'Samurai Jack' on New Line track
Ratner to helm live action feature
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Samurai Jack is an ancient Japanese warrior, son of an emperor who was defeated by an evil wizard. Jack trains to get revenge, and when he bests the wizard, and Jack's about to take that final whack, the wizard sends him into a time portal into the future. Series, which quickly became the network's highest rated show, revolves around Jack's attempt to get back in time, battling the wizard's loyalists.
The script will be written by series creator Genndy Tartakovsky, who also hatched the Cartoon Network series "Dexter's Laboratory" and is producer-director of net's "The Powerpuff Girls," serving as animation director of the upcoming Warner Bros. movie adaptation.
Until "Harry Potter" proves otherwise, the $225 million domestic gross "Rush Hour 2" makes it the year's biggest grossing live-action film, and New Line prexy Toby Emmerich was bullish that "Jack" would have the helmer back in the studio fold. "Whether it's 'Lord of the Rings,' 'Blade' or 'The Mask,' we've done well with movies based on existing properties with built-in audiences," said Emmerich, who's steering the project with exec Chris Godsick. "It has a balance of action and humor, which is what Brett does so well, and it has the potential to be two films, one of them animation. And being in business with our sister company Cartoon Network is a good fit because of cross-promotional opportunities in the AOL Time Warner universe."
At Rat, Stern watched the pilot with his son, Eli, and pursued it, while Ratner's assistant, David Steiman, saw it and prodded Ratner as well. "It's a classic battle of good vs. evil, with unique central characters you've never seen before," said Ratner, who's about to start directing "Red Dragon," starring Edward Norton and Anthony Hopkins. "The guy is cool, his journey is fascinating, and it can be very mainstream, geared for both kids and adults."
DAVIS AMPED FOR "COLLATERAL" RELEASE. Even though the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks prompted WB to postpone the release of the Arnold Schwarzenegger starrer "Collateral Damage," director Andrew Davis feels its Feb. 8 date may actually help, and he says it is more than just a violent action film. "Based on the tone of the world right now, I think people will be more interested in seeing the picture, which explores revenge," he said. "Arnold plays a firefighter, a man who saves lives, who is on a mission to kill the man who has blown up his family, but who realizes he might be becoming just as inhuman. This conflicted journey toward retribution gives the film its emotion, even makes it intellectually challenging. The message is that violence begets violence, and we should be careful how we react to make sure we don't replicate that behavior." Davis agreed with its postponement, but said that none of the footage was removed, including the scene where Schwarzenegger watches a building explode. "It was the right move, and one done in the name of sensitivity to what happened, but I'm glad that the film is opening soon so that it doesn't seem like we made the movie to capitalize on the event," Davis said. The director will next appeal to the younger demo, starting in March on "Holes" for Phoenix and Walden Media. "It's about a kid unjustly sent to a camp, where he and other kids dig holes in a dry lake bed under the guise of building character," Davis said. "It's a con -- the warden is looking for a treasure buried by an infamous Texan outlaw. It's based on the Louis Sachar novel, and we've had numerous actors saying they want to be in it because their kids love the book so much." Davis' Chicago Pacific banner is also producing -- with Quincy Jones and John Davies -- the Showtime pic "Chess Men," about the formation of Chess Records. And he's restored and is looking to re-release his directorial debut, the 1978 pic "Stony Island."
IF THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY? After working back-to-back on "Ali" and "Men in Black 2," Will Smith had expected to take time off at the home he built in Africa. But it's looking like he's going to take one of the plum projects that he's been offered. The clear front-runner is New Regency's revamped adaptation of John Grisham's "The Runaway Jury," now being eyed by Mike Newell. Smith's being courted to play a jury foreman in a groundbreaking trial dealing with the gun industry. Not to be outdone, Smith has two offers involving his "Bad Boys" director Michael Bay. One's the sequel to that film, the other's the action-heavy "I Am Legend," a pic WB tried to mount with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ridley Scott.
POWERS-ING UP Move over Burt Bacharach. The singer held the distinction of being the only person to play himself in the "Austin Powers" series. But Mike Myers and Jay Roach are about to start shooting "Austin Powers in Goldmember," and they've enlisted Britney Spears and Quincy Jones to play themselves in the film, which New Line will distrib July 26.
"T3" CLOCK TICKING It's D-day on "T3." The third installment of "Terminator 3" has a script ready to be shot, Arnold Schwarzenegger ready to reprise his cyborg role and Jonathan Mostow ready to direct him. Pic's producers and the financiers at Intermedia spent Monday ironing out details for a spring or summer 2002 start. Dish hears the pricetag for the pic could reach $160 million, a figure being denied by insiders. It's almost a certainty the cost will surpass the $135 million which made "Pearl Harbor" the most expensive greenlight to date. Intermedia has the resources to fully finance the film itself, but the expectation is it will partner to share the risk. Universal and Sony are said to be among three vying for the film.
