Category: Films

Horror film writer Neal Marshall Stevens will write two comicbooks for Studio 407 that the company may also adopt into features, per VARIETY.

Futuristic action-thriller HAVOC BRIGADE will come out March 25 and scary actioner DEMON SQUAD is set for release later in 2009. Stevens originally came to Studio 407 to write HUNTER with director Eric Vallete and co-produced by Stallion Pictures.

Studio 407 is working with Myriad Pictures to produce two films based on their graphic novels: HYBRID and THE NIGHT PROJECTIONIST.

Sony Pictures Animation has set a deal with Platinum Studios, an entertainment company that controls an international library of comic book characters which it adapts, produces and licenses for all forms of media, to develop an animated feature.

Dev Patel, recently of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, has joined the cast of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, according to VARIETY.

The British-born actor will play Zuko, a member of the Fire Nation in the live-action adaptation of the Nickelodeon series from Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Films.

DreamWorks Animation's SHREK spinoff PUSS IN BOOTS has a writer in TV scribe Tom Wheeler, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

The film will feature the feline assassin voiced by Antonio Banderas in the two most recent SHREK films. Michelle Raimo is producing.

Chris Miller wrote an earlier draft of the PUSS IN BOOTS screenplay and previously added voices and dialogue to SHREK installments. He also co-directed and co-wrote the third film.

A fourth SHREK film, SHREK GOES FOURTH, will be released in theaters on May 21, 2010.

KOCH Records will release the soundtrack for the 3-D stop-motion animated film CORALINE digitally on February 3, and in stores on February 24, 2009. Focus Features will release the movie, from animation studio Laika, in theaters nationwide (in 3-D and regular 2-D theaters) on February 6.

The soundtrack, produced by and featuring award-winning French composer Bruno Coulais, sets the perfect tone for the suspenseful and wonderful world created in the movie, and features a new original song ("Other Father Song") by pop favorites They Might Be Giants.

After shutting down U.S. operations for a week due to a gap in financing, Imagi Ent.'s animated adaptation of ASTRO BOY is back on track, per VARIETY.

Erin Corbett, Imagi's U.S. president, said Tuesday that the company had to shut down for a week because bridge financing had not come through in time. Money is now in place and will hold over the company until more funding from several private equity companies arrives next Tuesday.

Twentieth Century Fox has picked up THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER after Disney decided a month ago to pass on the franchise, according to VARIETY.

Fox had first dibs on the project as it has a shared Fox Walden marketing and distribution label with Narnia's owner, Walden Media. Budget and script details are being worked out, but Fox is currently developing the film and is hoping to start shooting at the end of summer. A holiday 2010 release is being eyed through the Fox Walden label. Director will be Michael Apted.

Twentieth Century Fox has hired Joe Carnahan to direct THE A-TEAM, based on the 1980s TV series, with Ridley Scott to produce and Tony Scott to exec produce via their Scott Free banner, per VARIETY.

Set for release next summer, producers also include Jules Daly and Stephen J. Cannell, the latter of whom created the original series that debuted in 1983 and ran for five seasons.

Skip Woods' script will get a polish from Carnahan and Brian Bloom. Production is scheduled to start by June in order to make the June 11, 2010 release date.

Actors Michael Fassbender (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS), Dominic West (300) and actress Olga Kurylenko (QUANTUM OF SOLACE) will star in Neil Marshall's U.K.-set sword and sandals thriller CENTURION, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE producer Christian Colson of Celador Films is producing for Pathe Distribution, the French-owned U.K.-based company.

Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions have acquired all U.S. rights to Snoot Ent.'s BATTLE FOR TERRA, a 3-D animated adventure feature film with the vocal talents of Evan Rachel Wood, Luke Wilson, Justin Long, Amanda Peet, Chris Evans and Dennis Quaid. The feature directorial debut of acclaimed short filmmaker Aristomenis Tsirbas (THE FREAK), BATTLE FOR TERRA is the first in a series of animated features produced by Snoot.