While we eagerly await Sarah Polley to get back behind the camera and direct another movie, she’s been busy on the screenwriting front. Last summer, she was hired by Paramount to adapt "The Fault In Our Stars" author John Greene‘s "Looking For Alaska." Now, she’s been tapped by Amy Pascal to pen a new adaptation of Louisa May Alcott‘s "Little Women" for Sony. The book has already seen a few iterations on the big screen, the most recent being the 1994 outing featuring Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Christian Bale, and more. For now, Polley isn’t attached to direct, and won’t make that decision until the script is done. [The Wrap]
Jordan Vogt-Roberts, the man behind "The Kings Of Summer," and who will next helm the blockbuster "Skull Island," is adding the sci-fi "The Stars My Destination" to his plate over at Paramount. Based on the book by Alfred Bester, the story follows "a man who is marooned in space after his ship is attacked and everyone else is killed. When a passing starship ignores his distress beacon, it sets the man on a Count of Monte Cristo-like journey to get revenge. ‘Jaunting,’ aka teleportation, figures into the story as does an explosive that is set off telepathically." No word where this will fall into Vogt-Roberts’ schedule, as he’s also got "Metal Gear Solid" cooking, but it looks like he’s making the most of the opportunities coming his way to tell stories on big canvases. [THR]
So, remember last fall when Genndy Tartakovsky‘s ("Hotel Transylvania") animated test reel for "Popeye" officially dropped online courtesy of Sony? It looks like the studio has changed its mind about the project, with the director saying that it has been kiboshed. "’Popeye,’ at least, we put up a great screening, everybody really liked that sizzle, we got a positive reaction. I was in love with what we were doing, but I think the studio is going through changes and I don’t know if they want to make the ‘Popeye’ that I want to make. So they’ve got to make a decision… It was hard to let Popeye go, but that’s the business,” Tartakovsky told Moviefone. Basically, it sounds like his vision and that of Sony’s clashed. A bummer, but don’t expect that property to be sitting idle for too long. [via Cartoon Brew]
John Woo who just saw his epic, two-part "The Crossing" released overseas, already has another project lined up. He’ll direct a remake of the 1976 film Japanese film "Manhunt." Based on the novel by Juko Nishimura, "the story follows a prosecutor who is framed for robbery and rape, and sets out on a one-man mission to clear his name." Filming will begin this year, but for now, you can watch the full original movie below. [Screen Daily]
