– Despite signing a first look deal with Paramount only a few day ago, Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes have lost one of the jewels in the crown, as Twisted Pictures, the creators of the “Saw” series, are about to close a deal to pick up the rights to the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” franchise. If the deal goes through, the intention is to make a contemporary 3-D movie, written by “The Grudge” writer Stephen Susco. If the company’s other franchise is anything to go by, the reboot will then be followed by a sequel once a year, every year, until the sun grows cold and the earth is barren.
– Disney production president Oren Aviv, who also came up with the idea for the “National Treasure” series, has sold a new pitch to his own studio, titled “Opposite Day,” about “a corporate hatchet man who wakes up one morning and finds he must follow the exact opposite of his normal routine.” Tiffany Paulsen, writer of “Nancy Drew,” will develop the idea into a screenplay, if idea is the right word for it.
– Legendary Pictures (“The Dark Knight,” “Watchmen”) have bought up the rights to the comic book “Gravel,” from writer Warren Ellis (the graphic novelist, rather than than the Bad Seed). The series, for Avatar Press, follows William Gravel, a British SAS soldier who battles demons on the side for extra cash. Ellis’ book “Red” has also been adapted, into an upcoming Bruce Willis/Morgan Freeman thriller.
– Sonic Youth are set to appear on next week’s installment of “Gossip Girl,” where they’ll play an acoustic cover of EVOL’s ‘Star Power.’ Well, if it gets the kids into the band…
– A new poster for “The Lovely Bones” has premiered over at Yahoo. There’s some speculation that this is the final poster for the Peter Jackson drama, but the lack of a credit block, or the inevitable floating heads, suggest that this is still just a teaser. Let’s hope so because otherwise it’s pretty damn boring.
– Leonard Nimoy, plugging his appearance last night on the better-than-you’d-think “Fringe,” is skeptical that he’ll make another appearance in the next “Star Trek” movie, saying that “I think I was useful in the last film to help bridge between the original characters, the original actors, and the new cast. They have a a wonderful new cast in place, and I’m sure they’ll move ahead with them. I don’t see, at the moment, why they would need me in the next film.” And to give him credit, he’s absolutely right – we’d rather see the series move on.
