Movie News

Dark Horse Entertainment founder Mike Richardson said that the publisher will partner with Universal Pictures to develop movies based on their comics and graphic novels. "We have a slate of projects that we're setting up over at Universal. We've just done a new partnership with Universal. We're very excited about it. We're going to bring some great movies from them. They'll have an announcement very shortly, a press release very shortly about our slate. ... They're great people over there, and they really understand the kinds of books and movies that we do." Titles include R.I.P.D., Emily Strange, and Freaks of the Heartland.

Dentsu will transfer majority ownership in Geneon Entertainment to NBC Universal’s Universal Pictures International Entertainment (UPIE). UPIE will merge Geneon Entertainment with Universal Pictures Japan. UPIE will own 80.1% with Dentsu retaining 19.9%.

Greg Mottola will direct Working Title and Universal’s extraterrestrial comedy Paul. “The story revolves around two British slackers who, after visiting Comic-Con International, go on a road trip to Area 51, where they encounter a small alien named Paul, who enlists them to help him find his way home.” Simon Pegg and Nick Frost will star, and Edgar Wright is exec producing. Filming starts April in New Mexico.

Martha Fiennes’ espionage thriller Blown will star Jim Caviezel and Samuel L Jackson. It’s about “a top MI5 operative whose routine investigation of a global corporation leads him to discover an imminent terrorist attack. Jackson will play Julian Lezard, the businessman who engages him in a high-stakes game of wits and deception.”

Broken Lizard and Adam Duritz are producing Freeloaders. It’s about “five guys and a girl who live in the lap of luxury in a rock star's mansion. But their sweet situation is threatened when the rock star decides to sell the home.”

Director Jeffrey Lau will be making the tentatively titled Robot, a Chinese version of Transformers. A longtime dream for Lau, he has partnered with Le TV.com to make a film company for the film. Le TV.com investor Zhuo Shungo has said it “will present a refreshing look at Chinese robots for people who are used to stereotypical Hollywood figures like Spiderman and Superman.” … “The Chinese robot, in comparison, would feel closer and more human to audiences, as it is the incarnation of Oriental wisdom and strength.”