Megan Ellison's new production, financing and sales outfit Panorama (headed by former Inferno exec Kim Fox), is bringing Kathryn Bigelow's upcoming Navy SEALs project to market along with Steve Carell and Channing Tatum starrer "Foxcatcher" helmed by "Moneyball's" Bennett Miller, plus an untitled Spike Jonze pic and the David O. Russell-directed "American Bullshit" with Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper.
That's four stellar directors with strong cast and four pics from one new sales outfit up for grabs.
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Lands Offshore Rights To Spike Jonze, David O Russell Pics
EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions has made deal with Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures for international rights on two untitled film projects that will be directed by Spike Jonze and David O Russell. As she often does with auteur fare, Ellison stepped up to fully fund both films, as she did with the Paul Thomas Anderson-directed The Master, Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher and Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty.
Jonze wrote the script for his untitled film, which stars Amy Adams, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Samantha Morton and Olivia Wilde. I’ve heard the film is about a guy who falls in love with the voice of a computer, similar to the Siri feature on the new iPhone. SPWA has acquired all media for Latin America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, South Africa, Australia/New Zealand and pan-Asia Pay TV.
The Russell-directed project once had the working title of American *beep* Scripted by Eric Warren Singer, it will re-team the director with his The Fighter star Christian Bale. Bale will star with Bradley Cooper. The film, a drama about the 70s FBI sting operation Abscam that took down a bunch of U.S. congressman, will be released domestically by Sony Pictures. It was developed at that studio by Atlas Entertainment, whose Charles Roven and Richard Suckle are producing with Ellison and Ted Schipper for Annapurna. SPWA acquired all media for Latin America, Eastern Europe, South Africa and Pan-Asia Pay TV
SPWA’s Michael Helfand and Joe Matukewicz made the deals with Panorama Media, the company Ellison hatched at Cannes.
Just weeks before "The Bourne Legacy" hits theaters, star Jeremy Renner has lined up his first project for 2013, as he's in negotiations to replace Christian Bale in David O. Russell's untitled Sony Pictures drama formerly known as "American *beep*
Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures is set to fully finance the Eric Warren Singer-scripted film, which is being produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle of Atlas Entertainment along with Ellison and Annapurna's Ted Schipper. Pic is based on the true story of a notorious financial con artist and his mistress/partner in crime who were forced to work with an intense and ambitious FBI agent to turn the tables on other con artists, mobsters, and politicians.
Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook" star Bradley Cooper is in negotiations to play the con artist, Mel Weinberg, who worked with the FBI as the star witness in its far-reaching Abscam corruption case that stretched from Atlantic City all the way to the steps of Congress in Washington, DC.
Renner is in talks to co-star as Jimmy Boyle, the FBI agent who busts Weinberg and then partners with him in the sting.
Production will start in February, and Panorama has already sold the movie internationally. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions has acquired distribution rights in certain international territories, though Columbia Pictures will handle U.S. distribution.
