Today’s small nuggets of news are decent, but nothing mind-bending. I am interested to see what Alex Proyas will do with “Paradise Lost” and after V for Vendetta I continue to hope James McTeigue will have a repeat performance.
Bradley Cooper (The Hangover Part II) is set to star as Lucifer in Paradise Lost, an adaptation of John Milton’s epic 1667 poem, for Alex Proyas (Knowing, Dark City) to direct. The story revolves around the fall of man and the classic battle of good vs. evil, telling along the way the story of Satan/Lucifer, the angel who tries to overthrow God, and the temptation of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The film will be shot at Sydney’s Fox Studios for an anticipated 2013 release. It’s fascinating to see Legendary finally moving forward on this project having first reported on it five years ago when Exorcism of Emily Rose writer/director Scott Derrickson was attached to write and direct. [The Hollywood Reporter]
Speaking of films I’ve talked about for years, Ben Stiller is in talks to star in and direct The Secret Life of Walter Mitty at 20th Century Fox. Steve Conrad (The Pursuit of Happyness) is writing the script for the remake of the 1947 Danny Kaye starrer, which itself was based on the 1939 short story by James Thurber. The story centers on Mitty, a man who escapes his unexciting daily life by delving into elaborate daydreams in which he is suddenly a heroic character. I first wrote about this film back in 2005 when Mark Waters (Mean Girls) was attached to direct the film, which was previously set up at Paramount with Steven Spielberg directing. Beyond that Jim Carrey and Mike Myers were at one time attached to star and just last year Gore Verbinski was attached to direct. [Variety]
Radical Pictures has attached Hilary Swank to star in and produce Shrapnel based on the futuristic Nick Sagan and M. Zachary Sherman graphic novel trilogy with Toby Wagstaff (“Arena”) set to pen the screenplay. Set in the year 2250, the story follows a former Solar Alliance Marine, to be played by Swank, who spearheads an uprising on Venus, the last free colony, against an oppressive solar government in order to fight for the freedom of her people. Radical recently set up Oblivion at Universal with Joseph Kosinski (TRON: Legacy) set to direct and Tom Cruise starring. [Variety]
James McTeigue (V For Vendetta) is set to follow up his upcoming film, The Raven with Message From the King, for FilmNation Entertainment. The thriller centers on Jacob King, an enigmatic outsider who comes to LA to investigate the sudden disappearance of his sister. “After working with James on The Raven and then seeing a cut of the film, it was very clear to us that we needed to make his next movie,” FilmNation Entertainment production head Aaron Ryder said. The Raven hits theaters on March 9, 2012 and is expected to be previewed at Comic Con this week. [Deadline]
After what seems like the absolute demise of The Dark Tower, Ron Howard appears to already be moving on to other things as he is attached to direct Under the Banner of Heaven based on Jon Krakauer’s book with Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk) penning the screenplay. Heaven was published in 2003 and centered on the terrible murders committed by two brothers who were members of an extreme group of Mormonism. Claiming to act under order from God, the two brothers killed the wife and infant daughter of their youngest brother. At the same time as telling that story, the book also traced the origins and rise of Mormonism and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [The Hollywood Reporter]
