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Posters: One for the comedy/drama 'Wonder Boys,' starring Michael Douglas, Katie Holmes and Tobey Maguire. Also one for the animated film 'Road to El Dorado,' about two swindlers who get their hands on a map to the fabled city of gold.

Finders Keepers: Bette Midler has signed to topline the $10 million-$12 million independent comedy "Finders Keepers." John Luessenhop ("Lockdown") will helm from a script he penned with Avery Duff. "Lockdown" is scheduled for a fall release. The urban prison drama stars Master P, Richard T. Jones and Gabriel Casseus. According to The Hollywood Reporter, production is slated to start in May, with locations to be determined.

Miss Congeniality: Hugh Wilson ("The First Wives Club") is set to direct Sandra Bullock in "Miss Congeniality," a comedy about an FBI agent who goes undercover as a beauty pageant contestant. Bullock portrays Miss New Jersey and ends up thwarting the efforts of a group that threaten to bomb the event. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project, written by Marc Lawrence, Katie Ford and Caryn Lucas, will go before the cameras this spring.

The Pianist: Roman Polanski has acquired the film rights to an autobiographical bestseller set in Poland during World War II. "The Pianist," hailed by the Los Angeles Times as the "best non-fiction of 1999," details musician Wladyslaw Szpilman's survival in Warsaw between 1939 and 1945. Polanski is set to adapt and direct the picture. He estimated the budget at about $20 million. Speaking to Variety, Polanski said, "For many years I have been encouraged to find a project that relates to my personal history but, until 'The Pianist,' I have never read a piece so moving that I felt I had to bring it to the screen and, in doing so, face again that nightmarish period."

Fertig: Tom Cruise is circling a World War II picture called "Fertig," based on the real life of American soldier Wendell Fertig who served in the Pacific Theater. According to Variety, the new, original screenplay from William Nicholson ("Gladiator") caught the star's interest several weeks ago.

Travel Agent: John Travolta owes Columbia a picture as part of the settlement for bailing out of "The Double," and the studio's hoping he'll make it "Travel Agent," a Gregory Hansen-scripted drama in which a man time-travels six months to thwart an assassination. Variety reports that that Andy Davis wants to helm it.

Long Lost: Steve Martin is attached to star in the comedy "Long Lost," the tale of a Barry Manilow-like singer whose songs 'make the whole world cry.' Martin will star as a fictitious 1970s musical icon whose popularity has waned. Mr Showbiz reports that Griffin Dunne ("Addicted to Love") is attached to direct the project from a script by Patty Marx and Sarah Paley.

As Bees in Honey Drown: Writer-director Richard LaGravenese ("Living Out Loud") is in final negotiations to write and direct Universal Pictures' "As Bees in Honey Drown," based on the play by Douglas Carter Beane. LaGravenese will write from Beane's own original screen adaptation. According to THR, the project has been in development for about three years. Beane's play revolves around a gay man pretending to be straight so he can boost his career when a female producer, who promises fame and fortune, takes an interest in him. She is later revealed to be a huckster who has no intention of helping him achieve success.

Passengers, a sci-fi drama based on a 25-year-old Robert Silverberg short story, is shaping up as David Fincher's ("Fight Club") likely next film. "The alien creatures are purely psychological, have no physical forms until they nest in the cerebral cortex and take their host on these 'rides,' said producer Michael London. "For two or three days, the person doesn't show up to work and engages in wild debauchery, acting out the sexual, violent urges they normally suppress," London explained. "That might mean three orgies, it might mean wrestling control of a subway car just to see what it's like to drive 140 mph. "It's an amusement park experience for these aliens, who can't otherwise experience emotions like sex, anger, fear. The humans endure it, but society is crumbling from the unpredictability and lack of control." More >>>

The Beach: A second poster for 'The Beach.' In the film, Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) seeks after the paradise beach Maya.

Dust: Jan De Bont ("Twister") has come aboard to direct and produce the ecological disaster project "Dust." He and his producing partner Lucas Foster will develop the "Dust" script. A first draft of the adaption was written by Ted Humphrey. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Dust" is based on a novel by author-scientist Charles Pellegrino.

Burnt Sienna: Pierce Brosnan is set to star in and produce "Burnt Sienna," a project based on an upcoming novel from David Morrell ("First Blood"). Brosnan will play a former Marine pilot who leaves the service to become an artist in Mexico. When he turns down a commission to paint the portrait of the wife of a top arms dealer, the painter finds his quiet life turned upside down by the scorned dealer. He soon joins a CIA mission to bring down the villain, Variety reports.

Waking Up in Reno: Patrick Swayze and Natasha Richardson are in final negotiations to star alongside Billy Bob Thornton and Charlize Theron in Miramax's "Waking Up in Reno" for director Jordan Brady. "Reno," scripted by Brent Briscoe and Mark Fauser, tells the story of two redneck couples from Arkansas who take a vacation to see a monster truck show but en route discover infidelity among them. Thornton and Richardson would play one couple, while Swayze and Theron would play the other, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Crocodile Dundee in Hollywood: As reported earlier, Paul Hogan will reprise his famous role in a third film, tentatively titled "Crocodile Dundee in Hollywood." The project plans to continue the fish-out-of-water escapades of the Australian hero, this time in La-la land. Hogan's wife, Linda Kozlowski, is also expected to be return. The project is in search of a director, and the script (by Matthew Berry, Eric Abrams and Hogan) needs further development. According to THR, Paramount and producer Lance Hool hope to put 'Dundee' into production this year, and it's slated to be shot in Queensland and Los Angeles.

Gladiator: Above is what appears to be an advance poster for this Ridley Scott-directed drama. Thanks to Stephen!

Hannibal: Last week, Universal contemplated waiting for Jodie Foster to finish her current film, shelving the film completely, or compiling a list of replacement actresses. Universal now seems likely to make an offer to Cate Blanchett to play the female lead. Variety reports that Blanchett is one of two actresses on the short list, but they wouldn't name the other. Blanchett is attached to "The Gift," as well as the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

Hannibal: A review of David Mamet's original draft, dated September 8, 1999. Steven Zaillian was shortly after brought in to rewite the script. Lots of spoilers are included. Thanks to Stax.

Hannibal - Script Review (Mixed/Negative)

Ocean's 11: George Clooney has closed a deal to reprise Frank Sinatra's role as Danny Ocean in "Ocean's 11," with Steven Soderbergh set to direct. The huge casting job of finding other top talent will take a while, and Soderbergh may take another WB movie in the mean time. Stephen W. Carpenter ("Blue Streak") wrote the draft that Weintraub bought, but apparently it was scribe Ted Griffin's ("Ravenous") most recent draft that put everything over the top right before the holidays. According to Variety, the updated version which will shoot in Vegas and L.A.

Spider-Man: Columbia Pictures indeed wants Sam Raimi to direct "Spider-Man." While he is eager to direct the film, Sony needs it for summer 2001. Raimi is about to begin principal photography on "The Gift" later this month, and he will not helm "Spider-Man" unless an accommodation can be reached with Lakeshore Ent. and Paramount. The only way that Raimi will be able to direct "Spider-Man" is if Sony can persuade Lakeshore to freeze the post-production on "Gift" so Raimi can begin principal photography on "Spider-Man" by late spring or early summer, then work on post-production of both films later in the year. While that places a hardship on "Gift," Sony has offered a seven-figure deal as compensation for the delay. While recent speculation has focused on Chris Columbus and David Fincher for "Spider," Variety reports that Raimi blew away the Sony execs in a meeting to discuss the character and script.

Poll: The results of the recent "1999" poll can be viewed here.