How many concurrent projects can be in development in Hollywood with the same title and same subject? The answer is apparently three. Justin Timberlake is finalizing a deal to star in “Friends With Benefits,” which is not be confused with previously announced Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher project to be directed by Ivan Reitman nor with the forthcoming TV series.
Timberlake’s project, set up at Screen Gems and to be directed by Will Gluck (“Fired Up!”), concerns “a headhunter [who] recruits an editor to run a men’s magazine…since each is too busy to find a mate, they agree to sleep together with no strings attached. Things get complicated when the guy falls for the girl, who’s dating someone else.” Keith Merryman and David Newman wrote the script, but Gluck is expected to do a rewrite.
As you might recall, Reitman’s film was about a guy and girl who struggle to have an exclusively sexual relationship as they both come to realize they want much more. Unfortunately, since Screen Gems registered the title first, Reitman will most likely have to change the title of their film which began production under the title “Fuckbuddies.” Unfortunatley for Screen Gems, they have no power to make NBC change the title of their gestating TV series, “about five friends who bed-hop while looking for true love”. Most likely, Screen Gems will wait to see if NBC moves the project past the pilot stage into full blown development for a fall launch before deciding if they will change the title of their film.
The most amazing part about this story? None of these projects sound remotely interesting.
