News

Fairy tales are hot properties this year, where we have already seen two different Snow White movies hit theaters. Producer Neal H. Moritz is planning on giving Disney's Maleficent some competition, by readying a new, modern-day take on Sleeping Beauty.

While Maleficent is told from the point of view of the villainous title character (Angelina Jolie), the producer's comedy will portray Sleeping Beauty as a needy stalker. The story centers on a man who accidentally awakens Sleeping Beauty, only to discover that she keeps following him around, thinking he is her one true love.

Mike Gagerman and Andrew Waller are writing the screenplay, with Corey May and M. Dooma Wendschuh producing alongside Neal H. Moritz.

Neal H. Moritz's Original Film company is set up at Sony Pictures, although the project is being developed internally with the producer, and doesn't have a studio home quite yet.

Once filmmaker John Carney has signed on to direct Dogs of Babel for Mandate Pictures. We first reported on this project back in February, when Steve Carell came aboard to produce and star in the drama.

Jamie Linden wrote the screenplay, which is adapted from Carolyn Parkhurst's novel of the same name. The story centers on Paul Iverson (Steve Carell), a linguistics professor who comes home one day to find his wife dead in their back yard. Although the police rule the death an accident, Paul is still skeptical. He tries to teach his dog Lorelei, the only witness to his wife's death, how to speak, in hopes of determining what really happened that day.

Steve Carell is producing Dogs of Babel alongside Mandate Pictures president Nathan Kahane, David Heyman, Corey May, and M. Dooma Wendschuh. It isn't known when production may begin on Dogs of Babel.

Dogs of Babel...

Steve Carell is attached to star in Mandate Pictures' Dogs of Babel. Writer Jamie Linden (Ten Year, Dear John, We Are Marshall) adapted the best-selling novel for the big screen. David Heyman of Heyday Films, Corey May and M. Dooma Wendschuh of sekretagent Productions, and Steve Carell of Carousel Productions will produce. Mandate president Nathan Kahane will executive produce. Vance DeGeneres and Charlie Hartsock who work with Carell at Carousel will co-produce. New president of Heyday Films Jeffrey Clifford will be running the project for Heyday and Nicole Brown will oversee the project on behalf of Mandate. Plans are to engage a director right away. Lionsgate International is handling international sales on this title.

Carolyn Parkhurst's novel, The Dogs of Babel, is a tragic yet beautiful story of love and loss. The story follows Paul Iverson, a linguistics professor, who returns home one day to find his wife dead in their backyard.