Par, MTV grooving with Iovine

Music mavens' pic pact has Par playing new tune

By DAVE MCNARY

Iovine

In a deal reflecting Tom Freston's imprint, Paramount Pictures and MTV Films have signed Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine and Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg to a three-year first-look feature deal.

Deal with the powerful music execs is a clear signal that Paramount is aiming for more innovation and risk under Freston, the longtime MTV Networks chief who began overseeing Paramount in June on becoming Viacom co-president/chief operating officer.

Iovine and Rosenberg are producing the feature project "Locked and Loaded," with rap star 50 Cent toplining a tale of an orphaned street kid who becomes a powerful drug dealer, then turns away from crime to pursue a promising music career.

Freston was directly involved in negotiations with Iovine and Rosenberg. The duo also held talks with Fox, New Line and Universal before reaching the deal with Paramount/MTV.

Mountain makes move

Paramount's been moving this year to shed its reputation as the most conservative studio -- fiscally and artistically -- by opting for a mix of higher-profile and riskier projects. The deal with Iovine and Rosenberg is also an indication that MTV is being transformed into a big-time player in the wake of handling producing duties on Adam Sandler starrer "The Longest Yard" and Charlize Theron's "Aeon Flux."

Terence Winter, an exec producer on "The Sopranos," has been tapped to script "Locked and Loaded." Winter picked up Emmy noms this year for the "Long Term Parking" episode and for the "Unidentified Black Males" episode (with Matthew Weiner); he's also scripting Par/MTV's remake of "The Warriors" with Tony Scott directing.

MTV Films prexy Van Toffler, exec VP David Gale and Heather Perry are involved in producing "Locked and Loaded" with Par senior VP Wendy Japhet overseeing for the studio.

Scored with '8 Mile'

Iovine and Rosenberg scored a major success in the movie business in late 2002 with U/Imagine's surprise 2002 hit "8 Mile," toplined by Eminem. Iovine served as a producer while Rosenberg was an exec producer on the project, which topped $116 million in domestic gross.

Iovine rose to prominence as a top record producer during the 1980s with producing credits on albums by Tom Petty, the Pretenders, Stevie Nicks and Patti Smith.

He founded Interscope with financier Ted Field in 1989. He's chairman of the current Interscope Geffen A&M,

now part of Universal Music Group, carries an artist roster featuring mostly rap, alternative rock and R&B.

Iovine was also a co-producer on 2003 Super Bowl Halftime show. Rosenberg is president of the Shady/Aftermath label and served as exec producer on Showtime's skein "The Next Episode."

The Iovine/Rosenberg production pact is also anticipated to lead to deals with Shady/Aftermath, Eminem and rap impresario Dr. Dre along with the G Unit record label, 50 Cent and manager Chris Lighty.

Toffler noted he's worked extensively with Iovine in the past to arrange for Interscope artists to appear on MTV cable programs. "This deal represents an incredible opportunity for us to continue that relationship through MTV Films, making great entertainment for music and movie fans alike," he added.