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Liberace: Robin Williams is in talks to topline "Liberace," a biopic to be directed by Philip Kaufman for Cary Woods' Independent Pictures. Written by "Scary Movie" co-scribes Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, the project is described as being in the vein of "The People vs. Larry Flynt." According to THR, the film centers on the rise of Liberace's career through his death in 1987. Born Wladziu Valentino Liberace, the entertainer was a child prodigy who emerged as a concert soloist by age 11 and performed with symphony orchestras in his teens. As an adult during the 1950s, Liberace - often flamboyantly dressed in rhinestones, gold lame, furs and sequins - became a star with his records and television and film appearances. The performer made headlines in 1959, when he successfully sued London's Daily Mirror for implying that he was gay. Collateral Damage: Italian actress Francesca Neri ("Live Flesh") has snagged the female lead opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Collateral Damage." Variety reports that the Warner Bros. project follows a man who loses his wife and child in a terrorist bombing and then teams with the wife (Neri) of the man who killed his family to seek revenge. Andrew Davis ("The Fugitive") will direct. Swordfish: A review of Skip Woods' script for "Swordfish," dated November 24th, 1999. Dominic Sena will direct this Hugh Jackman/John Travolta crime thriller. Minor spoilers. Thanks to 'Stax at IGN FilmForce.' Swordfish - Script Review (Negative) Librium: Angus Macfadyen ("Braveheart") has taken the lead villain role in the Kurt Wimmer-directed and scripted "Librium," joining Christian Bale, Emily Watson and Taye Diggs in the thriller about a futuristic society devoid of emotion. According to Reuters, Macfadyen controls the repressive society, in a film produced by Jan DeBont and Lucas Foster's Blue Tulip label. Life as a House: Kevin Kline is in serious discussions to star in "Life as a House," a dark comedy tentatively set for a November start date. Variety reports that the story concerns a terminally ill man who sets about fulfilling his dream of building a house. By corralling his estranged son to aid in the task, he manages to rekindle an understanding with both the son and his estranged wife. It was written by Mark L. Andrus ("As Good as It Gets"). Adaptation: Nicolas Cage is in serious discussions to star in "Adaptation," a Columbia Pictures project that reunites Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze, the writer and director, respectively, of "Being John Malkovich." Loosely based on New Yorker contributor Susan Orlean's "The Orchid Thief," the $25 million project follows a sexually-frustrated screenwriter's attempts to adapt Orlean's anecdotal novel for the screen. In between, suffering both love-sickness and writer's block, the onscreen version of Kaufman enlists his imaginary twin brother, Donald, a fledgling screenwriter, to collaborate on what becomes a box office monster. According to Variety, Meryl Streep is apparently interested in starring as Susan Orlean. WW3.com: Twentieth Century Fox has attached Luc Besson ("Léon") to produce the big-budget "WW3.com" and is in negotiations with Jon Bokenkamp ("Blair Witch 2") to rewrite the script in hopes of readying it for production, pre-strike. No director is attached to the big-budget project, which Fox originally acquired in 1998 in hopes of turning it into its 1999 summer tentpole. Now the studio still has tentpole hopes, but they have been delayed until at least 2002. Writer David Marconi ("Enemy of the State") was the first to take a swipe at the material. Variety reports that the project is said to blend Cold War tensions with a high-concept, FX-heavy storyline involving cyber-terrorists who have declared war on the United States.
Simone: Catherine Keener ("Being John Malkovich") is in final negotiations to star opposite Al Pacino in New Line Cinema's "Simone" for writer-director-producer Andrew Niccol. She would join Jason Schwartzman ("Rushmore") and Pruitt Taylor Vince ("Heavy") in the contemporary Hollywood satire. Production is scheduled to begin Sept. 7 in Los Angeles. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Simone" is about a disillusioned movie producer (Pacino) whose lead actress abruptly drops out of his film. Unbeknownst to the public, he decides to replace her with computer-generated starlet Simone. Swept up by her instant success, including a major recording career, he cannot bear to admit his fraud to the world or to himself. Keener would play the head of a movie studio and ex-wife to Pacino's character. Vince plays a tabloid reporter who gets wind that Simone may not be a real person. Schwartzman plays Vince's assistant. Killing Me Softly: Joseph Fiennes is in negotiations to star opposite Heather Graham in "Killing Me Softly," for director Chen Kaige ("Farewell My Concubine"). The erotic thriller, based on the novel by Nicci French, spins the tale of a London research scientist (Graham) who opts out of her comfortable but ordinary relationship with her boyfriend and into a dangerously obsessive bond with a handsome and mysterious mountaineer. Variety reports that "Killing" is set to start shooting in London on Oct. 29, with an eye to release in fall 2001. City by the Sea: A review of Ken Hixon's "Sea" script, dated October 2nd, 1998. Scroll down to the August 20th update for more info on this project. Minor spoilers. Thanks to 'Stax at IGN FilmForce.' City by the Sea - Script Review (Slightly Positive) America's Sweethearts: Revolution Studios' topper Joe Roth is considering a return to the director's chair after a 10-year hiatus. THR sources have confirmed that Roth has fast-tracked the Billy Crystal/Peter Tolan-written comedy "America's Sweethearts" and is contemplating helming the project. Roth last directed "Coupe de Ville" in 1990. No firm decision on a director will be made until "Sweethearts" is cast. The project, which is being developed as a possible vehicle for Julia Roberts, takes place at a media junket and centers on a publicist pushing a film starring a once happy A-list couple that has since suffered a messy and public split. The two actors are reunited at the junket. The Quiet American: Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser have committed to star for director Phillip Noyce in Mirage Enterprises' $30 million big-screen adaptation of "The Quiet American" for Intermedia. An early 2001 start date is being eyed on location in Vietnam and Australia. Based on the late Graham Greene's 1955 novel of the same name, "Quiet" is set in Vietnam in the 1950s during the struggle for independence from France. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the story follows a cynical British reporter (Caine) living in Vietnam who becomes unsettled when a young American CIA agent (Fraser) moves to town and takes an interest in his Vietnamese girlfriend. Deal discussions are afoot for the actors. Christopher Hampton ("Dangerous Liaisons") adapted "Quiet" for the big screen.
The Contender: Poster for the thriller "The Contender," starring Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges, Gary Oldman, Sam Elliott and Christian Slater. Thanks to Steven Spielberg-DreamWorks SKG Fansite. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Director Chris Columbus and producer David Heyman have discovered their Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger from the thousands of children who cast their names into the hat to play the roles. Young actor Daniel Radcliffe will be the film’s Harry, with Rupert Grint and Emma Watson taking on the roles of Ron and Hermione, Harry’s best friends at Hogwarts. More >>> Pitch Black 2 / The Hulk: David Hayter (who received sole screenwriting credit for "X-Men") has been tapped to write "Pitch Black 2" and rewrite "The Hulk," both for Universal Pictures. The sequel to "Pitch Black," based on Hayter's idea, will tell the continuing adventures of Riddick (Vin Diesel). Interscope, which produced the original film is back on board to produce the sequel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Diesel is also attached to star in the sequel. I Know What You Did Last Summer 3: Columbia Pictures and Original Films are moving forward with a third installment of the horror franchise "I Know What You Did Last Summer," tapping screenwriter Simon Davis Barry to pen the new script, based on his own idea. Original's Neal Moritz, Stokely Chaffin and Erik Feig are back on board to produce "I Know 3," which will stick to the premise that a group of teens gets involved in an incident that yields deadly results. The tone of the third installment, however, will be different in that it aims to be a morality tale that returns to the roots of the horror genre without elements of comedy or camp. It is not yet clear if cast members from the previous two films will return. Thanks to 'Timms_Scoop_Sender.'
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