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Howard Stern has been one of the most controversial – and revered – figures in the history of modern media. With a passion for the field as a child, Stern’s climb to the top of the radio world truly began in the ‘80s. And he did it off of his unique, button-pressing, FCC-clashing brand and humor: the boobs, the prank calls, the Wack Pack, all of it all made Howard Stern one of the most recognizable figures in all of media. And so as his markets grew and his written word topped the charts – but long before his first $500 million contract with Sirius – it was time for Stern to enter the movie business…with something a little more commercially viable than Butt Bongo Fiesta.

So how did the guy who mocked his wife’s miscarriage on the air and flipped the bird to nearly every boss he’s ever had...

Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis’ stories of drug addiction and unusual relationships are making their way to the silver screen. Universal Pictures has optioned the singer’s 2004 memoir, Scar Tissue, to develop it into a biopic, according to Deadline. The producers include Kiedis, Chilis manager Guy Oseary, and Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13).

The source material, one of the greatest rock memoirs of all time, could provide a story that’s far darker than most music biopics. Keidis’ book, cowritten with Larry Sloman, found him reflecting on his dad,...

The story of Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis is being steered toward a screen adaptation, with Universal having optioned the rights to the singer’s bestselling memoir, “Scar Tissue.”

Kiedis himself has been set as a producer on the project along with Brian Grazer, representing Imagine Entertainment, and Guy Oseary, who took over management duties for the Chili Peppers in 2021.

Kiedis was represented in the deal by CAA, Oseary, and Eric Greenspan at Myman Greenspan Fineman Fox Rosenberg & Light Llp. Universal’s announcement reports that Jay Polidoro, the studio’s executive VP pf production development, will oversee the project.

The studio is promising an adaptation of the book that will be “a shockingly candid portrait of an artist, addict, and ringleader” and contains “a deeply unconventional father and son story set against a substance-fueled ’70s and ’80s L.A. punk scene. This story examines, without judgment, how all...

Dan Geller on Leonard Cohen: ‘Leonard is a very very clever writer. I believe someone had asked James Joyce about Ulysses, which is, you know, famously impenetrable …” Photo: Cohen Estate

The 21st edition of the Tribeca Film Festival hosted a special New York première screening of Dayna Goldfine and Dan Geller’s poetically keen Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song, with an original score by John Lissauer at the Beacon Theatre, followed by a Leonard Cohen tribute concert with Judy Collins, Amanda Shires, Sharon Robinson and Daniel Seavey. The documentary is dedicated to the distinguished music producer Hal Willner (recently Ethan Silverman’s Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex and the Lou Reed: Caught Between The Twisted Stars exhibition).

Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine with Anne-Katrin Titze: “The Beacon Theatre, which is historically so important, not only in terms of Hallelujah the song, where John Cale...

William Kalush and Larry Sloman‘s book “The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero” has taken an interesting journey through Hollywood. Gary Ross, Joe Wright and Dean Parisot have each flirted with this adaptation (the latter even had Johnny Depp attached to star), but none had quite the right amount of magic to make it to the big screen.

Continue reading ’10 Cloverfield Lane’ Director Dan Trachtenberg To Helm Long Developing ‘The Secret Life Of Houdini’ at The Playlist.

10 Cloverfield Lane wound up being a big hit for Paramount this year, so that managed to put director Dan Trachtenberg on other studios' radar. It looks like Lionsgate has scooped him up to take on their long-gestating movie based on magician Harry Houdini. Johnny Depp was most recently attached to star when Dean Parisot was attached to direct, but that has all changed now.

Deadline broke the news that the young director is in talks with Lionsgate for this new Houdini movie, which will be based on the 2006 book The Secret Life of Houdini and will take on the same name. The project, which was first announced back in 2009, has been through several actors and directors in that time period. But now with a script from Noah Oppenheim, who wrote The Maze Runner as well as the upcoming Oscar contender Jackie, and Dan Trachtenberg, the project could get some real traction.

Director Dan Trachtenberg did a fantastic job on the J.J. Abrams-produced film 10 Cloverfield Lane. I loved that movie, and now the director is in talks to join a whole new film project based on the legendary magician Harry Houdini.

The film is set up at Lionsgate, and they've been trying to get it into production for years. The project is based on the William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s book The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero.

The book dives into some fun and interesting details about Houdini including that it was believed that he was a British spy, in cahoots with police organizations, and at one point was even asked to be an adviser to Czar Nicholas II's court in pre-revolutionary Russia. These are real theories about the magician, and this movie will obviously elaborate on those stories.

The studio's plan for...

Mike Cecchini Nov 29, 2016

Dan Trachtenberg might direct Lionsgate's Harry Houdini biopic, based on a controversial biography.

Lionsgate has been developing a Harry Houdini biopic for some time now, and it looks like it's one step closer to escaping its chains. According to Variety, the studio wants Daniel Trachtenberg, who directed the excellent 10 Cloverfield Lane, to helm their Harry Houdini movie, replacing Dean Parisot (Red 2), who was connected with the project back in 2014.

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At one point Johnny Depp was in line for the title role, but that no longer seems to be the case.

Harry Houdini's life is one of those "stranger than fiction" scenarios, and you could conceivably make two distinct Harry Houdini movies,...

According to a Deadline exclusive, 10 Cloverfield Lane director Dan Trachtenberg is currently in talks to direct a film about Harry Houdini. This is the same project that was due to star Johnny Depp, back when every new project in Hollywood was about Harry Houdini. However, Depp doesn’t appear to be connected with the film any longer, and is at this point older and less widely beloved that the Hungarian-American illusionist and escape artist ever got to be.

Scripted by Noah Oppenheim, writer of the upcoming Jackie, the still untitled project is an adaption of William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s biography The Secret Life of Houdini (subtitled The Making of America’s First Superhero, because being Houdini is not enough for some people), a book that is somehow both exhaustively researched and specious. (Among other things, it asserts that the famed magician was murdered.)

The film will focus ...

10 Cloverfield Lane director Dan Trachtenberg is in talks to direct The Secret Life of Houdini, based on the William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s book The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero which portrays the master magician as a secret agent investigating the occult. The pitch for the movie is that Houdini was not […]

The post Dan Trachtenberg To Direct ‘The Secret Life of Houdini’, See Concept Art From His ‘Rocketeer’ Pitch appeared first on /Film.

Much like the master illusionist on which the feature film is based, Lionsgate’s Harry Houdini movie has been a difficult butterfly to pin. Through time, we’ve seen the likes of Johnny Depp and director Dean Parisot come attached to the project, only for plans to unravel before any tangible progress could be made.

But the show must go on, with Deadline reporting that Dan Trachtenberg has entered talks to helm the Houdini pic, one to be based on The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. Little is known about the embryonic feature, only that it holds a script from Noah Oppenheim and will seemingly shed new light on the elusive Harry Houdini, who was described as “not just the master of magic, but as an adventurer and investigator of the occult.” Frank Marshall and Bruce Cohen (American Beauty) will produce.

Exclusive: 10 Cloverfield Lane helmer Daniel Trachtenberg is in talks to direct Lionsgate’s film about master illusionist Harry Houdini. This is the film that seemed to pull a vanishing act after reports that Johnny Depp was going to star and Dean Parisot direct. That went by the wayside in a puff of smoke, but I’ve confirmed that Trachtenberg is negotiating to take on a project based on the William Kalush and Larry Sloman's book The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of A…...

Kiersey Clemons is attached to star alongside Gabriel Byrne in the indie comedy feature “An L.A. Minute,” from Hyde Park International, written by Daniel Adams and Larry Sloman, with Adams directing. Described as a satirical look at fame and the karma… Continue Reading →...

Johnny Depp is currently in negotiations to play the legendary magician Harry Houdini in Lionsgate's The Secret Life of Houdini. The movie is set to be directed by Dean Parisot, who has developed films such Red 2 and Galaxy Quest. He's a solid director, and this should make for a great film project for him.

Depp has had a rough go at the box office recently with The Lone Ranger and Transcendence. Neither of those films were very good either. Depp will soon be back on top with with Pirates of the Caribbean 5 and the sequel to Alice in Wonderland, both of which are sure to blow up at the box office. He's currently shooting the crime drama Black Mass. He's a crazy talented actor and I think it would be cool to see him take on the role of Houdini. If the negotiations go over well, I think he'll be great in the part.

Johnny Depp is known for disappearing into his roles, but this might take the cake.

Depp is in negotiations to star in an adaptation of a Harry Houdini biography that focuses on the performer's real-life adventures. "The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero" will be based on the book by William Kalush and Larry Sloman, which chronicles Houdini's humble beginnings, awesome feats, and his secret life as a spy.

That's right. Houdini was a spy. He was also buddies with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle until Houdini ticked off Doyle and the Spiritualists by debunking some of their tricks. The movie is described as "in the vein of 'Indiana Jones,'" so it's entirely possible that this will become more of an action/adventure story. Which would be too bad, as the real story about the son of a rabbi who becomes the most famous magician in...

Johnny Depp plans to add Harry Houdini to his long list of famous roles. The actor is in talks to play the famous magician in Dean Parisot's The Secret Life of Houdini.

The movie will be based on the 2006 book of the same name by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. The book "traces the arc of the master magician’s life from desperate poverty to worldwide fame—his legacy later threatened by a group of fanatical Spiritualists led by esteemed British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Initiating the reader along the way into the arcane world of professional magic, Kalush and Sloman decode a life based on deception, providing an intimate and riveting portrayal of Houdini, the man and the legend."

Rumor has it that the project will be somewhat of an action thriller, in the vein of Indiana Jones. Then again, The Secret Life of Houdini has been...

Johnny Depp has signed on to play illusionist Harry Houdini in The Secret Life Of Harry Houdini. Based on the same-named book by William Kalush and Larry Sloman, the film will be helmed by Galaxy Quest director Dean Parisot. The novel is described as a “groundbreaking biography”, with the authors attempting to expose the man behind the myth – and explain just why he became such a daredevil. Rather than a straight-forward biopic, Lionsgate apparently envisions the film to be an action thriller in the Indiana Jones mould. ...

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Latest reports suggest that Johnny Depp could be about to add a Harry Houdini movie to his busy slate of projects...

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The last time we saw Johnny Depp, he'd just uploaded his consciousness into a computer in Transcendence - a film which saw him work miracles from within cyberspace. According to a report over on Variety, Depp could be about to star as a miracle worker of a more flamboyant kind: world famous magician, Harry Houdini. (Yes, it's a tenuous link, but it's early and the kettle's on the fritz.)

The word is that Lionsgate is planning to adapt a book called The Secret Life Of Houdini: The Making Of America's First Superhero, by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. It'll cover Houdini's colourful life as both a stage performer and a top-secret spy. Frank Marshall's one of the famous names among the producers, Noah Oppenheim (who's written...

Johnny Depp is in talks to star as the famous magician Harry Houdini in Lionsgate's "The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero," which will be directed by Dean Parisot (Red 2). The story, which is said to be in the vein of "Indiana Jones," will show Houdini as not just a master escape artist but an investigator of the world of the occult. Noah Oppenheim wrote the screenplay, which is based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman's book of the same name. Depp is coming off two box-office disappointments in "Transcendence" and "The Lone Ranger." He'll soon return to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Alice in Wonderland" franchises, but his next movie is "Mortdecai," which is set to hit theaters on February 6th, 2015.

Forget the Devil; real-life magician and escapologist Harry Houdini is pulling off an even greater trick. He has several companies scrambling to make a film about him first - and he's been dead for 88 years, making his machinations that much more impressive. Lionsgate/Summit has a new ally in its quest to reach the screen, with news that Johnny Depp is in negotiations to star in The Secret Life Of Houdini.This is one that has been bubbling away since at least 2009, when Summit – in its pre-Lionsgate acquisition days – grabbed the rights to William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s 2006 book, which is subtitled The Making Of America’s First Superhero. Their book centred around controversial claims that the escape expert was an undercover agent. The pair make the case that Houdini not only worked with British Intelligence, but the Us Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies at the turn of the 20th century,...

Johnny Depp has entered negotiations to star in Lionsgate's gestating action-thriller The Secret Life of Houdini, which is based on the life of famed illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini.

The project is an adaptation of William Kalush and Larry Sloman's biography of the same name, which follows Harry Houdini's exploits as both a magician and a spy for the British government, who investigates the occult world. The movie is being set up as more of an action-adventure, in the same vein as the Indiana Jones franchise, instead of as a straight-up biopic.

The project has been in development since 2009, when Jeff Nathanson was attached to write and direct. Noah Oppenheim wrote the latest version of the script, with Dean Parisot attached to direct.

Christi Dembrowski, Johnny Depp's producing partner at Infinitum Nihil, is also in negotiations to produce, alongside Frank Marshall and Bruce Cohen. No production schedule has been released.

If you had to try to sum up Johnny Depp's seemingly diverse career, you could actually do a pretty fine job by pointing out he either plays oddballs or historical figures. In some rare occasions, however, he's able to play both at once, as will be the case should he sign on to Summit Entertainment's The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero. THR reports Johnny Depp has entered into negotiations to headline the deeply unusual biopic about Harry Houdini. If Depp does commit to the project, he won't be playing Houdini as a literal superhero, but rather as a spy who was never far from the spotlight. Based on the controversial biography penned by William Kalush and Larry Sloman, The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero will go beyond painting Houdini as master magician and iconic escape artist, but will...

"The Secret Life Of Houdini" has been kicking around Hollywood for years now. Gary Ross and Joe Wright kicked the tires on the project but ultimately decided not to direct, with the less illustrious name of Dean Parisot ("Red 2," "Fun With Dick And Jane," "Galaxy Quest") signing up to direct last summer. But now the film has received a kick in the pants, thanks to none other than Johnny Depp. The actor is in negotiations to star in the Lionsgate movie, which is moving fast and hoping to start lensing in November. So why is the studio and Depp so keen on this one? Well, it takes the world's most influential and famous magician and reimagines him as an Indiana Jones-type figure (sigh) who gets into various wacky adventures. So basically, it's a Johnny Depp movie, and that will provide lots of room for mugging and wild costumes. Here's the...

Though Johnny Depp is currently deep in production on a film about famed crime boss Whitey Bulger, Black Mass, he may soon be adding another historical figure to his resume. THR reports that the actor is negotiations to take on the title role in Lionsgate/Summit’s long-gestating adaptation of authors William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s book The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero. The project has been in the works for years and paints the famous magician as an Indiana Jones-type who, while not performing feats of escape, spends his time investigating the world of the occult. Hit the jump for more, including clarity on Depp's upcoming slate. Per THR, Depp is in talks to play Harry Houdini in The Secret Life of Houdini, which has Galaxy Quest and Red 2 helmer Dean Parisot onboard to direct. Lionsgate/Summit has been developing the film for years,...

Is Johnny Depp looking to pull a vanishing act? The actor is in negotiations to star as famed magician Harry Houdini in The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero for Lionsgate's Summit label. Dean Parisot (Red 2) is directing. The story, which is said to be in the vein of Indiana Jones, recasts Houdini as not just a master escape artist but an investigator of the world of the occult. Noah Oppenheim wrote the screenplay, which is based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman's book of the same name. Exclusive: Adam Scott Joins Johnny Depp in 'Black Mass'

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Johnny Depp might have to be fitted for a straitjacket soon. The actor is in talks to take on the title role in the long-awaited adaptation of authors William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s book "The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero". Said to be in the vein of Indiana Jones, the story follows the famous magician while he is investigating the world of the occult. Dean Parisot (Galaxy Quest, Red 2) will helm the project which is set...

Mike Tyson and his wife Lakiha Spicer are producing a movie about the early days of the champion boxer's life and career, the New York Post reports. The couple already have a few big name stars in mind for the film, including Kevin Spacey as Tyson's trainer, mentor and surrogate father Mike D'Amato and Helen Mirren as the boxer's adoptive mother, Camille Ewald. As for the former heavyweight champ himself, the couple said they wanted an unknown rather than an established star to play Tyson.

7 Knockout Mike Tyson...

Former heavyweight boxing champion and wife hope to recruit Kevin Spacey and Helen Mirren for movie about his early career

Mike Tyson and his wife Lakiha Spicer are hoping to produce a film about his early struggles and march towards the undisputed world heavyweight boxing title, reports the New York Post.

Spicer said she hoped to see Kevin Spacey cast as Tyson's mentor Cus D'Amato, with Helen Mirren as his adoptive mother, Camille Ewald. She told the New York Post an unknown actor, rather than an established star, would portray Tyson.

It is not known whether the project has financing, but it is expected to be based on a screenplay by Larry Sloman, who co-wrote The Undisputed Truth, the former boxer's autobiography. Spicer revealed the project in a conversation with a Post reporter at the Golden Globes on Sunday night.

Tyson is no stranger to Hollywood, having made cameos in the Hangover films.

Deadline is reporting that Max Landis has signed on to rewrite Scott Frank’s script for Sony’s Houdini. The film would tell the story of legendary illusionist, Harry Houdini, who passed away in 1926. Houdini was world-renowned for his abilities as an escape artist and illusionist, and Hollywood has been trying to mount a substantial film about his life for quite some time.

Landis, the son of director John Landis (Twilight Zone: The Movie), wrote the sleeper hit Chronicle, and has been in-demand ever since. He’s written a new adaptation of Frankenstein that’s set to star James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe, as well as American Ultra which will come out in 2015, starring Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg.

They’re not the only Houdini game in town, though, as Summit is currently working on their own film about the legend. Their film would be based off of William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s book,...

Amazingly, the life story of Harry Houdini has never been brought to the big screen (at least not since George Marshall’s take way back in 1953), but Sony have enlisted Max Landis to work on a new draft of their biopic, Houdini.

Landis is of course best known for writing Chronicle, the Josh Trank helmed found footage movie which delivered a refreshing take on the superhero genre. His next movie is Frankenstein, the Paul McGuigan-directed movie that stars James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe. Deadline reveals that his take on Houdini will apparently have an “Hp Lovecraft influence,” although any other details are scarce at this point.

The original draft was scripted by Scott Frank (The Wolverine), while Francis Lawrence was attached to direct before signing up to direct The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and the two-part The Hunger Games: Mockingjay. There’s currently no word on who might direct it now.

Max Landis has come aboard to rewrite the script for Sony's Houdini, which has been in development since 2011.

The project initially had Francis Lawrence attached to direct from a script written by Scott Frank back in 2011, but the project fell apart when the director left to make The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Our report from May 2011 revealed that this biopic would be a more conventional telling of magician Harry Houdini's story, centering on his attempts to discredit a beautiful spiritualist, although he begin to believe in her. This new take on the story will have an H.P. Lovecraft influence.

Jimmy Miller (Bad Teacher, The Other Guys) is producing, although no production schedule was given. Summit Entertainment is also working on their own biopic entitled The Secret Life of Houdini, which director Dean Parisot is circling. Noah Baumbach wrote the screenplay adaptation, based on the book of the same name...

Exclusive: The life story of illusionist Harry Houdini has long fascinated Hollywood, but nobody has been able to do anything about it. Sony Pictures has Max Landis working his magic on a new draft of Houdini, the film being produced by Jimmy Miller. I’m told that is telling the story with an Hp Lovecraft influence. Landis scripted Chronicle, and his subsequent work includes Frankenstein, the Paul McGuigan-directed Fox pic that stars James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe; and American Ultra, the Nima Nourizadeh-directed film that stars Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart. Landis is repped by Wme and Circle Of Confusion. This gives new momentum to the pic that was originally scripted by Scott Frank, with Francis Lawrence attached until he went off to do the Hunger Games pics. Summit is also working on a Houdini project, which Dean Parisot has been circling to direct, based on the Noah Oppenheim...

Galaxy Quest director Dean Parisot is currently in negotiations with Summit Entertainment to direct their Harry Houdini feature film. Summit has been trying to get this movie off the ground for years, and at different points of development directors Joe Wright and Gary Ross were both up to direct it. For one reason or another it didn't work out for either of them.

Parisot is a talented director who not only made the amazing sci-fi comedy Galaxy Quest, but also recently finished working on Red 2, which also looks awesome. This Houdini film seems like it will be a good project for him to tackle. This could be a really fun movie. 

The movie is an adaptation of the book The Secret Life of Houdini, The Making of America's First Superhero written by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. The name of the movie will be The Secret Life of Houdini.

Few famous figures have a reputation as multi-faceted as magician Harry Houdini. Sure, he was best known for being a showman and stunt performer who could dazzle audiences with his extraordinary escape acts from handcuffs, straitjackets, ropes, chains, and other claustrophobic confinements. But he was also an actor (albeit a failed one), an aviator, and a passionate debunker of people claiming to be psychics and mediums. Basically, there's enough fascinating stuff in the life of Houdini to fill a string of movies (which may explain why four are in development), and yet Summit Entertainment has been struggling to get their biopic going for years. Summit first began developing their Houdini project back in 2009, after purchasing the movie rights to the William Kalush and Larry Sloman's book The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero, which posits that in addition to all the vocations listed above, Houdini...

If you don’t recognize the name Dean Parisot, it’s no surprise. But you’ve probably seen at least one of his films. Parisot is the man behind the Star Trek satire Galaxy Quest, and most recently has helmed Red 2, with Bruce Willis and John Malkovich. Now Parisot is in talks to take on Summit Entertainment’s Houdini, about the supposed secret life of the famous magician.

Houdini will be based on the book The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero, by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. The book has been severely criticized for historical inaccuracy due to the controversial assertion that Houdini was a spy for U.S. and British authorities, sending back reports from his travels in Germany and Russia during the early 1900s. It seems that Kalush and Sloman play up this idea in the book based largely upon scant evidence.

It appears that Summit has finally zeroed in on a director for the long-gestating magician pic Houdini. One of several films about the legendary magician currently in development, Summit’s project is based on the William Kalush and Larry Sloman book The Secret Life of Houdini, which portrays the magician as more of an action/adventure hero in the vein of Indiana Jones and Sherlock Holmes and posits that the master magician “acted as a spy for Britain, helped the Secret Service, and was in cahoots with police organizations.” Gary Ross initially flirted with the project as his post-Hunger Games film but eventually fell off, and now Deadline reports that Galaxy Quest director Dean Parisot is in early talks with Summit to take the helm. Parisot most recently directed Red 2 for Summit, and early word has been incredibly positive on the action-comedy sequel. Houdini is envisioned as a possible franchise-starter,...

The late escape artist extraordinaire and legendary illusionist Harry Houdini has been portrayed on film and television many a time before, and that practice will be continuing in the future. One such upcoming project is Houdini, which is based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s book “The Secret life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero” – a work of literature that’s long been questioned for its historical accuracy – and was adapted into script form by Noah Oppenheim.

Houdini was one of the projects that Hunger Games filmmaker Gary Ross circled last year, after he decided to pass on helming the sequel to his young adult hit adaptation, Catching Fire. ...

Click to continue reading ‘Red 2′ Director Dean Parisot In Talks to Helm ‘Houdini’...

Dean Parisot is in early negotiations for the Harry Houdini biopic.

Summit Entertainment has begun courting the Red 2 director to helm the film based on the life of the legendary escape artist, reports Deadline.

Based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman's book The Secret Life of Houdini, The Making of America's First Superhero, the project has been in the works for several years.

It details Houdini's life not only as an illusionist, but also a spy and global renaissance man.

Parisot directed 1999's Galaxy Quest. Producer Mark Johnson recently said that there was still the possibility of a follow-up to the cult comedy.

Parisot has focused on television work in recent years.

Dean Parisot ("Red 2") is in early negotiations to direct the Noah Oppenheim-scripted feature about Harry Houdini which has been setup at Summit Entertainment.

The story is based on the William Kalush and Larry Sloman book "The Secret Life of Houdini" which portrays the legendary illusionist as a spy and true renaissance man.

Gary Ross ("The Hunger Games") was previously involved, but he has since departed the project.

Source: Deadline...

Presto the rabbit might disagree, but magic rarely sells at the box office. Time again, the life of the great escapologist, Harry Houdini, has seemed to be heading to the screen; time and again circumstances have conspired against it. This time Summit Entertainment may have nailed the slippery so-and-so, with Dean Parisot aboard.The Galaxy Quest director is currently putting the finishing touches on Summit's geriatric actioner Red 2 and, claims Deadline Hollywood, the studio are leveraging that existing relationship to tie him to their adaptation of Noah Oppenheim's script. Hunger Games' Gary Ross was attached as recently as 2012, but subsequently withdrew in favour of other projects, Civil War drama The Free State of Jones among them.Back in 2009, Summit snapped up the rights to William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s book The Secret Life Of Houdini, The Making Of America’s First Superhero, which came out in 2006 and...

Exclusive: Summit Entertainment is in early negotiations with Dean Parisot to direct the Noah Oppenheim-scripted feature about Harry Houdini that Summit has been developing the project for several years. It’s based on the William Kalush and Larry Sloman book The Secret Life of Houdini, The Making of America’s First Superhero. The tale paints Houdini as more than a master illusionist: He was a spy and a true renaissance man across the globe. This project had Hunger Games helmer Gary Ross involved for a bit, but he fell off the project. There have been several Houdini projects in development, including at DreamWorks, but like a lot of magic movies, they’ve faltered. I’ll tell you more when I know it. Wme-repped Parisot just wrapped the Summit Entertainment sequel Red 2, with Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren returning, and Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones among the new castmembers.

Making a movie about the life of Harry Houdini has been a recent priority of Lionsgate’s Summit for a few good reasons. For one, the famed magician just lived a really interesting life, which would probably make for the rare, non-boring biopic. For another, Houdini is a name that lots of people already recognize, but that hasn’t been the subject of a movie in a while, and studios are always looking for something that has name recognition they can get their hands on. Add that to the fact that there’s a biography out there, by William Kalush and Larry Sloman, called “The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero” that’s very cinematic and pretty much ready-made to be adapted into a film (screenwriter Noah Oppenheim has already done a draft), and putting together a Houdini project seems like something of a no-brainer. But...

Atonement and Hanna director Joe Wright is in talks to helm one of several movies about Houdini that are being developed right now. The movie he's looking to direct is an adaptation of the book The Secret Life of Houdini, The Making of America's First Superhero written by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. The movie title will be shortened to The Secret Life of Houdini.

The book dives into some interesting details about Houdini saying that he was a British spy, in cahoots with police organizations, and was even asked to be an adviser to Czar Nicholas II's court in prerevolutionary Russia. The movie is set up over at Lionsgate, and they want to make an action-thriller in which Houdini will be portrayed as part Indiana Jones and part Sherlock Holmes. The latest draft of the script was written by Noah Oppenheim.

I love the history of Houdini and his magic,...

There have been a few different biopics about Harry Houdini bouncing around Hollywood for years, and none of them ever really gained traction. That may be changing now, or at least it’s closer to changing than in the past.

Summit acquired the rights to William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s The Secret Life of Houdini a while ago and director Joe Wright (Anna Karenina) is rumored to be in talks to helm the film adaptation.

The book is described as “a comprehensive biography that makes some provocative claims, including the possibility that Houdini acted as a spy on behalf of Britain.”

Gary Ross (The Hunger Games) was circling the project, but decided to leave it to work on Peter and the Starchatchers.

The most recent draft of the script was written by Noah Oppenheim , but I imagine Wright, if he takes the job, will want to put his own spin on it.

1.) The last time we had a shortlist of actresses up for the lead female role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier it included Emilia Clarke ("Game of Thrones"), Jessica Brown Findlay ("Downton Abbey"), Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four), Imogen Poots (Fright Night) and Alison Brie (The Five Year Engagement). Now, Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Smashed) reportedly "has the most traction" with Marvel for a role that is speculated to be that of Sharon Carter, niece of Hayley Atwell's character, Peggy Carter, from the first feature. Additionally, Josh Holloway, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Kevin Durand are rumored to be testing for two roles -- "an American character and the other is a foreign character." Latino Review 2.) While we're talking comics and Marvel sequels, the studio has released the official synopsis for Thor: The Dark World and it goes a little something like this: Marvel's Thor: The Dark World continues the big-screen adventures of Thor,...

Real-life magician, escapologist and – according to some – spy Harry Houdini has fascinated and frustrated Hollywood in equal measure for years now. More than one film is in development about him, but none seem to be able to clamber out of the locked development chest. Summit is hoping that interest from Hanna / Anna Karenina director Joe Wright could help its take finally find the screen.The film, which would adapt William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s fascinating and well-researched book The Secret Life Of Houdini, follows a big chunk of the man’s life and makes some interesting claims, including the claim that he worked as an intelligence agent during his travels in Germany, long before the formal creation of the CIA or MI6.Houdini’s life was certainly colourful, with his womanising, ambitious escapes and notorious (if likely apocryphal) death-by-stomach-punch. Gary Ross had most recently been circling the idea, lured...

The turn-of-the-century illusionist Harry Houdini is still very popular in U.S. – Aaron Sorkin and Hugh Jackman are collaborating on a Broadway musical about him for the 2013-2014 season.

Based on ‘The Secret Life of Houdini, The Making of America’s First Superhero’ by William Kalush and Larry Sloman, the Summit/Lionsgate project is one of several Houdini films currently in development around Hollywood: DreamWorks acquired a spec script from Changeling writer J. Michael Straczynski called Voices From The Dead, and Sony enlisted the upcoming The Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence to helm an untitled Houdini-centered biopic.

Joe Wright has made a home in costume drama such as Pride & Prejudice, Atonement and most recently Anna Karenina, so it’s no surprise that a biography called The Secret Life of Houdini has attracted the interest of Golden Globe nominee.

Wright may not quite be an A-list director at this current juncture in the game,...

"Atonement" and "Anna Karenina" filmmaker Joe Wright is reportedly in discussions with Lionsgate-Summit about directing their controversial Harry Houdini biopic "Houdini" says The Los Angeles Times.

The film is based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman's 2006 biography of the famed illusionist, a book that has become famous for insinuating that Houdini acted as a spy for Britain when he was asked to be an adviser to Czar Nicholas II's court in pre-revolutionary Russia.

The book also portrayed him as a debunker of con artist spiritualists, leading to the controversial theory that Houdini's death was caused by the spiritual movement as payback.

Noah Oppenheim penned the script adaptation which turns the book into an action thriller. "The Hunger Games" helmer Gary Ross entered discussions earlier this year to direct. He soon departed and has opted to tackle "Peter and the Starcatchers" instead.

Joe Wright (Anna Karenina, Hanna) is in early discussions to direct The Secret Life of Houdini for Summit Entertainment. We reported in May that Gary Ross was attached to direct, although he bowed out to make Peter and the Starcatchers.

The project is based on the book written by William Kalush and Larry Sloman, which claims that world-famous magician Harry Houdini also lead a double life as a British spy. Summit first acquired the rights to this adaptation back in 2009, when Jeff Nathanson was attached to direct.

Noah Oppenheim wrote the adapted screenplay. This project should not be confused with Sony's biopic Houdini, which Francis Lawrence is directing from a script by Scott Frank.

It isn't clear which of these Harry Houdini projects will get off the ground first.

The Secret Life of Houdini comes to theaters in 2014.

The great escape artist and magician Harry Houdini was all the rage earlier this year. DreamWorks acquired a Houdini-centered spec script from “Changeling” writer J. Michael Straczynski called “Voices From The Dead,” Sony enlisted the upcoming "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" filmmaker Francis Lawrence to direct an untitled biopic and Summit paired with hot new screenwriter Noah Oppenheim (the "WarGames" remake) to adapt "The Secret Life of Houdini." In May of this year, Gary Ross became interested and entered discussions to direct the latter iteration, but those conversations stalled and he moved on to attach himself to a prequel about Peter Pan. And now, apparently Lionsgate/Summit have entered what sounds like early discussions with "Anna Karenina" director Joe Wright, but they sound far from concrete. Based on the book by William Kalush and Larry Sloman subtitled "The Making of...