Tagged With: Universal

Ang Lee has pacted with Focus Features to direct LUST, CAUTION, an espionage thriller set in WWII-era Shanghai. Bill Kong, who previously produced Lee's CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, will produce. Focus Features ceo James Schamus will exec produce.

Luxology Llc., the creators of modo, a leading subdivision surface and polygonal 3D modeling platform, announced the immediate availability of a universal binary version of modo for Intel-based Macintosh computers. Used by Apple to conduct iMac performance benchmarks, modos universal binary version boasts more than twice the speed when running on iMacs that use Intel Core Duo technology, and performs up to five times faster than previous top-of-the-line PowerBooks when testing the rendering speed of the modo 201 beta version.

Universal Studio has named Marc Shmuger chairman, and David Linde co-chairman, Universal Pictures, effective immediately.

The Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood announced new enhancements for spring 2006, including new attractions showcasing THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT and KING KONG, as well as the opportunity to see more working TV and movie sets than ever before, including sets from CROSSING JORDAN and the top-rated CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION. The enhancements represent the most sweeping changes made to the Studio Tour in more than a decade and the greatest number of new additions to the park since the first trams rolled along the landmark Universal backlot in 1964.

Universal has hired Chris Morgan (FAST AND FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT) to adapt Dan Brereton and James Hudnalls comicbook THE PSYCHO, reports VARIETY.

Set in a world where an illegal drug can give people superpowers or death, the story follows a rogue CIA agent who risks his sanity to become a "psycho" as a way to rescue his girlfriend and expose a political conspiracy.

David Engel will produce for Circle of Confusion, with partners Lawrence Mattis and Jason Lust exec producing. Universal production vp Jeff Kirschenbaum will shepherd the film.

The NBC Universal Entertainment Associate Program is now accepting new candidates for the 2006 class that offers career development opportunities for external and internal applicants interested in creative entertainment programming.

Jeff Zucker, president, NBC Universal Television Group, said, "We are extremely proud of the Entertainment Associate Program and the top creative executives it has produced throughout the years and we look forward to recruiting talented future programmers for our 2006 class of Entertainment Associates."

DreamWorks has called off its talks with NBC Universal to buy the independent powerhouse, reports the trades. On Sept. 26, 2005, after two months of exclusive talks between the studios, DreamWorks founder and chief negotiator David Geffen walked away from the table when GE and Universal tried to renegotiate the price after previously settling on a price of around $1 billion.

SCI FI Channel continues to test the boundaries of imagination with WHAT IF, a speculative future project that poses intriguing scenarios of alternate realities. The program, from NBC Universal Television Studio in association with New Line Television, asks... What if a moment in time could change the world forever?