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Writer, director and photographer Bill Wittliff, who penned the script for iconic 1980s television miniseries Lonesome Dove, died Sunday of a heart attack. He was 79.

Wittliff’s numerous credits included screenplays for the 1994 film Legends of the Fall starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins and Aidan Quinn; The Perfect Storm starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and John C. Reilly in 2000; and the 1982 film Barbarosa starring Willie Nelson. He also wrote and directed the 1986 Western, Red Headed Stranger, which featured Nelson, Morgan Fairchild and R.G. Armstrong.

One of Wittliff’s other achievements was co-founding Texas State University’s archive of Southwestern writers.

His longtime friend, author and journalist Stephen Harrigan, said the filmmaker proved you didn’t have to move to Hollywood to be successful in the industry.

“It’s impossible to overstate the influence Bill had on writers, photographers and filmmakers, all throughout Austin, Texas and the United States,” Harrigan told the Austin American-Statesman Monday.

White Horse Pictures and Lionsgate are teaming to produce "Emperor," the first film in a proposed trilogy adaptation of Conn Iggulden's series of novels about a young Julius Caesar and his best friend Brutus.

William Broyles Jr., Stephen Harrigan, Burr Steers and Ian Mackenzie Jeffers are penning the script which will be based on the first two books in the series. Nigel Sinclair, Gianni Nunnari, Mark Canton and Matt Jackson will produce the project which is currently seeking a director. Nunnari says in an official statement:

"Combining the sweep of '300' with the intrigue of 'Game of Thrones,' this is the part of the story of the mighty Julius Caesar that nobody knows - his emergence alongside Brutus as young powerhouses in Rome, a fresh and contemporary retelling of their rivalries, passions and jealousies, captured in a movie with breath-taking action, spectacular visual effects and epic scope.

Here's the latest Austin and Texas film news.

Austin Film Festival has been awarded a $25,000 TexTreasures Grant to preserve five years of its audio and video collection, North Dallas Gazette reports. The collection will then be housed at Texas State University in San Marcos. The grant from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Among many other awards, the commission also approved a $49,500 grant to the Round Rock Library System for a "makerspace" collaboration to benefit middle-school students with Stem and art projects.Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul is starring alongside Juliette Lewis in Austinite Kat Candler's Hellion, according to Deadline. The indie feature drama, currently in production around Central Texas, stemmed from Candler's award-winning short film of the same name, about a seven-year-old who falls prey to his older brother's mischievous ways in a small Texas refinery town. Fellow Austinite Jonny Mars, who appeared in the SXSW 2012 short,...

The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University hosted a panel discussion last month that included writer/filmmaker Bill Wittliff to celebrate the launch of the second volume in its Lonesome Dove book series with the University of Texas Press.

Wittliff, Lonesome Dove screenwriter and co-executive producer, joined other contributors of A Book on the Making of Lonesome Dove to provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse into both Lary McMurtry's novel and its adaptation into the 1989 Western television miniseries.

"Bill (Wittliff) told me several times on the set, 'If you just take care of Lonesome Dove, Lonesome Dove will take care of us,'" said miniseries extra Stephen Harrigan, who moderated the panel. Harrigan is an author and screenwriter in his own right.

John Spong wrote A Book on the Making of Lonesome Dove, which includes photos from the set from Jeff Wilson and Witliff. Spong and Wilson, also panelists, recounted their experiences...

Burr Steers is set to direct Emperor: Young Caesar. So, get ready for the screen adaptation of the first book in a series of four bestselling novels from Conn Iggulden!

Steers is best known for his work on Charlie St. Cloud and 17 Again, so we guess he could be just the perfect guy for the story that follows “…the relationship between Julius and Marcus Brutus from childhood to that fateful encounter on the Roman Senate floor.”

Based on Conn Iggulden’s four-part best-selling Emperor book series, the first film will revolve around the rise of a young Julius and his childhood friend Brutus who grew to adulthood in Rome two millennia ago as the Republic began to fall apart and political war was being played out in the senate.

Later books in the series deal with Caesar’s battles in North Africa, Greece, Spain, Gaul and Britain, the civil...

Burr Steers ("Igby Goes Down," "17 Again") is set to direct "Emperor: Young Caesar", the first in a proposed historical drama film trilogy based on the life of Julius Caesar for Exclusive Media Group reports the trades.

Based on Conn Iggulden's four-part best-selling "Emperor" book series, the first film will revolve around the rise of a young Julius and his childhood friend Brutus who grew to adulthood in Rome two millennia ago as the Republic began to fall apart and political war was being played out in the senate.

Later books in the series deal with Caesar's battles in North Africa, Greece, Spain, Gaul and Britain, the civil war with his old ally Pompey, his encounters with Cleopatra and his assassination.

William Broyles and Stephen Harrigan penned the adaptation while Gianni Nunnari and Mark Canton are producing.

Deadline New York is reporting that Burr Steers, the guy who just finished directing Charlie St. Cloud and directed 17 Again, is being sought after by Exclusive Media Group to direct Emperor: Young Caesar.

This is the screen adaptation of the first book in a series of four bestselling novels from Conn Iggulden that follow “the relationship between Julius and Marcus Brutus from childhood to that fateful encounter on the Roman Senate floor.” The script was written by William Broyles Jr. and Stephen Harrigan.

The first film is going to be based on the first two novels, The Gates of Rome and The Field of Swords, where Julius and Brutus are raised to become Roman soldiers. The other novels, The God of War and The Death of Kings, examine “their path as Caesar becomes the most powerful warrior in the world, with Marcus as his side.”

The trade quoted the director...

Burr Steers ( Igby Goes Down , 17 Again , upcoming Charlie St. Cloud ) will direct Emperor: Young Caesar , the first in a trilogy of films to be based on Conn Iggulden's best-selling "Emperor" book series. The first film will be based on the first two novels, "The Gates of Rome" and "The Field of Swords," in which Julius and Brutus are raised to become noble Roman soldiers. 300 producers Gianni Nunnari and Mark Canton are producing Exclusive Media Group's new historical drama. William Broyles ( Flags of Our Fathers ) and Stephen Harrigan wrote the script.

Burr Steers will helm "Emperor: Young Caesar" which is a film adaptation of the first volume of the "Emperor" novels by Conn Iggulden. Nigel Sinclair of Exclusive Media Group is producing alongside Guy East, Atmosphere Entertainment's Mark Canon and Hollywood Gang's Gianni Nunnari and Atmosphere Entertainment's Mark Canton. Broyles ("Jarhead," "Cast Away" and "Apollo 13") will write the screenplay along with Stephen Harrigan. Story is from Iggulden's book "Emperor: The Gates of Rome" and tells of the early life of Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus. Other directing credits from Steers include "Igby Goes Down," "17 Again" and the upcoming Zac Efron starrer "Charlie St. Cloud."...

Burr Steers set to direct Emperor: Young Caesar In a story from Deadline New York, Exclusive Media Group has tapped Burr Steers (17 Again) to direct Emperor: Young Caesar.

This is the screen adaptation of the first of four bestselling novels from Conn Iggulden that follow "the relationship between Julius and Marcus Brutus from childhood to that fateful encounter on the Roman Senate floor." The script was written by William Broyles Jr. and Stephen Harrigan.

The first film is going to be based on the first two novels, The Gates of Rome and The Field of Swords, where Julius and Brutus are raised to become Roman soldiers. The other novels, The God of War and The Death of Kings, examine "their path as Caesar becomes the most powerful warrior in the world, with Marcus as his side."

"I've always had an interest in Julius Caesar and his formative years and am...

With savvy casting, the adventures of a young Julius Caesar are likely a box office gold mine, and Exclusive Media Group thinks Burr Steers (17 Again) is the man to helm the captain the ship. Steers has been hired to direct Emperor: Young Caesar, an adaptation of the first two novels in Conn Iggulden’s acclaimed historical fiction series that details the rise of famed Roman emperor Gaius Julius Caesar. William Broyles (Jarhead) and Stephen Harrigan (Cleopatra) penned the script, which sees Julius and Brutus (of “et tu” fame) raised to enter the Roman military.

Hit the jump for more, including a statement from Steers and speculation that a Zac Efron casting announcement may not be far behind.

Steers remarked on his attraction to the project:

“I’ve always had an interest in Julius Caesar and his formative years and am thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of this project.

Exclusive: Exclusive Media Group has set Burr Steers to direct Emperor: Young Caesar, the screen adaptation of the first of four bestselling novels that trace the relationship between Julius and Marcus Brutus from childhood to that fateful encounter on the Roman Senate floor. William Broyles and Stephen Harrigan wrote the script. Emg's Nigel Sinclair is producing with Guy East, Hollywood Gang's Gianni Nunnari, Atmosphere Entertainment's Mark Canton, and Broyles. The epic period film is a departure for Steers, who previously directed Igby Goes Down, 17 Again and Charlie St. Cloud, the latter two of which starred Zac Efron. Nunnari and Canton [...]...

• Quick Links > Picturehouse Films > Robert Altman In Development > The Tortoise and the Hare > Mata Hari > Paint It sounds like what hardcore bodybuilders like to do the most, but it’s actually a competition that would be of great preparation for some of the challenges on television’s Survivor. The Hands on a Hard Body was the focal point of a 98’ documentary film and now it might become a full length feature. What is surprising is the helmer who has wanted to direct the project as The Hollywood Reporter states “for years”. After health complications, A Prairie Home Companion’s Robert Altman is looking to team up again with again with Picturehouse Films on this next project. Inspired by the events depicted in S.R. Bindler's 1997 documentary Hands on a Hard Body: The Documentary: basically fans should think Gosford Park + a large pick-up truck. Altman and co-writer Stephen Harrigan

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