Tarsem enters 'The Cell'
Acclaimed musicvid helmer to make feature debut
Pic, scripted by Mark Protosevich, is about a female scientist who journeys inside the mind of a comatose serial killer, in order to discover the whereabouts of the girl that he kidnapped.
There is no cast attached.
Tarsem, who is considered to be one of the most budding directors to emerge from the world of advertising and pop music, has been inclining toward entering the feature film world for some time. He read the script for "The Cell" and responded to it immediately, New Line execs said.
The credits of the Punjab-born director include musicvids for R.E.M., among other groups, and spots such as Levis' "Swimmer" and Smirnoff's "Message in a Bottle." His commercials have won awards both in the U.K. and at the annual Cannes fest, and he won a DGA award for his spot for Nike, "Soccer with Demons."
New Line VP of production Donna Langley said Tarsem was the perfect helmer for the job: "This movie relies heavily on the director's ability to create different worlds. Tarsem is strong both visually and narratively, and not flashy."
Langley and creative exec Carolyn Manetti will oversee the pic for New Line, along with New Line Prods. prexy Michael De Luca.
Tarsem is also attached to direct a remake of the British gangster thriller "Get Carter," scripted by David McKenna. Mark Canton is producing that pic for Warner Bros.
Tarsem is repped by CAA.
