Samstag, April 25, 2009

Warner bringt Odysseus in die Kinos


Warners is going back to Ancient Greece, winning a major spec script bidding war to pick up "Odysseus," written by Ann Peacock, with Jonathan Liebesman attached to direct. Gianni Nunnari is producing via his Hollywood Gang Prods.

The story centers on the legendary hero Odysseus, famed king of Ithaca, who returns to his island after 20 years of fighting the Trojan Wars, only to find his kingdom under the brutal occupation of an invading force. Odysseus single-handedly defeats every last man and takes back his wife, his son and his kingdom.

Warners clearly has an affinity for feta. The studio's 2006 release "300," also produced by the Hollywood Gang, told the story of the battle of Thermopylae. The studio also is about to begin production on a remake of "Clash of the Titans," starring Sam Worthinton, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson, which tells tales based on ancient Greek myths.

Paramount was the other studio bidding, which brought some excitement to a moribund market hit by depressed quotes and quiet studios.

Craig Flores is exec producing "Odysseus."

Nunnari came up with the story and during the course of a general meeting with Liebesman told him the idea. Liebesman leaped at it, and brought in Peacock, co-wrote the director's indie Sundance thriller "The Killing Room." She wrote the script on spec.

Nunnari and Liebesman will get a "story by" credit.

The intent is to make not a sleepy swords-and-sandles epic but a bloody relentless revenge movie, something akin to "300" meets "Taken."

"Warner Bros. is the perfect studio to bring Odysseus back to his island," said Nunnari.

Liebesman, repped by CAA and Principato Young Entertainment, is directing "Battle: Los Angeles" for Columbia. Aaron Echkart is attached to star. The plan is for Liebesman to direct "Odysseus" after "Battle."

Peacock is best known for writing "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." The scribe is repped by CAA and Principato Young.

Warners-based Hollywood Gang is working on "The Wild Geese," with Guy Ritchie attached to direct, as well as an adaptation of Frank Miller's "Ronin." It is in preproduction on Relativity's "War of the Gods," being directed by Tarsem Singh.

Quelle: The Hollywood Reporter

Nichts gegen Swords-and-Sandles-Filme aber die Idee, die komplette Sage zu einem "bloody relentless revenge movie" zu machen, klingt auch ziemlich fragwürdig in meinen Augen. Hier will man wohl stark auf der Welle des 300-Erfolges schwimmen. Gefällt mir jetzt nicht wirklich, dieser Ansatz.

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