Intermedia to coin 'Basic'
Project seemed a go until Del Toro won Oscar
Penned by James Vanderbilt, the drama centers around a DEA agent brought in to investigate the disappearance of a legendary Army ranger drill instructor and several cadets in a training exercise that might have resulted in multiple murders.
The project seemed close to a go last fall, with Tamahori directing the drama and Catherine Keener and Benicio Del Toro in the lead roles. That was before the latter won an Oscar for his work in "Traffic," and the project never made it to the starting line.
It came back together when Phoenix Pictures's chairman/CEO Mike Medavoy found a match with Intermedia, though neither Keener nor Del Toro are expected to participate. Talks have restarted with Tamahori and his ICM reps.
"This has been a favorite project of mine," said Medavoy. "I'm happy that Nigel Sinclair and Basil Iwanyk saw the potential that I see and will be doing it with us."
The project will continue to be steered by Phoenix director of development Brad Fisher. The film will be produced by Phoenix-based Orbit Ent. Group, and exec produced by Intermedia partners Sinclair, Guy East and Moritz Borman.
