Eye On Film Jan. 4 - Jan. 10

EYE ON FILM
Jan 4- Jan 10

Exec/Studio Shuffle:

New Line Cinema – Richard Brener has been promoted to senior executive vp and chief operating officer of New Line Prods.

Mandalay Pictures – Oscar-winning producer Cathy Schulman has been named president of Mandalay Pictures.

Mekhi Phifer is launching a production company to be based at John Wells’ production shingle on the Warners lot.

New Movies:

“The Tingler” – Columbia Pictures; Original Film, Neal Moritz; Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan to pen a rewrite of the horror remake.

“Passengers” – Columbia Pictures; Mandate Pictures, Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane (exec. prods.); Mockingbird Pictures, Julie Lynn; Intuition Prods., Keri Selig; Persistent Entertainment, Judd Payne and Matthew Rhods; dir. by Rodrigo Garcia; Patrick Wilson has signed on to star joining Anne Hathaway.

“Rabbit Hole” –

Fox Searchlight; Blossom Films, Nicole Kidman; Kidman will star.

“Sleuth” – Sony Pictures Classics, Riff Raff Prods., Kenneth Branagh; Castle Rock, Media Rights Capital; dir. by Branagh; stars Michael Caine and Jude Law.

Untitled Comedy– New Line Cinema, Jimmy Miller; Les Firestein will pen the script; “Indecent Proposal” concept with a twist.

“His Dark Materials: The Subtle Knife” – New Line Cinema; Hossein Amini hired to pen script.

“Avatar: The Last Airbender” – Paramount Pictures’ MTV Films and Nick Movies; M. Night Shyamalan to write, direct, and produce the adaptation.

“Avatar” – Fox Filmed Entertainment; dir. by James Cameron; scheduled for a summer 2009 release in 3-D.

“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, MAD World” – Ed Bass and Karen Sharpe Kramer to finance independently; no dir. is yet attached.

“Tonight, He Comes” – Columbia Pictures; Jason Bateman has recently been cast opposite Will Smith while Charlize Theron remains in talks.

“Mama Mia!” – Universal Pictures; Playtone, Gary Goetzman and Judy Craymer; Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson (exec prods.); Phyllida Lloyd in negotiations to make feature directorial debut.

“Mummy 3” – Universal Pictures, Sean Daniel and Jim Jacks; Sommers Co., Stephen Sommers and Bob Ducsay; Rob Cohen in talks to direct; Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in talks to return.

“In Bruges” – Focus Features; Film4, Tessa Ross (exec. prod.); Blueprint Pictures, Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin; Scion Films, Jeff Abberley and Julia Blackman (exec. prods.); directorial debut of Martin McDonagh; Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson to star with Ralph Fiennes, Clemence Poesy and Jeremie Renier.

“The Bass Master” – Lionsgate; Broken Road Prods., Todd Garner; script by Tab Murphy and Devin Maurer.