Luc Besson

Started by Rudie Obias, April 13, 2003, 01:41:24 PM

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MacGuffin

Angelina Jolie and Luc Besson Thriller Lands at Universal
The studio acquired North American rights to the untitled project from the "Fifth Element" director.
Source: THR

Universal has picked up North American rights to the untitled Angelina Jolie-Luc Besson drama.

Jolie will star in the project, which is described as a "dramatic thriller with action."and is said to be a cross between Besson's own much-admired movies The Professional and The Fifth Element. Besson wrote the screenplay for the new project and will produce and direct.
 
The studio is touting this as Besson's return to the genre in which he made his name.  
 
Universal picked up 80 percent of worldwide distribution rights to the project, which answers the question of what movie Jolie will do next.
 
The actress, who has her directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey opening Dec. 23, has several projects vying for her attention. The high-profile ones include a biopic of Gertrude Bell and Scarpetta, the latter which is set up at Fox.  Universal has been tracking the development of the Bell biopic, which has Ridley Scott attached to direct, and is hoping to land it.

The new movie will begin shooting April 2012 in Paris.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

MacGuffin

Luc Besson Directing Robert De Niro In Gangster Thriller 'Malavita'
Source: Playlist

Man, Luc Besson really didn't take to retirement, did he? While his collaboration with Angelina Jolie seemingly never came to pass, Besson recently turned to a stack of scripts he's written in a co-financing partnership between Besson's EuroCorp and Relativity Pictures, getting support for two new Besson-ian efforts.

The first and most prominent, "Malavita," finds Robert De Niro starring as a former gangster now living in Normandy with his family under Witness Protection. Naturally, things don't go well, as the project is described as a gangster thriller. It's based on the book "Badfellas" from Tonino Benacquista, and various synopses describe the material as being light, and more in-tune with "The Sopranos." Though we hope the scene where the protagonist is invivted to host a library film screening of "Goodfellas" doesn't make the final cut. Because, c'mon. The film begins shooting August 14th.

The other script, which Besson has no intentions to direct as of yet, is "Three Days To Kill," from Besson and co-writer Adi Hasak. While they're only using a working title thus far, with no synopsis, it's being compared to the Besson-produced "Taken" only with "lots of humor." Because if there's anything the my-daughter-is-sold-to-a-sex-trafficking-ring story is missing is some laffs! [Variety]
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

MacGuffin

Scarlett Johansson to Star in Luc Besson's Latest Action Movie (Exclusive)
Besson wrote the script and will direct the feature project, which is titled "Lucy."
Source: THR

Luc Besson, the French director with a penchant for putting women front and center in his action movies, has found his next leading lady.

Scarlett Johansson is in final negotiations to star in Besson's latest helming effort, the action-thriller Lucy. Universal has taken worldwide distribution rights with the exception of France, Benelux and China.

Besson wrote the script for Lucy, which centers on a woman forced to become a drug mule. But the drug instead goes into her system, transforming her into an ass-kicking machine. She can absorb knowledge instantaneously, is able to move objects with her mind and can't feel pain and other discomforts.

Besson will produce with his EuropaCorp CEO Christophe Lambert.

Thanks to the success of the Taken movies, EuropaCorp has been expanding its English-language operations and recently hired veteran production executive and producer Lisa Ellzey to join its Los Angeles offices. The Paris-based production and distribution entity, which is publicly traded, has been on a tear of late. It announced a 61 percent revenue increase in year-over-year revenue to $48.7 million when it released its quarterly results in February.

Lucy brings Besson back to his 1990s heyday, when he made movies with strong heroines such as La Femme Nikita and Joan of Arc as well as, to a lesser extent, The Professional and The Fifth Element. He most recently wrapped the Mafia drama Malavita, which stars Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones; the movie will be distributed by Relativity later this year.

The deal keeps Johansson in the action game. The actress, known for her turn as butt-kicking operative Black Widow in the Marvel movies The Avengers and Iron Man 2, would shoot Lucy after wrapping Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which she is filming.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks