Pic team looking to make U turn

Duo may pare staff, hang new shingle

By DAN COX, ANDREW HINDES

Filmmakers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, whose non-exclusive deal with Disney expires at year's end, are close to a deal to move their Kennedy/Marshall Co. to Universal Pictures.

The husband-and-wife team, who together with Steven Spielberg co-founded Amblin Entertainment and produced some of Universal's biggest blockbusters, are in advanced negotiations for a multiyear, first-look deal at the studio.

Kennedy/Marshall will remain in its Santa Monica office, but will substantially scale back its overhead and staff under the U agreement, insiders said. Company execs could not be reached for comment.

"Snow" & "Sense"

The pair are currently producing Universal's "Snow Falling On Cedars," along with Harry Ufland and Ron Bass. Scott Hicks directs and Ethan Hawke stars in Bass' adaptation of David Guterson's novel.

The duo is also producing, along with Barry Mendel, "The Sixth Sense" for Spyglass and Disney. It stars Bruce Willis and Toni Collette ("Muriel's Wedding"). M. Night Shyamalan ("Wide Awake") is directing the movie from his own script.

Kennedy/Marshall recently wrap-ped shooting on the Sigourney Weaver-Julianne Moore starrer "A Map of the World," a modestly budgeted adaptation of the bestselling Jane Hamilton novel. Scott Elliott directs and Peter Hedges ("What's Eating Gilbert Grape") wrote the Overseas Film Group-financed pic about a part-time school nurse living on a Wisconsin dairy farm whose life is plagued by tragedy.

Eye for TV

In July, Kennedy and Marshall signed a development deal with CBS to create a one-hour series for the Eye web.

Kennedy/Marshall's three-year non-exclusive deal with Disney began in January of 1996. Prior to that, the company was based for three years at Paramount, where it produced "Congo" (which Marshall helmed), "The Indian in the Cupboard" and "Milk Money."

Marshall, Kennedy and Spielberg founded Amblin Entertainment in 1981. The company's credits include "E.T.: The Extraterrestrial," "Back to the Future," "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," "Cape Fear," "Hook," "Jurassic Park" and "Arachnophobia," which Marshall directed.

Marshall also helmed Paramount and Touchstone's "Alive."

(Chris Petrikin contributed to this report.)

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