Category: Films

STEALTH director Rob Cohens big-budget spectacle THE 8TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD has been called off at Sonys Columbia Pictures, reports the L.A. TIMES.

Amy Pascal, head of the motion picture group for Sony Pictures Ent., said in the piece, "It didn't seem like a good idea for us to make that movie after STEALTH.

The $135-million STEALTH lost Sony nearly $50 million after grossing a measly $32.1 million domestically. Cohen declined to comment.

Following up his debut on the surprise hit DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN, Darren Grant has been hired by Fox 2000 for the live-action adaptation of the webtoon, VENUS KINCAID, according to VARIETY. The Love Brothers of Gettosake Ent. created the series, which chronicles a female African-American government agent who is transformed into a teenaged girl with all of her adult knowledge still intact. ZOOM production company Underground Films' Nick Osborne and Trevor Engelson are producing with Scott Cherrin exec producing. Lori Lakin is writing the screenplay.

Da, da, da. Da, da, da let the boy be Blade. Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones has been cast as the half-vampire vampire killer Blade for the upcoming TV series, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Based on the comicbook and film franchise of the same name, the Spike TV series will continue the adventures of the Marvel superhero as he attempts to save the human race from a demonic underworld.

New Line has hired Seth Bass and Jonathan Tolins to write an adaptation of SANTAKID, based on James Patterson's children's book, reports VARIETY. The story follows a billionaires daughter who after receiving an imperfect doll for Christmas has her father buy Santa Claus and tries to improve on holiday operation. David Kirschner and Corey Sienega will produce with New Line execs Mark Kaufman, Matt Moore and Luke Ryan shepherding for the studio.

Dimension Films has obtained the North American distribution right to CASTLEVANIA, a thriller based on the Konami videogame franchise, reports VARIETY. Paul W.S. Anderson will adapt and direct. Just last week, production house Crystal Sky Pictures purchased the film rights to the franchise.

Production and distribution company Maxmedia has optioned the film rights to the forthing Microsoft videogame KAMEO: ELEMENTS OF POWER, reports VARIETY. Maxmedia plans to team with SKY BLUE production house Sunmin Park, to adapt the animated feature. She and Jungmin Ethan Park are producing the film, which is set to being production next year.

With lucrative state tax incentives in play, Digital Domains long-in-the-works project INSTANT KARMA is aptly named. The Louisiana Capital Area Economic Development Allies (LaCAEDA) announced that Emerald Bayou Studios has played a critical role in obtaining state certification for the feature film. This partnership was announced during a press conference at AFM.

Paul W.S. Anderson, who developed a name for turning videogames into feature films such as RESIDENT EVIL and MORTAL COMBAT, has been hired by Steven Paul's Crystal Sky Pictures to turn Konami videogame franchise CASTLEVANIA into a feature, reports VARIETY. Anderson will write and direct the film. Paul and Crystal Sky president Benedict Carver will produce alongside Impact Pictures Anderson and Jeremy Bolt. The story will chronicle the origins of Dracula and the vampire-hunting Belmont Clan. Mid-2006 is set for production to start and no cast has yet been set.

Rogue Films, the genre arm of Focus Features, has tapped the domestic distribution rights to HIGH TENSION director Alexandre Ajas forthcoming supernatural horror flick, THE WAITING, VARIETY reports. Rogue purchased the film from Gold Circle Films and Craven/Maddalena Films. Mandate holds the international rights.

Inspired by last years enormously successful THE POLAR EXPRESS: AN IMAX 3D EXPERIENCE and encouraged by a flurry of interest in three-dimensional digital cinema, Walt Disney Pictures will unveil its first all CG-animated feature, CHICKEN LITTLE, in a new Disney Digital 3D process when it bows Nov. 4. This event marks the first digital 3D theatrical presentation.