Sommers back in Par 'Worlds'

Spielberg brings helmer onboard again for 'Collide'

By MICHAEL FLEMING, CHRIS GARDNER

Sommers

Paramount Pictures and Steven Spielberg have brought Stephen Sommers back into their tentpole remake of "When World Collide." Sommers will write and direct the picture, and Spielberg will produce.

Sommers, who directed "The Mummy" and "Van Helsing," was aligned with the project when Paramount first made a deal for it earlier this year (Daily Variety, April 11).

Paramount released the original 1951 "When Worlds Collide," directed by Rudolph Mate, and cleaned up some rights issues surrounding the pic when Sommers became interested in remaking the actioner.

However, his version languished a bit when Par's new regime came in and he dropped out in favor of a deal to direct and produce Fox's "A Night at the Museum." At the same time, Spielberg came aboard "When Worlds Collide" as producer. That move came during studio excitement for "War of the Worlds," which Spielberg directed and which has grossed $588 million worldwide.

Sometime around September, Sommers dropped out of "Museum" due to creative differences, which led him back to "When Worlds Collide." The Fox project now is in the hands of "Cheaper by the Dozen" helmer Shawn Levy.

Sommers already is in business with Spielberg. He is onboard as a producer for the DreamWorks pic "The Argonauts." He and his production partner Bob Ducsay also are expected to receive producer credits on "When Worlds Collide."

Because Sommers had been involved in the project earlier this year, sources said he could give it a quick script turnaround, possibly having a draft done in the next two or three months. He will start writing early in 2006.

At Par, the project is being overseen by Alli Shearmur. Studio head Gail Berman was instrumental in putting the whole deal together.

The development fills a Paramount need for tentpoles. It's the second seismic picture deal in the past week, after the studio enlisted Tim Burton to direct Jim Carrey in an adventure film based on Robert Ripley and his "Ripley's Believe It or Not" columns. Also, the studio is known to be in budget meetings with Ridley Scott on another big tentpole pic, "Invisible World."

Spielberg will continue to serve in a producing role.

Spielberg, who has just begun to screen his latest directorial effort, "Munich," might have considered directing "When Worlds Collide," but his plate is full.

Among projects he's shepherding are an Abraham Lincoln Civil War project that will reunite him with "Schindler's List" star Liam Neeson. Spielberg also is working with Paramount on another long-in-the-works tentpole, "Indiana Jones 4." That pic, with new script by "Catch Me If You Can" scribe Jeff Nathanson, is being worked on by Spielberg and George Lucas, before Harrison Ford steps back into his signature role.