Month: May 2021

Zero Gravity Signs ‘Hotel 33’ Helmer Kellie Madison

Hot off her Toronto deal to direct Jason Patrick inHotel 33 for Open Road Films and Emmett / Furla / Oasis Films, Kellie Madison has signed with Zero Gravity Management. The horror thriller follows a small town Pennsylvania detective investigating the disappearance of a youngster in a haunted hotel where dozens went missing in 1953. Hotel 33 will mark Madison’s directorial debut and she’ll direct from her own script. Madison, also an actress, wrote, directed and produced the award-winning short Bathtub Picnicand wrote and produced telefilm Dear Mr. Gacy starring William Forsythe.

‘Twilight’ Star Kellan Lutz in Talks to Join Sylvester Stallone in ‘Expendables 3′
Patrick Hughes is directing the action-packed sequel for Lionsgate and Millennium Films

Kellan Lutz, who played Emmett Cullen in “The Twilight Saga,” is in early talks to join Sylvester Stallone in “The Expendables 3,” an individual familiar with the Lionsgate project told TheWrap.

Lionsgate did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Australian filmmaker Patrick Hughes, who has a successful background in commercials, is directing the action-packed sequel, which Stallone is producing with Millennium Films.

According to insiders, “Expendables 3″ will introduce a younger group of tech-savvy action heroes who initially clash with the older crew, though they eventually team up to save the day.

It remains unclear which surviving cast from “The Expendables 2″ will join Stallone in the sequel, though action heroes Jackie Chan and Wesley Snipes have been rumored for new roles.

While Stallone has hinted on Twitter at the potential casting of Mel Gibson, TheWrap has confirmed that the “Lethal Weapon” star is not officially involved with “The Expendables 3″ at the moment.

“The Expendables” films have grossed more than half a billion dollars, and the latest sequel will start shooting next month. “The Expendables 3″ hits theaters Aug. 15, 2014.

Since his breakout role in the “Twilight Saga,” Lutz has starred in Relativity’s “Immortals” and the Michael Bay-produced remake of “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” He recently wrapped the title role in Renny Harlin’s “Hercules 3D” and also stars in an upcoming “Tarzan” movie.

Lutz is repped by Innovative Artists, Zero Gravity Management and attorney Jeffrey Endlich.

Anthony DiBlasi Directing Horror Pic ‘Paymon’

The helmer is in Florida to shoot the story of a rookie cop forced to work the graveyard shift in a haunted police station. Anthony DiBlasi wrote Paymon with Scott Poiley, who is producing the horror pic with his wife Mary Poiley. It stars Juliana Harkavy (Dolphin Tale), Joshua Mickel (The Vampire Diaries) and J LaRose (Insidious). DiBlasi, whose credits include Clive Barker’s Dread and the upcomingCassadaga, is repped by APA, Zero Gravity Management and Myman Abel. DiBlasi’s film Missionary is premiering at the Fantasia Fest in Montreal.

William H Macy And Virginia Madsen Top Indie Dramedy ‘Walter’

William H. Macy,Virginia Madsen, Peter Facinelli and Andrew J West have come aboard the dramedy Walter, about a young man who believes that he is actually the son of God. As such, the eternal destiny of everyone he encounters is his responsibility — which is a lot to manage along with his job at a movie theater, his loving but neurotic mother, and his growing but unspoken affection for his co-worker. Life becomes even more complicated when a mysterious figure appears who forces Walter to examine the true meaning of life. Neve Campbell, Leven Rambin and Milo Ventimiglia co-star in the pic, which has started shooting in Indiana and LA and is based on a short story written by Paul Schoulberg, who also wrote the screenplay. West plays Walter as he did in the 2010 short film of the same name. McG protege Anna Mastro is making her feature directing debut on the feature version, which is being produced by Zero Gravity’s Mark Holder and Christine Holder along with Brendan Patrick Hill, Ryan Harris and Benito Mueller.

‘The Accountant’ May Have Found a New Home at MRC and Sony

Project was originally set up at Warner Bros.

After it had to leave Warner Bros. due to an expiring option, “The Accountant” may have found a new home with MRC and Sony in early talks to co-finance the film.

No deal has been locked in yet, but if one closes, Media Rights Capital will run point on production and Sony will distribute.

The movie was penned by Bill Dubuque and follows a government accountant who doubles as an assassin. Mark Williams of Zero Gravity Management and Lynette Howell of Electric City Entertainment will produce, with Howell’s Electric City Partner Jamie Patricof executive producing. No talent is currently attached.

Warners had trouble locking down a filmmaker, considering a variety of helmers including the Coen brothers, but was forced to let the project go when the option expired. Though the project ended up leaving WB, sources say the studio was still very high on the script, which is why the property was so sought-after after it left the lot.

MRC is currently producing and financing Seth MacFarlane’s next film, the Western comedy “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” in which he also stars along with Charlize Theron.

‘RoboCop’ Director in Talks for ‘The Brotherhood’ at Warner Bros.

Brazilian filmmaker Jose Padilha would helm the true-crime thriller, an adaptation of the acclaimed book “The Brotherhoods: The True Story of Two Cops Who Murdered for the Mafia.”

Brazilian filmmaker Jose Padilha broke out onto the world stage with his gritty Elite Squad crime movies, then nabbed a coveted gig directing MGM’s remake of RoboCop.

Now the director is setting the stage his next studio project: a crime movie at Warner Bros.

Padilha is in negotiations to direct The Brotherhood, an adaptation of the book The Brotherhoods: The True Story of Two Cops Who Murdered for the Mafia, written by Guy Lawson and William Oldham. Dan Lin is producing.

Reading almost like a true-life variation of the Martin Scorsese film The Departed, the book centers on two corrupt detectives, one working surreptitiously for the Luchese crime family, the other for the Gambino family. For years the men threw cases, scrapped evidence and even killed.

Oldham is the third point in the story, a detective who spent more than seven years tracking the men, eventually bringing them to justice in a sensational trial.

The book was wel-reviewed, with many singling out the great characters that populate the story.

Bill Dubuque, who also worked on Warners’Robert Downey Jr. dramedy The Judge, which is in pre-production, wrote the script.

The material seems tailor-made for Padilha, whose Elite Squad movies were complex and compelling crime dramas filled with corruption, office politics, and action pieces. Elite Squad won the Golden Bear at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival while its 2010 sequel, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, broke Brazilian records set by movies such as Avatar.

Padilha’s RoboCop is set for a Feb. 7, 2014, release.

He is repped by CAA and Cowan DeBaets.

Kellan Lutz Nabs Title Role in ‘Hercules 3D’ (Exclusive)

Renny Harlin is directing the $70 million-budgeted film for Nu Image/Millenium.

Director Renny Harlin has found his Hercules in Kellan Lutz.

Harlin (Cliffhanger, Die Hard 2) is directing the $70 million epic, which is aiming to shoot in May in Bulgaria.Lutz, one of the more popular co-stars of The Twilight Saga, has signed to star in Hercules 3D, Nu Image/Millennium’s big-budget take on the Greek demigod.

“It takes more than a good physique to portray the most legendary, mythological personality in history — and Kellan has exactly that, personality,” Harlin tells The Hollywood Reporter. “He’s not afraid to explore the strengths and vulnerabilities of the character, and he impressed me with his passion and heart.”

The movie is one of two high-profile Hercules movies being made by Hollywood studios, the second being an MGM/Paramount co-production to be directed by Brett Ratner. Dwayne Johnson is playing the hero in the rival project.

While exact plot details are being kept under wraps,Hercules 3D will have at its center a love story between the son of Zeus and the mortal princess of Crete, who was promised to his older brother despite her love for Hercules.

Sean Hood, Harlin and Giulio Steve wrote the script. Producing are Les Welden andDanny Lerner, who also teamed to produce Millennium’s recent action hit Olympus Has Fallen.

Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, John Thompson and Boaz Davidson will executive produce.

“Kellan has the look and charisma that Harlin envisioned for the character,” says Davidson. “Renny had him in mind from the start and we are really excited to have him on board.”

Lutz already has god experience on his resume, having played Poseidon in Relativity’s 2011 epic Immortals. He is repped by Innovative Artists, Zero Gravity Management and Morris Yorn.

“This is a breakout role for Kellan and a chance to grow and shine as an actor,” Harlin says.

Vincent D’Onofrio Joins Warner Bros’ ‘The Judge’

Vincent D’Onofrio has signed on to play the brother of Robert Downey Jr’s character in The Judge, the Warner Bros dramedy that also stars Robert Duvall. Bill Dubuque was pegged to pen the script, about a big-city lawyer (Downey) who returns to his childhood home where his estranged father (Duvall), the town‘s judge, is suspected of murder. He sets out to discover the truth and along the way reconnects with the family he walked away from years before. David Dobkin is directing, and Downey and Susan Downey are producing with Dobkin. D’Onofrio just completed the off-Broadway show Clive opposite Ethan Hawke and Zoe Kazan. On the big screen, he just wrapped the action comedy Pawn Shop Chronicles and next appears in the indie Broken Horses with Anton Yelchin and Thomas Jane. D’Onofrio is repped by UTA and the Collective.

Adam Goldberg Joins ABC’s ‘Divorce’, Diego Klattenhoff In ‘Blacklist’, ‘Lucky 7′ Adds One

Homeland alum Diego Klattenhoff has joined NBC/Sony TV’s drama pilot The Blacklist. Written by Jon Bokenkamp, the project centers on Red (James Spader), the world’s most wanted criminal who mysteriously turns himself in and offers to give up everyone he has ever worked with. His only condition is he will only work with a newly minted FBI agent, Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone), with whom he seemingly has no connection. Klattenhoff, APA, Zero Gravity and Amanda Rosenthal, will play Donald Ressler, Field Agent In-Charge. He will next be seen in Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim and in After Earth for Sony.

Robert Duvall Joins Robert Downey Jr. in ‘The Judge’

David Dobkin is directing the Warner Bros. murder mystery.

Robert Duvall has signed on to playRobert Downey Jr.’s father in The Judge, a Warner Bros. dramedy which David Dobkin is directing. Downey is on board to star as a successful attorney who returns to his hometown for his mother’s funeral only to discover that his estranged father, the town’s judge, is the murder suspect. The man sets out to discover the truth and along the way reconnects with the family he walked away from years before.

The studio courted Jack Nicholson for the part but the notoriously finicky actor ultimately passed. Judge will be a co-production between Team Downey and Dobkin’s Big Kid Pictures. Susan Downey, Dobkin and David Gambino are producing.

Duvall was last seen in Jack Reacher with Tom Cruise and recently wrapped an indie titled A Night In Old Mexico. He is repped by ICM, Prospect Park and Hanson Jacobson.