Hunter right for 'White'

Mylod to begin helming laffer in April

By ADAM DAWTREY, MARC GRASER

Holly Hunter, James Woods, Giovanni Ribisi, Alison Lohman and Tim Blake Nelson have joined Robin Williams in the dark comedy "The Big White," set to begin lensing next month in Canada.

Brit director Mark Mylod ("Ali G Indahouse") will helm the laffer about an Alaskan travel agent who finds a frozen body in a dumpster and tries to pass it off as his long-lost brother for a life insurance claim, in the hope of using the money to treat his wife's Tourette's Syndrome.

Los Angeles-based Ascendant Pictures, in association with Rising Star, are producing the pic, while London-based sales outfit Capitol Films and German fund VIP2 Medienfonds are co-financing the project. Capitol is also selling foreign rights.

"The Big White," penned by Collin Friesen, starts shooting April 14, in Winnipeg and The Yukon in Canada.

Christopher Eberts, Chris Roberts and David Faigenblum will produce, while Kia Jam, John Schimmel, Michael Birnbaum, Andreas Schmid, Andreas Grosch, Sharon Harel and Hannah Leader will exec produce.

Mylod most recently directed the Channel 4 series "Shameless."

Hunter just appeared in the indie drama "Thirteen." She will next be seen in the Revolution Studios comedy "Little Black Book" and heard in Pixar's next toon, "The Incredibles."

Film marks a return to comedy for Williams after his recent detour to the dark side in films such as "The Final Cut," "Insomnia" and "One Hour Photo." He began flirting with "The Big White" last year, when it was set up at Artisan Pictures.

"The Big White" becomes the latest project for Ascendant and VIP. Duo have are co-financing and exec producing Warner Independent's "The Jacket"; Disney's "Emperor Zehnder"; Terrence Malick's "Che"; Robert Altman's "Paint" (formerly "Ultraviolet"), to be distribbed by Sony Classics; and DreamWorks' "Ask the Dust," with Colin Farrell.