Posted: Thurs., Oct. 18, 2007, 1:26pm PT

Naomi Watts set for 'Birds' remake

Martin Campbell in talks to direct for Universal

Naomi Watts
Watts

Martin Campbell
Campbell

Naomi Watts will star and Martin Campbell is in negotiations to direct Universal's new version of "The Birds."

U is planning a reimagining of Daphne du Maurier's short story, which inspired the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock classic.

Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller will produce through their Platinum Dunes shingle, while Peter Guber and Cathy Schulman are producing for Mandalay Pictures.

U is not looking to rush the pic into production prior to a possible strike.

Stiles White and Juliet Snowden wrote a version of the script that is still being developed. New scribes may be brought aboard.

For the moment, Campbell's and Watts' dance cards are already filled with other projects.

Campbell is attached to Fox's runaway train actioner "Unstoppable" and crime thriller "36" at Paramount. He most recently helmed the latest James Bond installment "Casino Royale."

Watts, who will next be seen in Warner Independent's "Funny Games," is filming "The International" and will follow that up with First Look's adaptation of Amy Sutherland's "Kicked, Bitten and Scratched: Life and Lessons at the World's Premiere School for Exotic Animal Trainers."

Mandalay's David Zelon and Jonathan Krauss will oversee for Mandalay. Scott Bernstein is overseeing the pic for U.


TALKBACK:

Have an opinion about this article? Be the first to comment


Summer Blockbusters

Variety has everything you want to know about this summer's biggest movies.



CTO of LucasFilm Richard Harris discusses the importance of creative freedom for digital artists. ; LucasFilm's Richard Kerris talks about foundations of technology; in particular, communications. ; Richard Kerris talks about the importance of collaboration in the videogame industry. ; Chief Technology Officer of Lucasgame, Richard Kerris, talks about the higher standards of the industry.; Innovators: Sassoon 1; Innovators: Sassoon 2; Innovators: Sassoon 3; Innovators: Sassoon 4; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Weinstein 1; Innovators: Weinstein 2; Innovators: Weinstein 3; Innovators: Weinstein 4; ThatGameCompany co-founders Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen talk about their videogame, 'Flow,' which could be described as an aquatic Pacman. ; ThatGameCompany; cloud; flow; tgc; variety; videogames; Co-founders of ThatGameCompany, Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen, discuss their USC roots while developing 'Cloud.'; ThatGameCompany; cloud; flow; variety; videogames; Co-founders Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen discuss their company's non-violent approach to game development. ; TGC gaming; ThatGameCompany; cloud; flow; variety; videogames; TGC co-founders Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen talk about being approached by videogame publishers. ; ThatGameCompany; chen; cloud; flow; santiago; variety; videogames;

Variety's 10 Innovators to watch
Q What are the top 3 things affecting our industry today?
A. Melinda - Need for courage. Need for financing. Need for courage in financing. But seriously, a need... more >


Submit this form
© 2008 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Use of this website is subject to its Terms & Conditions of Use. View our Privacy Policy.