Category: Films

Universal Pictures has tapped Benicio Del Toro to headline its remake of the horror classic, THE WOLF MAN, reports VARIETY. SEVEN writer Andrew Kevin Walker will pen script from which Scott Stuber, Rick Yorn, Mary Parent and Del Toro will produce.

Like the original 1941 Lon Chaney Jr. film, the redo will be set in Victorian England where a man who returns from America to his ancestral homeland and is transformed into werewolf after being bitten.

Revealed at the Walt Disney shareholders meeting last week, Brad Bird will take the creative reins of Pixar Animation Studios' RATATOUILLE. Developed in-house for several years, Oscar-winning short-film director Jan Pinkava (GERI'S GAME) was long attached to the project as its helmer, but officially no director has been chosen yet.

The story follows a skinny rodent who views himself a gourmand, living in a Parisian restaurant.

A sneak peek of the film was introduced by John Lasseter and shown to attendees at Friday's meeting.

John Cusack will headline in the theatrical adaptation of Stephen King's short story 1408 for DERAILED director Mikael Hafstrom, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Dimension Films, reports VARIETY. The script was written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (ED WOOD).

Cusack will play a debunker of paranormal occurrences who encounters real horror when he checks into notorious Room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel.

1408 debuted in the King audio book, BLOOD AND SMOKE, and was later included in King's 2002 short story collection, EVERYTHING'S EVENTUAL.

HOUSE OF SAND AND FOGs Vadim Perelman is set to adapt and direct a film based on Lois Lowry's Newbery Award-winning fantasy novel THE GIVER for 20th Century Fox and Walden Media, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Perelman will work from an earlier draft written by Todd Alcott.

The story is set in an idyllic future society where all memory of human history has been erased. A 12-year-old named Jonas life is turned upside down when he inherits the role of the Giver the sole keeper of human emotions.

Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures announced plans to develop and produce SAW III for an October 27, 2006, wide release. SAW II helmer Darren Lynn Bousman will return to direct the film from a story by Leigh Whannell and James Wan (SAW, SAW II) and screenplay by Whannell. The Twisted Pictures team of Mark Burg and Oren Koules will also return as producers with Whannell and Wan set to exec produce.

Adlabs Films of the Ambani Group will team with Chennai-based Ocher Studios Pvt Ltd. to co-produce an animation project featuring the Southern superstar Rajnikanth, reports TAMIL STAR.

The project is aimed at Indian and international audiences. The film would be Adlabs first foray in animation.

Ocher Studios is headed by Latha Rajnikanth, the wife of the superstar actor.

Two-time Oscar-winning vfx supervisor John Dykstra will make his directorial debut on TORTOISE AND HIPPO for Walden Media and Relevant Ent, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

"It's a dream come true," Dykstra said. "The biggest thing to me is that having waited this long (to direct a feature) has provided me with an understanding of how films are made, and the critical component is collaboration. I'm really looking forward to telling this tale in the company of such a great team."