Movie News Page 1065

Another movie project has been secured under Warner Bros. Pictures' wings. The Hollywood Reporter reported that the giant film has satisfyingly optioned the rights to create a remake of Ted Kotcheff's 1978 feature of "Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?" which was starred by Robert Morley and Jacqueline Bisset.

Shortened the title to "Who Is Killing the Great Chefs?", Warner has already picked up "Casanova" star Oliver Platt to assume Morley's role. Meanwhile, the story will revolve around an obese editor of a food magazine who intends to kill the cooks who have created his favorite dishes in his effort to lose weight. The list includes a striking dessert chef whose ex-husband, played by Platt, is trying to win her back.

The seat is finally taken by Jeremiah S. Chechik. The Canadian Filmmaker has been picked up to helm dark coming-of-age comedy project of "The Pornographer's Poem", a new production from House of Films Inc..

Being so, Checik then will round up the likes of Justin Chatwin, Makenna Ruddy, Mark Day, and Judy Nanney under his direction while developing the picture based on Karen Walton's script. Though so, there is no word yet on the production schedule.

This no doubt will make a great collaboration, really. Two terrific funnymen, Jim Carrey and Steve Carell, have given their agreement to team up in doing voice acting on "Horton Hears a Who", the new CG animated project coming from 20th Century Fox Animation.

Marking his first in bringing a CGI animated character to life, Carrey will voice the title character while Carell filling the voice of the mayor of Who-ville, a distinguished figure of a very small size who is too small to be seen by Horton's eyes.

Returning to fantasy genre, "Lord of the Rings" trilogy helmer Peter Jackson is set to make "Temeraire", a film adaptation of Naomi Novik's historical fantasy series of the same title following his successful attempt to pick up the rights to the saga, The Hollywood Reporter has reported.

Described as "a reimagining of the epic events of the Napoleonic Wars with an air force- an air force of dragons, manned by crews of aviators", "Temeraire" takes focus on a British naval officer named Capt. Will Laurence who gives up his naval career to become captain of a dragon he names Temeraire. So far, Novik has released three novels of the series, namely "His Majesty's Dragon" or known as "Temeraire" in U.K, "Throne of Jade", and "Black Powder War."

The flow of film adaptations seems to go on more heavily nowadays. Trailing behind those who have revealed their plan to make such features, prolific producer Gerald R. Molen has come up with a new one entitled "Playing With the Enemy" based on Gary W. Moore's recently published nonfiction book of the same title.

Set to begin the principal photography of the movie, of which full title is "Playing With the Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War, and a Field of Broken Dreams", by February 2007, Molen will develop the project through his WhiteLight Entertainment production company with David Ranes and Moore's son Toby Moore penning the screenplay.

Michelle Yeoh is getting busy. The Malaysian-born actress has been attached to star in two big screen projects of "True North" for Film Four and "Babylon A.D." for Fox and Canal Plus, Variety has learned.

In the former one, Yeoh will share scenes with Sean Bean and Michelle Krusiec under direction of "The Warrior" helmer Asif Kapadia while the latter will see her playing opposite Vin Diesel with Mathieu Kassovitz taking double job as director and screenwriter. Here the beauty is set to portray a nun who takes care of a young girl who might have been injected with a deadly virus.

Lining up to bring more highlights to the movie, Colin Firth, Matthew Broderick, and Bette Midler have given nods to join the cast of "Then She Found Me", a directorial film debut of "Mad About You" star Helen Hunt.

Firth will play a man whom Hunt's character meets through one of her students while Broderick is billed as her husband and Middler as her birth mother. The movie itself is a drama based on Elinor Lipman's novel of the same title and is being financed by The Blue Rider fund and the bank ICB. The script initially was adapted by Alice Arlen, but later was re-written by Hunt and Vic Levin with Hunt making the final polish. Production of the picture is currently taking place in Brooklyn.

A surprising remark has been made by Brent Spiner concerning his involvement in the high-anticipated movie "Star Trek XI." The actor, who has played Data in numerous "Star Trek" installments, has decided to not take part in the project, announcing it as the franchise celebrated its 40th anniversary last Friday, September 8.

"I don't think I should play Data anymore. I think I'm too old to play him anymore to be honest, " so he said. "I think it would look stupid putting that make-up on me at this point. There certain characters that I think work in a youthful way and I think I really skated along the edge in the last couple movies as it was."

"Ruby Tuesday" is drawing closer to materialization. The animated project has drawn Mick Jagger in to co-produce through his Jagged Films production company, Variety has reported.

With this inclusion, Jagger then is set to collaborate with Luc Besson and Pierre-Ange Le Pogam of Europacorp in developing the picture. In the meantime, as part of the deal, the man will allow the flick to feature 12 songs of his band, The Rolling Stones.

Movie industry will truly lose a prominent figure in filmmaking. Veteran director Luc Besson has unveiled his plan to take a permanent withdrawal from directing field, stating that his upcoming work of "Arthur and the Invisibles" will be the last film feature he helms. "I am pleased to have completed this cycle," so he said. "That is finished."

Following the shocking statement, the 47-year-old filmmaker revealed on Monday, September 11 his intention to devote himself to civic projects instead, saying that he was keen to try his hand at a whole array of new projects. "I want to take a little care of my fellow citizens," he remarked. I want to take a little care of my planet. I want to act in favor of the inner cities, in favor of the environment. I want to do lots of things."

Renowned filmmaker Joel Schumacher is turning his attention to horror genre. The "Batman Forever" helmer has reached a deal to direct "Town Creek" for Gold Circle Films, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed.

Scheduled for a 2007 release, the movie revolves around a West Virginia man who helps his brother fight against a family that has been protecting a Nazi vampire while holding his brother captive for him to feed off of for years. Dave Kajganich is set to write the screenplay with Peter Care, Tom Lassally, and Robyn Meisinger producing.

Following the trail of MGM in nabbing Toronto Film Festival participant "Rescue Dawn" under its wings, Dimension Films, a subsidiary of The Weinstein Company, has satisfyingly acquired the distribution rights to teen horror flick "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane."

Already encountered its premiere at the festival on Saturday, September 9, the movie marks a directorial debut of Jonathan Levine and features young talents like Amber Heard, Anson Mount, also Aaron Himelstein. Script is penned by Jacob Forman with Chad Feehan, Felipe Marino, Joe Neurauter seating as producers.

Taking a notch higher following the unveiling of its intention to make five movie sequels, MGM has come up with a bigger plan to mark its return to the studio big leagues. Based on reports compiled by Variety, the studio has revealed that it will release some $150 million-plus films over the next few years which include "The Hobbit", "Terminator 4", and a sequel to 1999's "The Thomas Crown Affair."

Concerning "The Hobbit", MGM is said to produce the flick in partnership with New Line Cinema while eyeing "Lord of the Rings" trilogy helmer Peter Jackson to take the director's seat. Jackson himself, as reported by Aint-it-Cool.com, has shown his willingness to helm the project, even though his schedule gets more crowded every passing week.

Marking her return to Sony's Screen Gems after "Underworld" series, Kate Beckinsale has signed on to star in the company's new horror thriller feature of "Vacancy", replacing Sarah Jessica Parker who reportedly dropped out due to personal reasons.

Therefore takes over Parker's role, the beauty will be billed opposite Luke Wilson to play a couple who realize that they are become the object for making a snuff film upon finding out video cameras in their motel room. Also joining the cast list is Frank Whaley who will portray the anti-hero.

"Evening" really gets more illumination as one more star is coming down under way. Variety reported that Patrick Wilson has been confirmed to join the cast of the project, a big screen adaptation of Susan Minot's best-selling novel of the same title.

Lining up with the likes of Vanessa Redgrave, Claire Danes, Toni Collette, and Hugh Dancy, Wilson will be billed to play the past object of affection of a 65-year-old cancer patient played by Redgrave as she recalls her youth while her two daughters try to come to terms with her impending death.