Rogue Pictures, Universal-based Focus Features genre division, has inked a three-year first-look deal with Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Forms Platinum Dunes, VARIETY reports. Bay, Fuller and Form will produce horror films, with budgets south of $25 million, for Rogue, which will give the trio as much as 10% of first-dollar gross.
Platinums first project under the new deal will be a remake of NEAR DARK, the 1987 film that follows a cowboy as he is lured into joining a nomadic gang of vampires. Video director Samuel Bayer is set to direct from a screenplay by Matt Venne. Charles Meeker and Amy Kaufman are the producers. Lensing will start early next year.
Rogues lucrative deal matches the one that Platinum had previously with Dimension Films. Platinum will see the high percentage when it brings in the projects on its own.
The reason Platinum can garner such a price is that its films are made on low budgets and have a track record of making big profits. In 2003, its remake of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE was made for $9.5 million and went on to gross $107 million worldwide.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
