Singleton to direct 'Executive Order'

Thriller to begin production early next year

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Singleton

John Singleton will direct "Executive Order: Six," a thriller to be financed by Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity. Plan is to begin production early next year, and casting is under way.

Philip Eisner's script, based on a story he wrote with Robbie Consing, follows the residents of a small, snowbound town, who band together to fight a mysterious horror that turns out to be an alien being unleashed by a plane crash.

Lawrence Bender, Ryan Kavanaugh and Karen Barber will produce. Tucker Tooley is the exec producer.

Project marks the first foray into extraterrestrial turf for Singleton, who last directed "Four Brothers." Singleton expected to direct "Tulia," with Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton, but that picture got pushed because of Berry's pregnancy.

Eisner's scripting credits include 1997's "Event Horizon" and "The Mutant Chronicles," which is in post-production.