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"Martin Campbell, who helped to revive the James Bond franchise with the 1995 hit "GoldenEye," is in negotiations to direct the 21st installment in MGM's spy series. The project would be on track to meet a 2006 release date should Campbell come aboard. Campbell is currently filming another major franchise - the sequel "Legend of Zorro". Neither MGM nor producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson have commented on casting plans for the new installment..." (more details) "Jon M. Chu, the USC film grad who was scooped up by Sony last year at age 23 to direct the studio's remake of "Bye Bye Birdie," is no longer on board to direct the musical. The young helmer, who had a pay-or-play deal, was taken off the project due to the pic's escalating budget and risky nature. Originally budgeted at $25 million, "Bye Bye Birdie" is now looking like a $65 million film and is a high-priority pic at Sony, with casting deals expected as early as Friday..." (more details) "Brett Ratner has come on board to direct and executive produce the Fox drama pilot "Prison Break." The project, from 20th Century Fox TV, studio-based Adelstein-Parouse Prods. and Original TV, is in the vein of "The Great Escape" and chronicles an elaborate prison break that plays out over 22 episodes. IT centers on an engineer who inserts himself into a prison he designed to help his brother -- a death row inmate who insists that he is innocent -- escape. To do that, the engineer has tattooed on his torso a copy of the blueprint of the building..." (more details)

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