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Bob the Musical: "The Walt Disney Company has paid mid-six against seven figures to option the pitch "Bob the Musical," penned by Mike Bender for Touchstone Pictures. Helmer Mark Waters ("Freaky Friday") is attached to direct pic, described as a musical in the vein of "Groundhog Day" in which someone is trapped within a tuner..." (more info). Death's Day: ""Death" has a new lease on life at New Line Cinema. Graphic novel "Death: The High Cost of Living" has landed at the minimajor in turnaround from Warner Bros. Pictures, and its creator, graphic novelist Neil Gaiman, is in negotiations to make his helming debut on the pic...." (more info). Hover Car Racer: "Disney has bought feature film rights to writer Matthew Reilly's teen techno-thriller "Hover Car Racer". Pic is set in the near future, with hover car racing the Formula One of its time. A 15-year-old boy who qualifies for the famed International Race School fights it out in races on the international circuit, including a white-knuckle super-race that winds through New York City..." (more info). Shadow Divers: "Screenwriter William Broyles Jr. ("Apollo 13") is in negotiations with Fox 2000 Pictures to adapt Robert Kurson book "Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Discovered Hitler's Lost Sub" into a feature film. In June, Fox 2000 plunked down $500,000 against $1.5 million to acquire the Esquire scribe's historical deep sea adventure book..." (more info). The Dog Walker: "Universal Pictures has acquired "The Dog Walker," the new novel by former Dell editor-in-chief Leslie Schnur. The film will be adapted by "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days" scribes Kristen Buckley and Brian Regan. Since the project is a romantic comedy revolving around a young woman, Witherspoon will get first crack at the title role of a gal who's laid off from her publishing job and fills in for a pal who walks dogs for the Gotham elite. Gig allows her to snoop through their apartments, observe their lives and figure out what she wants to do with hers..." (more info). The Spirit: "Rights to Will Eisner comicbook "The Spirit" have been purchased by financier Odd Lot Entertainment, which is planning a live-action feature adaptation. Created in 1940, "The Spirit" is the story of a detective who thwarts an attempt to release a substance that will leave the inhabitants of Central City in suspended animation. He is exposed to the goo, giving him the ability to withstand any beating. He battles crime and a slew of femme fatales..." (more info). Untitled Professor Comedy: "Paramount Pictures has bought a comedy pitch from "The Wedding Crashers" scripters Steve Faber and Bob Fisher about an ex-president writing his memoirs and set it up at Tapestry Films. Paramount paid mid- against high-six figures for the untitled pitch, in which a somewhat disorganized president leaves office broke, enlists a young college professor to help pen his memoirs and proceeds to push the prof's life into chaos..." (more info). All the King's Men: "Jude Law has signed on to play protagonist Jack Burden in Columbia Pictures' remake of the triple Oscar winner "All the King's Men." Played by John Ireland in the 1949 version, Burden is a journalist who falls under the spell of Southern populist politician Willie Stark, whose tale is at the center of the story. Sean Penn is in negotiations to play Stark..." (more info). Departed: "Matt Damon, who hits theaters today in "The Bourne Supremacy," is in negotiations to star opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Departed," Warner Bros. Pictures' English-language remake of "Infernal Affairs" that Martin Scorsese is directing. Based on a trilogy of popular Hong Kong crime films directed by Lau Wai-keung and Mak Siu-fai, the story revolves around a gangster who infiltrates the police department and a cop infiltrates the gangs at the same time. The two find out that a mole is in each organization and race to find each other's identity..." (more info). Derailed: "Jennifer Aniston is about to get "Derailed." The actress will star opposite Clive Owen in the Miramax Films feature based on James Siegel's best-selling novel. "Derailed" revolves around a married advertising executive whose life takes an unpredictable turn when he misses his train to work. Production is scheduled to begin in the fall in London and Chicago..." (more info). Failure to Launch: "Scott Rudin and Paramount Pictures have made a pre-emptive bid on the spec script "Failure to Launch." Penned by Matt Ember and Tom Astle, "Failure" revolves around a thirtysomething guy and his parents. Moving back home to avoid getting into a relationship, he one day meets the girl of his dreams without knowing that she is someone who has been hired by his parents..." (more info). Fun With Dick and Jane: "Tea Leoni is going to be having some "Fun With Dick and Jane." The actress is in negotiations to take the place of Cameron Diaz, who had originally been cast in the Columbia Pictures project but is now stepping aside because of a scheduling conflict arising from a change of dates. Leoni will play the role of Jane in the remake of the 1977 comedy, which has been updated to revolve around a spokesman for a big company who finds himself jobless and an outcast following some dodgy extracurricular activities..." (more info). Love in the Time of Cholera: "Paying more than $1 million against close to $3 million, Scott Steindorff's Stone Village Pictures has purchased the film rights to Nobel Prize-winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez's classic novel "Love in the Time of Cholera." Published in 1985, the book tells the story of Florentino Ariza, who waits 51 years, nine months and four days to be with the woman he loves..." (more info). The Marine: "Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Entertainment is making its first foray into the feature film ring with a project called "The Marine." John Cena, the professional wrestler known to fans of WWE's weekly UPN series "Smackdown!" as the self-proclaimed "Doctor of Thuganomics," will take the title role. Cena is in negotiations to star as an injured Marine who returns from the war to find his girlfriend inadvertently caught up in a kidnapping..." (more info). Transformers: "DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures have acquired the movie rights for the Transformers, Hasbro's toy line of giant robots that morph into cars, trucks, planes, ships and other technological creations. Angry Films topper Don Murphy and Tom DeSanto, who exec produced the two "X-Men" films, are producing the live-action feature, along with Lorenzo di Bonaventura. Steven Spielberg will executive produce.. Paramount is taking international distribution rights, while DreamWorks will handle domestic..." (more info). Watchmen: ""Watchmen," the seminal DC Comics limited series, has landed at Paramount Pictures. Darren Aronofsky will develop and direct the project, which is being written by David Hayter. It is a crime-conspiracy story that provided the first realistic look at the behind-the-heroics lives of superhero archetypes..." (more info).R.I.P. Jerry Goldsmith: A very sad day today as news comes that composer Jerry Goldsmith, famous for such tunes as the various "Star Trek" incarnations, "Perry Mason", "Planet of the Apes", "Basic Instinct", etc. has died after a long battle with cancer at the age of 75. Alien vs. Predator: An interesting set report from the team-up is at VisiMag. The film has officially garnered a PG-13 rating. DVD News: Details are out for Spartacus: The Mini-Series, The Simple Life 2: Roadtrip, Iron Giant: SE & Gothika: SE. Lemony Snicket: New pics from Comic Con are up at LatinoReview. LOTR: Return of the King (DVD): Pics from the extended edition DVD are up at TheOneRing.Net. Meet the Fockers: A brief glimpse at a scene is up at The Trades. Mission: Impossible 3: The start of filming date is now September 6th, not the earlier August 23rd. Pride & Prejudice: Shots from the set of the Keira Knightley-led remake are up at The Z Review. Seven Swordsmen Leave Mt. Heaven: Chinese paper Xinjiang City, Hong Kong star Leon Lai and Charlie Yeung have been picked for two leading roles in the Tsui Hark flick. Shaun of the Dead: The UK horror flick now has a Septembe 24th US release date. Spy Hunter: Some early art is up at Rope of Silicon. Star Wars: Episode III: A new pic from Comic Con is up at LatinoReview. The Forgotten: Pics from the Julianne Moore flick are up at Rope of Silicon. Thunderbirds: Pics of Thunderbird 3 landing in Trafalgar Square in London today are up at The Hollywood News. Thanks to 'Rhino', 'Alex', 'Gary', 'Doug', 'Tom', 'Brad', 'KarlChilders', 'Shaun', 'Paul', 'Adam', 'Sabarth', 'Antoine', 'Xoanon', 'Brad', 'Gareth' & 'Gustavo'

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