Wang eyeing 'Holiday' stay for Paramount redo
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Paramount Pictures has entered into early negotiations with Wayne Wang to direct its remake of "Last Holiday," which is set to star Queen Latifah. Wang, whose credits include "Maid in Manhattan, "The Joy Luck Club" and "Anyway But Here," attracted the studio's interest because of his success at guiding actresses and his ability to bridge comedy and drama. The remake gives the plot of the 1950 British original a distaff spin. The first film starred Alec Guinness as an average man who, learning that he doesn't have long to live, cashes in everything he has to spend his dying days in a swanky resort where he is mistaken for a super-rich eccentric. The remake will feature Latifah in the lead role. Laurence Mark and Imagemovers partner Jack Rapke are producing and preparing for a fall shoot date. Peter Seaman and Jeffrey Price are writing. Wang's other upcoming projects include "Good Cook, Likes Music" and "Because of Winn-Dixie."
This looks a tiny bit interesting but I am looking forward to "Good Cook, Likes Music" which stars Sandler
Director Wang escorted into 'Winners' circle
Wayne Wang is attached to direct "Rocket Fuel for Winners," which will tell the story of the self-proclaimed "King of All Pimps."
Jason Itzler owned one of New York's top escort agencies, NY Confidential, but his highflying lifestyle eventually landed him behind bars. He also fell in love with his star employee, to whom he eventually proposed marriage. "Rocket fuel for winners" was the agency's motto.
Itzler was the subject of a New York Magazine cover story, but the movie will be based on Itzler's life story rather than the article. No writers or actors are attached.
Wang became interested in Itzler's world when he did his "The Center of the World" in 2001, which featured a venture capitalist and a lap dancer. For Wang, this was a chance to go deeper into that world.
"I'm fascinated of the idea of how he is pushing the edges of the American Dream in the new millennium," Wang said. "For me, the story deals with why he was successful and why he failed, his love story, and how when he was doing this he was consumed with his Jewish guilt and consulted a rabbi. Some of it is pretty funny, but it's a strong human drama."
Meeting Itzler is something Wang has been putting off.
"I'm so intrigued with him that I want to imagine him some more. I want to meet him at the last minute."
Wang is finishing up "Last Holiday" with Queen Latifah. He directed the family film "Because of Winn-Dixie," released this year.
Wayne Wang Helming Good Prayers
Source: Production Weekly
Wayne Wang is set to direct an adaptation of the award-winning novel, "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers," by Chinese emigre Yiyun Li, says Production Weekly. The book is a collection of stories about life in modern China and the United States.
The film is scheduled to start filming this October in Spokane, Washington.