"Mexico's golden boys Guillermo Del Toro ("Hellboy") and Alfonso Cuaron ("Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban") are teaming to form a production shingle aiming to foster Spanish and English-language pics in Spain. First pic off the rank is del Toro's dark fairy tale "Pan's Labyrinth," slated to start shooting in Madrid and northern Spain in July and budgeted at $14.5 million. Cast includes Spanish thesps Maribel Verdu, Sergi Lopez, Ariadna Gil and Alex Angulo. Del Toro, who just turned in the screenplay for "Hellboy II" to Revolution Studios, is also developing an English-language pic based on Alexandre Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo," which he would like to shoot in Spain under the new banner..." (full details)
"After two box office smashes, rights holders of the original "Asterix" cartoon books nixed the script for producer Claude Berri's third Viking-themed live action movie installment. Berri's producer son Thomas Langmann ("Blueberry"), who had the initial idea to adapt Asterix, has now come up with a new script, "Asterix at the Olympic Games" and a new director, Frederic Forestier. If all goes smoothly, pic could go into production in 2006..." (full details)
"The distribution rights to Chen Kaige's latest pic "The Promise" have been snapped up by IDG New Media Fund and the Weinstein Co. The pair have landed North America, U.K., Australia and South Africa rights to the Chinese pic, which is in post-production and is touted as the biggest budgeted Chinese pic ever. Along with Chen, pic features Oscar-winning cinematographer Peter Pau ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") and a cast including Hiroyuki Sanada, Jang Dong-Kun and Cecilia Cheung..." (full details)
"Participant Prods. has acquired North American rights and an equity stake in Richard Linklater's upcoming film "Fast Food Nation". Directed by Linklater and written by Linklater and Eric Schlosser, "Fast Food Nation" is inspired by Schlosser's best-seller. A Recorded Picture Company production, "Nation" is produced by Jeremy Thomas and Malcolm McLaren. The film will start production in the fall..." (full details)
Thanks to 'KC'.
