Movie News Page 1057

The nice collaboration continues. Variety has revealed that Terrence Howard and director Craig Brewer have both agreed to once again join forces to work on another project together after the success of "Hustle & Flow."

The two will develop a biographical feature of legendary singer Charley Pride which is not yet titled. Howard is said to be billed as the country icon and will sing his songs and play guitar for the project as Joaquin Phoenix did in "Walk the Line." Meanwhile, the film itself will be made with focusing on Pride's relationship with his wife, Rozene, whom he met when he was playing for the Memphis Red Sox.

An inspiring sports movie is about to come out from 20th Century Fox. The giant company is reported to have secured rights to make "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" based on Michael Lewis' novel of the same title.

With this acquisition, "Blind" then becomes the next Lewis' book-based film project after "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game", which is adapted from his bestselling baseball novel. The picture currently is under development at Columbia with Mike De Luca producing.

Finally, it's moving ahead. "WarGames 2" is really set to come to the surface as the project ultimately has got Canadian filmmaker Stuart Gillard at helm. Known more as a small screen director, the man has directed a number of TV-movie features as well as TV series episodes, notably for The WB's "Charmed."

With Gillard's inclusion, everything is now being geared up for the picture. It has been reported that the production of the film is slated to begin by mid-November in Montreal, Canada with Randall M. Badat penning the script. Though so, there is no word yet on the cast lineup.

Joining the competition to land a slot for Oscar's Best Foreign Film category, China and Hong Kong have finally announced their entry for the upcoming prestigious event.

Chinese news Web site Sina.com reported that China's Film Bureau has picked up "Curse of the Golden Flower" to represent the country in the competition. Directed by "Hero" helmer Zhang Yimou with Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li as the leadstars, the picture follows the love story between a royal prince played by Chow and an imperial bodyguard portrayed by Gong set in medieval time in China.

Following the inclusion of Katie Cassidy, more names are coming down to fill in the roles remaining in "Revenge of the Nerds." Variety has learned that Kristin Cavallari, Dan Byrd, Christopher Marquette, and Efren Ramirez have all agreed to join the cast of this remake project of the 1984 cult comedy of the same title.

Developed under Fox Atomic banner, the picture features Kyle Newman at helm with Adam F. Goldberg, Adam Jay Epstein, and Andrew Jacobson penning the script. Shooting will start next week with "Charlie's Angels" director McG serving as producer alongside his Wonderland Sound & Vision partner David Manpearl.

Being consistent in working on her path in film industry, Honolulu-born actress Kelly Preston has smoothly landed one more acting stint to carry out. Variety reported that the beauty is positive to take part in "Death Sentence", a joint production of 20th Century Fox and Hyde Park Entertainment. Along with her, "One Tree Hill" star Stuart Lafferty has also been submitted to the cast lineup.

Billed opposite Kevin Bacon, Preston will portray the wife of the actor's character while Lafferty is set to play their son. The movie itself sees Bacon as a father who seeks out for revenge after his family becomes the victim of a heinous gang-initiation crime, chasing down each person involved in the crime. "Saw" helmer James Wan is on duty to direct with Ian Jeffers penning the script.

Enhancing its status as a high-profile film project, "The Tourist" has satisfyingly included one more glowing talent in its cast. The New York Daily News reported that Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Williams has reached a deal to have a starring role in the movie, joining the likes of Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor.

A thriller feature, the picture is a 20th Century Fox production which marks the directorial debut of Swiss filmmaker Marcel Langenegger. Filming is rescheduled to start next month in New York with Arnold Rifkin producing while Mark Bomback, Patrick Marber and Jason Keller work on the scripts.

There will be much work to do at The Weinstein Company for few years ahead, really. The studio is currently busy dealing with some new film projects to be developed under its banner, Variety has revealed.

Included in the lineups are "Rain in Spain", "Solomon Grundy", "Untitled Rob Marshall Musical", "The Great Debaters", "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency", and "Halloween", the movie remake of John Carpenter's 1978 work of the same title.

Finally Oliver Stone's "World Trade Center" can hit it high. After circulating for some time, the feature at last made its way to top weekend international box-office ended October 1, 2006, according to studio estimates.

Propelled by muscular openings in nine territories plus a worldwide promotion tour, "World" wonderfully takes down $12.3 million in 20 markets, the biggest one coming from U.K where it draws in $3 million.

After a series of action flicks, it's now time for Andrzej Bartkowiak to make a slightly different film project. The Polish director is currently engaged in negotiations to helm a thriller feature entitled "Black and Blue", so The Hollywood Reporter has revealed.

A production of Emmett/Furla Films, the picture centers on a Boston detective who tries to put an end to an escalating drug war between an old-school Irish mob boss and a group of young thugs only to learn that some of his family members might be involved. Jimmy Cummings and Brad Sohn are attached to pen the script while Emmett/Furla's M. Dal Walton III is set to executive produce along with Dorothy Aufiero.

Fresh from helming "Employee of the Month", Greg Coolidge has already got another directing job to do. Production Weekly reported that the New Jersey-born filmmaker has been assigned to direct "Coxblocker", a comedic feature of Paramount Pictures production.

Toplined by Seann William Scott and Topher Grace, the project presents a premise of a new couple whose relationship is often interrupted by the woman's former boyfriend. Scott is billed to play the menacing ex while Grace will portray the woman's new beau.

The glory of animation is back, thanks to "Open Season." Striving high with $23 million it has collected after opening on Friday, September 29, the flick delightfully has claimed the top position for weekend box office ended October 1, 2006, one notch above fellow newcomer "The Guardian."

Though failed to beat out the CG animated feature, the Touchstone Pictures production scores great enough on the chart as it managed to draw $18 million into its pocket, besting the last-week champ "Jackass: Number Two" which this time managed to generate another $14.6 million to make a total domestic gross of $52 million so far.

Lining up to share scenes together, Radha Mitchell, Ray Winstone, and Matt Le Nevez are ready to highlight an indie drama mystery entitled "The Tender Hook", Production Weekly has revealed.

Slated to start filming in Sydney by early 2007, pic revolves around a young woman who struggles to rise to the apex of a love/power triangle in the world of boxing. Jonathan Ogilvie is set to direct as well as write the screenplay.

This probably will be one mother-daughter project worth waiting for. Production Weekly has revealed that British starlet Keira Knightley is teaming up with her mother, playwright Sharman Macdonald, to bring up "The Best Time of Our Lives¹" to the big screen.

Already attached to the picture since its inception four years ago, Knightley is going to play Welsh poet Dylan Thomas' childhood friend named Vera Phillips. The movie itself, scripted by Macdonald, will be made based on the life account of Thomas with taking focus on his complex relationship with his wife also Phillips and her eventual husband, William Killick.

German-born actress Diane Kruger is adding up one more acting stint to her resume. The "Troy" star has given positive sign to take part in comic adventure flick of "The Hunting Party (aka Spring Break in Bosnia)", the beauty herself confirmed the inclusion upon presenting "Copying Beethoven" with its director Agnieszka Holland in San Sebastian.

Joining Richard Gere and Terrence Howard in the cast, Kruger is billed to portray a Bosnian woman named Marjana while Gere and Howard will play a journalist and a cameraman, respectively. Lineup also consists of Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ivanir, plus Goran Kostic. Richard Shepard has been appointed to both direct and write the script.