Col cores Sweet pitch of horror thrill 'Deep'

Roundtable's Matthews, Scharbo to produce pic

By CLAUDE BRODESSER

HOLLYWOOD -- Columbia Pictures has made a Sweet deal for itself.

Studio purchased horror thriller pitch "Deep Core" from writer John Sweet for mid- against high-six figures.

Project will be produced by Gina Matthews and Grant Scharbo through their Roundtable Prods. banner.

Based on an original story by Sweet, Matthews and Scharbo, script will be written by Sweet.

Pic is set on a research submarine deep beneath the polar ice caps, where scientists encounter a deadly predator never before seen by mankind.

In addition to adapting "Sacred Heart" and "The One of Us" for Warner Bros. and Denise Di Novi, Sweet most recently wrote Hilary Swank starrer "The Affair of the Necklace."

Matthews and Scharbo worked together on the Emmy-winning Showtime original "Summer's End"; Matthews also produced the Paramount romantic comedy hit "What Women Want."

Sony exec VP Amy Baer will oversee the project, which is being developed by development director Shannon Gaulding and Col production prexy Peter Schlessel.

Sweet was repped in the deal by the William Morris Agency.