Limits TV series as well as the TV version of Carrie. Feature credits include Backdraft and Blown Away. Overseeing the project for New Line are production executives Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim.
Gus Van Sant is in negotiations to direct "The Time Traveler's Wife" for New Line Cinema. The studio acquired "Traveler" in 2003 for Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Brad Grey and Nick Wechsler to produce. New Line said Grey, who took over the reins of Paramount Studios on March 1, remains attached as a producer. Written by Audrey Niffenegger, a writer and professor of book arts in Chicago, the book is a loose retelling of "The Odyssey". The story centers on a man with a time-traveling gene that allows him to appear to his true love at different points in her life. Jeremy Leven adapted the book. Richard Brener, Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim are shepherding the project for the studio. Van Sant's credits include "Last Days" and "Elephant", which won him the Palme d'Or and best director nods at 2003's Festival de Cannes. Leven's credits include "Alex & Emma," "The Legend of Bagger Vance" and "The Notebook". Leven and Van Sant are repped by WMA.
- 3/17/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chris Koch is going on a Ride Along for New Line Cinema. The director will helm the action comedy that's being produced by Larry Brezner through his MBST Entertainment shingle. Ride tells the story of a risk-averse teacher who plans to marry the girl of his dreams but first has to accompany his overprotective future brother-in-law, a tough cop, on a dangerous ride-along. Executives Richard Brener, Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim are overseeing the project at New Line. Koch is known for such television work as Scrubs and Malcolm in the Middle. He also directed Nickelodeon/Paramount's 2000 sleeper hit Snow Day, which earned $60 million at the domestic boxoffice. Koch is repped by Endeavor, Industry Entertainment and attorney Warren Dern.
Television writer-producer Paul Haggis, who wrote Million Dollar Baby, the film that Clint Eastwood is currently shooting, is diving back into the feature film world. Haggis will adapt Honeymoon With Harry, Bart Baker's unpublished novel that New Line Cinema picked up in April. Haggis also might direct. Honeymoon centers on a self-destructive recovering womanizer who loses his fiancee in a car crash two days before their wedding and ends up going on his honeymoon with the fiancee's father, who detests him, so they can scatter her ashes. The novel is described as a drama with comedic elements. Mike Karz is producing through his Karz Entertainment banner, while the company's Russell Hollander is executive producing. Toby Emmerich, Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim are overseeing for New Line. Haggis won an Emmy writing thirtysomething and went on to create Walker, Texas Ranger, Due South and EZ Streets. He also will serve as one of the producers of Harry. Haggis is repped by CAA, Larry Becsey of Becsey/Wisdom/Kalajian and attorney Peter Dekom.
- 6/25/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Burt Reynolds is lighting up the barbecue for New Line Cinema's Grilled. Juliette Lewis is in negotiations to join the comedy. Jason Ensler is directing the Ray Romano-Kevin James feature, which follows a day in the life of two meat salesmen who will stop at nothing to make a sale. Reynolds plays Cookie Goldbluth, a prospect for the two salesman. Lewis would play a character who is ditzy and suicidal. Shooting is scheduled to start July 7 in Los Angeles. Producing the project are Jon Klane, Brad Jenkel, William Tepper, Jeff Sussman and Rory Rosegarten. Tepper wrote the original draft, which was rewritten by Matt Nix. New Line's Toby Emmerich, Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim are overseeing. Reynolds next shoots the Paramount remake The Longest Yard. He starred in the 1974 original. Reynolds is repped by ICM. Lewis' recent credits include Starsky & Hutch Old School and Cold Creek Manor. She is repped by WMA.
- 6/22/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New Line Cinema has picked up the horror script Bedbugs from writer Carter Blanchard. Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson are producing through their Contrafilm. Bedbugs tells the tale of a small town that is infested with a species of killer bugs that come at night and burrow inside a person, killing from the inside. It's described as following in the tradition of Crisis in the Hot Zone and 28 Days Later. Sean Perrone and Aaron Kaplan are executive producing. Overseeing for New Line are Richard Brenner, Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim. Contrafilm, which has a nonexclusive first-look deal at New Line, has a number of projects at the company, including Solace with Gary Fleder attached to direct, The Number 23 and the coming-of-age thriller Conrail. The company is in postproduction on the Brett Ratner-helmed After the Sunset, which is scheduled for a fall release. Blanchard, who has worked on Immortals for Universal and Dog Days at MGM, is repped by UTA and Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment.
- 6/21/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jason Ensler will direct "Grilled", a comedy to star Ray Romano and Kevin James, for New Line Cinema. With writer Matt Nix on board for a rewrite, the project has received the greenlight and is scheduled to shoot next month. "Grilled" follows a day in the life of two meat salesmen who will stop at nothing to make a sale. Producing the project are Jon Klane, Brad Jenkel, William Tepper, Jeff Sussman and Rory Rosegarten. Tepper is also the writer of the original draft. Toby Emmerich, Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim are overseeing the project for the studio.
Comedienne Wanda Sykes has nabbed a role opposite Jennifer Lopez in Monster-in-Law for New Line Cinema. Robert Luketic directs, while Paula Weinstein produces with Benderspink. Monster centers on a woman (Lopez) who is set to marry the perfect guy -- until she meets his mother, the world's worst mother-in-law. Michael Vartan is set as the guy, with Jane Fonda playing the mother-in-law. Sykes will appear as Ruby, the mother-in-law's straight-talking assistant. The project -- written by Anya Kochoff, with a rewrite by Richard LaGravenese -- is being overseen by New Line production execs Richard Brener and Magnus Kim. Sykes, well known on the stand-up comic circuit, headlined her own sitcom, Wanda at Large, which was short-lived. She also has appeared on The Chris Rock Show and lent her voice to Crank Yankers. Her feature film appearances include Nutty Professor II: The Klumps and Pootie Tang. Her book Yeah, I Said That is scheduled to be published in the fall. Sykes is repped by WMA and attorney Roger Pliakas at Miller and Pliakas.
- 4/26/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Comedienne Wanda Sykes has nabbed a role opposite Jennifer Lopez in Monster-in-Law for New Line Cinema. Robert Luketic directs, while Paula Weinstein produces with Benderspink. Monster centers on a woman (Lopez) who is set to marry the perfect guy -- until she meets his mother, the world's worst mother-in-law. Michael Vartan is set as the guy, with Jane Fonda playing the mother-in-law. Sykes will appear as Ruby, the mother-in-law's straight-talking assistant. The project -- written by Anya Kochoff, with a rewrite by Richard LaGravenese -- is being overseen by New Line production execs Richard Brener and Magnus Kim. Sykes, well known on the stand-up comic circuit, headlined her own sitcom, Wanda at Large, which was short-lived. She also has appeared on The Chris Rock Show and lent her voice to Crank Yankers. Her feature film appearances include Nutty Professor II: The Klumps and Pootie Tang. Her book Yeah, I Said That is scheduled to be published in the fall. Sykes is repped by WMA and attorney Roger Pliakas at Miller and Pliakas.
- 4/25/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Roger Kumble is in negotiations to direct the comedy Just Friends for New Line Cinema. Chris Bender and JC Spink are producing through their Benderspink shingle. Just Friends tells the tale of a likable everyman who is rejected by his true love, who says she wants to be just friends. Moving across the country, he transforms himself into a selfish womanizer but then returns unexpectedly to his past persona when he reconnects with the girl who broke his heart. Production execs Richard Brener, Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim are overseeing the project for the studio. Kumble directed Cruel Intentions, which he also wrote. He also has directed The Sweetest Thing as well as an episode of the Showtime limited series Out of Order. He is repped by UTA.
- 2/26/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Christopher Walken is in negotiations to star opposite Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in New Line Cinema's The Wedding Crashers. Tapestry Films' Andrew Panay and Peter Abrams are producing. The romantic comedy revolves around two guys who have a hobby of crashing weddings in order to meet girls. While crashing a random nuptial, one of them unexpectedly falls in love with a bridesmaid. Walken would play the girl's father, who happens to be the U.S. Treasury secretary. Crashers was penned by the writing team of Steve Faber and Bob Fisher. New Line production executives Richard Brener, Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim are overseeing for the studio. Walken most recently appeared in The Rundown. He was nominated for a best supporting Oscar for his work in 2002's Catch Me If You Can and won a best supporting actor Oscar for 1978's The Deer Hunter. His other credits include Pulp Fiction and True Romance, and he next appears in Man on Fire and The Stepford Wives. Walken is repped by ICM.
- 1/23/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are in negotiations to team up in the New Line Cinema comedy The Wedding Crashers. The project, which is seeking a director, is a romantic comedy revolving around two guys who have a hobby of crashing weddings in order to meet girls. While crashing a random nuptial, one of them unexpectedly falls in love. Crashers was penned by the writing team of Steve Faber and Bob Fisher, with Tapestry Films' Andrew Panay and Peter Abrams on board to produce. New Line production executives Richard Brener, Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim are overseeing for the studio. Wilson next appears in the Warner Bros. Pictures thriller The Big Bounce. He also stars in the upcoming Starsky & Hutch feature for Warner Bros. Pictures and appears in Walden Media's remake of Around the World in 80 Days, Franchise Pictures' The Wendell Baker Story and the Walt Disney Co.'s Wes Anderson-directed The Life Aquatic. Vaughn, who most recently starred in the DreamWorks comedy Old School, has several projects in the works. He will appear opposite Wilson in Starsky & Hutch and also appears in the DreamWorks comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, the indie drama The Sky Is Green and the 20th Century Fox comedy Underdogs. Vaughn also is attached to star in the New Line comedy No Place Like Home. Wilson and Vaughn are both repped by UTA.
- 10/8/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are in negotiations to team up in the New Line Cinema comedy The Wedding Crashers. The project, which is seeking a director, is a romantic comedy revolving around two guys who have a hobby of crashing weddings in order to meet girls. While crashing a random nuptial, one of them unexpectedly falls in love. Crashers was penned by the writing team of Steve Faber and Bob Fisher, with Tapestry Films' Andrew Panay and Peter Abrams on board to produce. New Line production executives Richard Brener, Cale Boyter and Magnus Kim are overseeing for the studio. Wilson next appears in the Warner Bros. Pictures thriller The Big Bounce. He also stars in the upcoming Starsky & Hutch feature for Warner Bros. Pictures and appears in Walden Media's remake of Around the World in 80 Days, Franchise Pictures' The Wendell Baker Story and the Walt Disney Co.'s Wes Anderson-directed The Life Aquatic. Vaughn, who most recently starred in the DreamWorks comedy Old School, has several projects in the works. He will appear opposite Wilson in Starsky & Hutch and also appears in the DreamWorks comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, the indie drama The Sky Is Green and the 20th Century Fox comedy Underdogs. Vaughn also is attached to star in the New Line comedy No Place Like Home. Wilson and Vaughn are both repped by UTA.
- 10/8/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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