Part 2 : UNIVERSAL continued...

For Love of the Game

(Drama)
Shooting in New York, Los Angeles
(Start October 8, 1998)
Cast: Kevin Costner, Kelly Preston, Jena Malone, Brian Cox, John C. Reilly
Dir., Sam Raimi
Scr., Dana Stevens
We’ve been covering this one prettty good so far, but let’s stay focused on it, this year Sam changed my perceptions of him as a filmmaker, and well... he has more skill than I think anyone gave him credit for. This could be a great film for Costner.

Lazarus and the Hurricane

(Drama)
Shooting in New Jersey, Toronto, Ontario
(Start November 3, 1998)
Cast: Denzel Washington, Vicellous Reon Shannon, Deborah Unger, Liev Schreiber, John Hannah, Dan Hedaya, Clancy Brown, Badja Djola, David Paymer, Debbi Morgan
Dir., Norman Jewison
Scr., Armyan Bernstein, Christopher Cleveland, Dan Gordon
What a cast? But 3 screenwriters... well, what’s it about?

Cotton Mary

(Drama)
Merchant Ivory Prods
Shooting in India
(Start December 14, 1998)
Cast: Natasha Richardson, James Wilby, Sakina Jaffrey
Dir., Ismail Merchant
Scr., Alexandra Vietz
Merchant Ivory’s latest. They gave me my first taste of behind the scenes filmmaking, and ever since I’ve kept my eye on them, let’s hear what this one is about.

Curious George

(Live Action/Animated)
(Start May)
Prd., Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, David Kirschner, Jon Shapiro
Dir., Larry Guterman
Scr., Linda Woolverton
Rumor has it that Tom Hanks is gonna be the voice of George. Let’s hear how this script is...

Man On The Moon

(Biopic)
Wrapped
Cast: Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Courtney Love, Jerry Lawler, Marilu Henner, Paul Gamiatti, Judd Hirsch, Jeff Conway, Carol Kane, David Letterman, Lorne Michaels
Dir., Milos Forman
Larry Karaszweski and Scott Alexander
Well, we’ve covered filming pretty darn good, now Milos and crew will begin assembling a print, then they’ll test it. Let’s hear how it goes, I can’t wait, it’s going to be a great film... I sense it.

Mystery Men

(Comedy)
Shooting in Los Angeles
(Start October 21, 1998)
Cast: Hank Azaria, Claire Forlani, Janeane Garofalo, Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Lewis, William H. Macy, Kel Mitchell, Lena Olin, Paul Reubens, Geoffrey Rush, Ben Stiller, Wes Studi
Dir., Kinka Usher
Scr., Neil Cuthbert
Could be cool as hell...

HELLBOY

(UberCool Comic Adaptation)
Starting Soon
Dir.,Guillermo Del Toro
Scr.,Guillermo Del Toro (Peter Briggs draft was put aside)
Imagine a Ray Harryhausen film, but with Hellboy instead of Kerwin Matthews.... yeah, it’s that type of cool. Soon to be greenlit by Universal I’ve heard.

End of Days

(Thriller)
Shooting in Los Angeles, New York
(Start November 21, 1998)
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robin Tunney, Gabriel Byrne
Dir., Peter Hyams
Scr., Andrew Marlowe
Cam., Peter Hyams
After some initial speed bumps, the film has moved ahead. Initial drafts of the script that leaked out into readers hands, were radically rewritten. I haven’t seen the latest drafts, but I am told they are a vast improvement.

Warner Bros.

The Perfect Storm

(Adventure)
(Start April)
ExPrd., Barry Levinson
Dir.,Wolfgang Petersen
Scr., William B.Wittliff

Matrix

(Science Fiction)
Wrapped
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantiliano
Dir/Scr., Larry Wachowski, Andy Wachowski
Well let’s hear more on this film, these filmmakers did a great job with BOUND, and I know they’ll do the best they can, eve with Keanu... or so I hope.

National Office

(Drama)
Cast: (hopeful) Matt Damon
Based on the novel of the same name by David McKenna, who wrote AMERICAN HISTORY X.
It centers on a 28-year old man who decides to run for President after his family is struck by a gang shooting.

I Am Legend

(Sci-Fi/Horror)
Cast: Arnold Schwarzeneggar
Dir., Rob Bowman
Scr., Mark Protosevich
Rumored to be moving again, let’s hope it doesn’t die this time.

Eyes Wide Shut

(Whatever Kubrick Wants it to be)
It’s in the Editing stage
Cast: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Vinessa Shaw, Todd Field, Leelee Sobeiski, Thomas Gibson, Alan Cumming, Marie Richardson, Madision Eginton
Dir., Stanley Kubrick
Scr., Frederic Raphael, Stanley Kubrick
Gigantic PORN film? This film is the one many of you are literally dying to see, but it’s been pretty tight thus far. But at some point there will be a pair of eyes to see this film wide open. I hope to hear from ya, when you do.

Deep Blue Sea

(Sci-Fi/Shark)
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Wayne Knight Stellan Skarsgård, Thomas Jane, Michael Rappaport, LL Cool J, Saffron Burrows, Deborah Kara Unger
Dir., Renny Harlin
Scr.,Duncan Kennedy and John Zinman

Any Given Sunday

(Drama)
(Start Jan.)
Shooting in Miami
Cast: Al Pacino, Dennis Quaid, Cameron Diaz, Lauren Holly, James Woods, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Jamie Foxx, Elizabeth Berkley, Tom Arnold, Ann Margaret, Jim Brown and Lawrence Taylor
Prd., Oliver Stone, Lauren Shuler-Donner
Dir., Oliver Stone
Scr., John Logan

Space Cowboys

(Space Drama)
Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Jack Nicholson, Clint Eastwood
Dir., Clint Eastwood
Something goes wrong with a vintage piece of Nasa stuff, and Nasa has to send 4 old geezers that designed it up to fix it. Believe it or not, it is actually a pretty damn good script and concept, and with this cast we absolutely have to keep our eyes on this project.

Pluto Nash

(Futuristic Comedy)
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Lopez
Dir., Ron Underwood
Not much is known on this one, but Underwood is someone to always keep your eyes firmly fixed on. He can be real cool, or moderately entertaining depending on the subject matter. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

DINO

(Biopic)
Cast: (according to popular mythology) Tom Hanks (Dean Martin), Jim Carrey (Jerry Lewis), John Travolta (Frank Sinatra), Wesley Snipes (Sammy Davis Jr), Adam Sandler (Joey Bishop), Hugh Grant (Peter Lawford)
Dir., Martin Scorsese
Scr., Nicholas Pileggi
This could develop into one of those wet dream Hollywood projects that would never come to pass. Let’s hope not.

The King and I

(Animated)
Principal Animation in Burbank
(Start March 15, 1997)
Voices: Miranda Richardson, Christiane Noll, Martin Vidnovic, Ian Richardson, Darrell Hammond, Adam Wylie
Dir., Richard Rich
Scr., Peter Bakalian, Jackie Feather, David Seidler
Anim Dir., Arthur Rankin

The Iron Giant

(Animated)
Principal Animation in Los Angeles
(Start September 2, 1997)
Voices: Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., Christopher McDonald, Eli Marienthal, Vin Diesel, James Gammon, Cloris Leachman, John Mahoney, M. Emmet Walsh
Dir., Brad Bird
Scr., Tim McCanlies, Andy Brent Forrester, Brad Bird

The Incredible Mr. Limpet

(Live Action/Animated)
Shooting in Los Angeles
Cast: Jim Carrey
Dir., Steve Oedekerk
Scr., Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Steve Oedekerk

The Green Mile

(Drama)
Cast: Tom Hanks, James Cromwell, Michael Duncan, Graham Greene, Bonnie Hunt, Doug Hutchison, Michael Jeter, Barry Pepper, David Morse, Sam Rockwell, William Sadler, Gary Sinise, Harry Dean Stanton
Dir/Scr., Frank Darabont
I predict that in March of the year 2000, this movie will win Best Picture.

The Story of Us

(Romantic/Comedy)
Shooting in Italy, Los Angeles
(Start December 7, 1998)
Cast: Bruce Willis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Reiser, Rita Wilson, Rob Reiner, Julie Hagerty, Tim Matheson
Dir., Rob Reiner
Scr., Alan Zweibel, Jessie Nelson

Superman Lives

(Superhero Flick)
Cast: Nicolas Cage
Prd., Jon Peters;
Scr., Kevin Smith, Dan Gilroy

DISNEY

Inspector Gadget

(Cartoon to Live Action Film)
Wrapped
Cast: Matthew Broderick, Rupert Everett, Joely Fisher, Michelle Trachtenberg, Cheri Oteri, Andy Dick, Fred Williamson
Dir., David Kellogg
Scr., Dana Olsen, Jeff Berry, Kerry Ehrin
Well the trailers have done nothing but make me think this is a pile of garbage... too bad too, cause I love Inspector Gadget, and really hoped this would at least attempt to do the toon justice. Well, perhaps they have, let me know what you see and hear.

Keeping the Faith

(Romantic/Comedy)
(Start May)
Cast: Edward Norton, Ben Stiller
Dir., Edward Norton
Scr., Stuart Blumberg
Norton will be playing a priest and Stiller is a Rabbi in this film. Edward Norton is my pick for most dynamic young actor working in films today. Let’s see how he does behind the lens as well.

Bicentennial Man

(Science Fiction)
(Start in February)
Cast: Robin Williams
Dir., Chris Columbus
An incredible production that we can only hope to see soon.

Duets

(Comedy) (Start Jan. 18)
Shooting in Vancouver
Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Forest Whitaker, Paul Giamatti, Maria Bello, Huey Lewis
Dir., Bruce Paltrow;
Scr., John Byrum

Dinosaur

(Live Action/Animated)
Shooting in Los Angeles
(Start September 15, 1997)
Dir., Ralph Zondag, Eric Leighton

Fantasia 2000

(Animated)
Principal Animation in Los Angeles
Start October 15, 1993)
Dir., Hendel Butoy , Francis Glebas, Paul Brizzi, Gaetan Brizzi, Eric Goldberg
Art, Dean Gordon, Michael Humphries, Dan Cooper, Carl Jones
Viz FX Supv., Dave Bossert

Kingdom of the Sun

(Animated)
Principal Animation in Los Angeles
(Start January 15, 1997)
Voices: David Spade, Eartha Kitt, Owen Wilson
Dir., Roger Allers, Mark Dindal
Composer, Sting;

Tarzan

(Animated)
Principal Animation in Los Angeles
(Start January 15, 1996)
Dir., Kevin Lima, Chris Buck
Songs, Phil Collins
Composer, Alan Silvestri

Star Blazers

(Science Fiction)
Start: Unknown
Dir., Unknown
Scr., Unknown
Rumor has it that there is a script in existence for the film, and given my eternal love for Star Blazers, and the utter coolness of the Yamamoto... well I am desperate to hear what is up with the project.

Toy Story 2

(Animated)
Principal Animation in Los Angeles
(Start June 15, 1997)
Voices: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, David Ogden Stiers, Joan Cusack, Wayne Knight, Estelle Harris
ExPrd., John Lasseter
Dir., Ash Brannon, Colin Brady

Independent

Meltdown

(Action/Adventure)
(Start Jan.)
Shooting in New York, Vienna
Cast: Casper Van Dien
Dir., Ate de Jong
Scr., John Carpenter, John Dahl, Rick Dahl
(Directed by the guy who did DROP DEAD FRED and HIGHYWAY TO HELL and a buncha foriegn films I don’t know. But more importantly, look at them guys that done wrote this thing. Hell, that’s almost enough to make me completely overlook Caspar Van Dien!)

13 Days

(Drama/Historical)
In limbo
Cast: Kevin Costner
Dir., Phil Alden Robinson
Scr., David Self
Dropped by UNIVERSAL due to severe case of collective heads up asses. Hopefully this GREAT script and project will be picked up by a studio that wishes to make GREAT films. 13 DAYS. Phil Alden Robinson

Mr. Ninja

(Action/Comedy)
Cast: Tom Savini, Louis Kiss
Scr., Louis Kiss
SFX, Robert Kurtzman, Howard Berger, Gregg Nicotero

Million Dollar Hotel

(Thriller)
(Start Jan.)
Shooting in Los Angeles
Cast: Mel Gibson, Milla Jovovich, Jeremy Davies, Bono
Dir., Wim Wenders
Scr., Nicholas Klein

All the Rage

(Comedy/Drama)
Shooting in Los Angeles
(Start November 16, 1998)
Cast: Joan Allen, Andre Braugher, Josh Brolin, Jeff Daniels, Robert Forster, Anna Paquin, Giovanni Ribisi, David Schwimmer, Gary Sinise, Bokeem Wood Bine
Dir., James Stern
Scr., Keith Reddin

End of the Road

(Thriller)
(Start Jan.)
Shooting in New Orleans
Cast: Robert Patrick, William Forsythe

Dir., Ernest Dickerson
Scr., Rob Sullivan
(Director of the kickass TALES FROM THE CRYPT: DEMONKNIGHT)

Joe Gould's Secret

(Drama)
(Start March)
Shooting in New York
Cast: Stanley Tucci
Dir., Stanley Tucci
Scr., Howard Rodman
U.S. Dstrb, October Films

But I'm a Cheerleader

(Comedy)
Shooting in California
(Start December 18, 1998)
Cast: Natasha Lyonne, Clea Duvall, RuPaul, Cathy Moriarty, Bud Cort and Mink Stole
Dir., Jamie Babbit
Scr., Brian Wayne Peterson
About a 17-year-old who is sent to a "rehab camp" when her parents and friends suspect her of being a lesbian.

The Highway Man

(Comedy)
Shooting in Ontario
(Start November 15, 1998)
Cast: Jason Priestley, Louis Gossett Jr., Callum Keith Rennie, Laura Harris ExPrd., Jeff Sackman, Jason Priestley;
Dir., Keoni Waxman
Scr., Richard Beattie
U.S. Dstrb, Lions Gate

The Life Before This

(Drama)
Shooting in Toronto, Ontario
(Start October 18, 1998)
Cast: Stephen Rea, Sarah Polley, Joe Pantoliano, Catherine O'Hara
Dir., Jerry Ciccoritti

Joan of Arc, The Virgin Warrior

(Drama)
(Start Feb.)
Shooting in France
Cast: Mira Sorvino, Albert Finney, Derek Jacobi, Jacqueline Bisset
Dir/Scr., Ronald F. Maxwell

Confessions of a Trick Baby

(Women Escape Prison Film)
Cast: Natasha Lyonne
Dir/Scr., Matthew Bright
A Hansel and Gretel update, about a girl who escapes from juvenile prison with a 16-year-old serial killer.

Roney's Point

(Thriller)
Shooting in Pittsburgh, West Virginia;
Cast: M. Emmet Walsh, Tom Savini, Richard Lynch, Clarence Felder, Robert Costanzo, Jim Saltouros
Dir., Mark A. Besozzi
Scr., Kenneth Mader

AME AGARU (AFTER THE RAIN)

Shooting to begin this Spring in the Orient
Cast: Unknown
Dir., Takashi Koizumi
Scr., Akira Kurosawa

MIRAMAX

Diamonds

(Drama)
Shooting in Reno
(Start November 9, 1998)
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Dan Aykroyd, Lauren Bacall, Corbin Allred, Mariah O'Brien, Jenny McCarthy
Dir., John Asher
Scr., Allan Aaron Katz

Total Recall 2

(science fiction sequel)
Still in negotiations
Cast: Arnold Schwarzeneggar
Dir., J. Frakes (Riker)
From the short story “Minority Report” by Phillip K Dick
U.S. Distrb., Dimension Films

eXistenZ

(it’s a Cronenberg film)
Wrapped
Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Ian Holm, Sarah Polley, Don McKellar, Callum Keith Rennie, Rosemary Harris
Dir/Scr., David Cronenberg
Well, the first test screening went well, as far as the site is concerned. The people that love Cronenberg films (ie folks like me) loved this film, while others griped about gore and weirdness.... What the hell were they expecting. Still, there might be changes, so if you see the film, give us a rundown...

Kill Shot

(Crime)
Cast: Robert DeNiro, Quentin Tarantino
Dir., Tony Scott
Based on Elmore Leonard’s Novel of the same name. This is just in development, and as far as I know, there is no script yet.

Ghosting

(Comic Book Adaptation)
Scr., Stephen Susso, John Weidner
This is a Dimension Films project.

Untitled Robert Rodriguez Comedy Adventure

(Children’s Adventure Comedy)
Cast: nobody yet
Dir., Robert Rodriguez
Scr., Robert Rodriguez
U.S. Distrb., Dimension Films

Forty Lashes

(Western)
Cast: Unknown
Dir/Scr., Quentin Tarantino
Adapted from the Elmore Leonard novel “Forty Lashes Less One”

Birthday Girl

(Romantic/Comedy)
(Start March)
Shooting in United Kingdom
Cast: Ben Chaplin;
Dir., Jez Butterworth
Scr., Jez Butterworth, Tom Butterworth

Chicago

(Musical)
(Start Jan.)
Shooting in London
Cast: Madonna, Goldie Hawn
Dir., Nicholas Hytner
Scr., Larry Gelbart

Love's Labours Lost

(Comedy)
(Start Feb.)
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Alicia Silverstone
Dir/Scr., Kenneth Branagh

The Crow: Salvation

(Horror)
(Start Feb.)
Cast: Eric Mabius, Kirsten Dunst
Dir., Bharat Nalluri
Scr., Chip Johannessen
Dstrb, Dimension Films

50 Violins

(Drama)
Shooting in New York
(Start October 26, 1998)
Cast: Meryl Streep, Angela Bassett, Aidan Quinn, Gloria Estefan, Jane Leeves, Cloris Leachman, Kieran Culkin, Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Arnold Steinhardt, Charlie Hofheimer
Dir., Wes Craven
Scr., Pamela Gray

More Independents

Nurse Betty

(Comedy/Drama)
Shooting in Los Angeles
(Start December 7, 1998)
Cast: Renee Zellweger, Morgan Freeman, Chris Rock, Greg Kinnear, Steve Zahn, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Elizabeth Mitchell, Kathleen Wilhoit
Dir., Neil LaBute;
Scr., John Richards, James Flamberg
U.S. Dstrb, PolyGram Film

Into the Breach

(Science Fiction)
Shooting in Los Angeles
Dir., Jay Torres
Scr., Matt Greene

Simpatico

(Drama)
Shooting in Kentucky, Los Angeles
(Start November 12, 1998)
Cast: Nick Nolte, Jeff Bridges, Sharon Stone, Shawn Hatosy, Kimberly Williams, Catherine Keener
Dir., Matthew Warchus
Scr., Matthew Warchus, David Nicholls
Dstrb, Canal Plus

Vampire Lesbian Kickboxers

(Action/Adventure)
(Start Jan. 15)
Shooting in New York, Los Angeles
Cast: Cherie Tighe, Tammy Patton, Michael Roust; ExPrd., Val Franco
Dir/Scr., Terri Cascimo

Island of the Dead

(Thriller)
(Start Feb. 15)
Shooting in New York
Dir., James Bruce
Scr., Peter Koper

Spring Forward

(Drama)
Shooting in New York, Connecticut
(Start May 7, 1998)
Cast: Ned Beatty, Liev Schreiber, Campbell Scott, Lili Taylor, Peri Gilpin, Ian Hart, Bill Raymond
Dir/Scr., Tom Gilroy

The Red Door

(Drama)
(Start Jan. 4)
Shooting in Boston
Cast: Diane Lane, Stockard Channing, Rod Steiger
Dir., Matia Karrell
Scr., Matia Karrell, C.W. Cressler

Company Man

(Comedy)
(Start Jan.)
Shooting in New York
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, John Turturro, Douglas McGrath
Dir., Douglas McGrath, Peter Askin
Scr., Douglas McGrath, Peter Askin

Alien Species 2: The Invasion

(Science Fiction)
Shooting in Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Fresno, CA
Cast: Mark Robinson, Aaron Jeteleson, Heather Haase
Dir., Peter Maris
Scr., Frank Hall

Ashes

(Horror)
Shooting in Los Angeles
Dir., Joseph Brutsman
Scr., Joseph Brutsman, Avra Douglas;

The Taste of Sunshine

(Drama)
Shooting in Budapest, Vienna, Berlin, Paris
(Start July 14, 1998)
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Jennifer Ehle, Rachel Weisz, Molly Parker, William Hurt, Rosemary Harris, Miriam Margolyes, James Frain
Dir., Istvan Szabo
Scr., Istvan Szabo, Israel Horovitz
Dstrb, Alliance Atlantis

Titus

(Drama)
Shooting in Rome, Italy
(Start October 5, 1998)
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Alan Cumming, Jonathan Rhys Meyer, Harry J. Lennix, Colm Feore, Angus MacFayen, Matthew Rhys, Laura Fraser, James Frain
Dir., Julie Taymor
Scr., Julie Taymor

Walking Across Egypt

(Drama)
Shooting in Orlando
(Start November 17, 1998)
Cast: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Ellen Burstyn, Mark Hamill, Judge Reinhold, Gail O'Grady, Gwen Verdon, Harv Presnell, Pat Corley, Barbara Rush, Dana Ivey
Dir., Arthur Allan Seidelman
Scr., Paul Tamasy

Woody Allen Fall Project 98

(Comedy)
Shooting in New York
(Start August 31, 1998)
Cast: Sean Penn, Uma Thurman, Anthony LaPaglia, Samantha Morton, James Urbaniak
Dir/Scr., Woody Allen

Desert Saints

(Thriller)
(Start Jan. 11)
Shooting in Los Angeles
Prd., Meg Ryan, Nina Sadowsky, David Yudain
Dir., Richard Greenberg
Scr., Richard Greenberg

Animation

Robots of Mars

(Animated)
Principal Animation in San Francisco
(Start June 1, 1997)
Voices: Judge Reinhold, Tim Curry, Jeffrey Jones
Dir., Don Fox, Michael Sarley
Scr., Michael Sarley

Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists

(Animated)
Principal Animation in India, Los Angeles
(Start September 1, 1997)
Voices: Brendan Fraser, Leonard Nimoy, Jennifer Hale, Mark Hamill, John Rhys Davies
Dir., Evan Ricks, Alan Jacobs
Scr., Jeff Wolverton