Posted: Wed., May 28, 2008, 9:00pm PT
EDDIE MURPHY BACK IN 'BEVERLY HILLS'

Brett Ratner negotiating to direct 4th 'Cop' film
By MICHAEL FLEMING

On the heels of the successful revival of the "Indiana Jones" franchise, Paramount has set in motion a fourth installment of "Beverly Hills Cop."

Eddie Murphy is attached to reprise his role as Detroit detective Axel Foley, and Brett Ratner is negotiating to direct.

Studio is aiming for a 2009 production start and a summer 2010 release.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura will produce. Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the original "Beverly Hills Cop" trilogy with late partner Don Simpson, won't be actively involved in the new film.

Murphy approached the studio about reviving the franchise that cemented his status as a B.O. mega-star. Par brass were eager to land another picture with Murphy after he finished the Karey Kirkpatrick-directed "NowhereLand," which Paramount releases in June 2009.

That film was also produced by Di Bonaventura, who is working on the summer 2009 releases "G.I. Joe" and "Transformers 2."

The studio canvassed a number of directors before choosing Ratner. A writer will be hired shortly.

Released in 1984, the original "Beverly Hills Cop" grossed $316 million worldwide and spawned two sequels. All told, the three pics grossed $712.9 million worldwide. The last was released in 1994.

Murphy is currently toplining the Brian Robbins-directed "A Thousand Words" for DreamWorks.

Ratner has been developing the Hugh Hefner biopic "Playboy" for Universal and Imagine.

Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117986558.html

Posted: Wed., May 14, 2008, 4:05pm PT
MARK JOHNSON PREPS "PRETENDIENDO"

'Narnia' producer to remake Chilean comedy
By ANNA MARIE DE LA FUENTE

"Narnia" franchise producer Mark Johnson is set to make an English-language version of Chilean romantic comedy "Pretendiendo" (Ugly me).

Producers Judge and Amy Reinhold, who brought pic to Johnson's attention, will exec produce.

Pic's Chilean helmer/co-scribe Claudio Dabed will direct. No cast or scribe are attached as yet.

Dabed aims to shoot next year in the U.S but added, "Locations are not key to the story, so it could be shot anywhere."

Original pic follows a beautiful woman, played by telenovela thesp Barbara Mori, who dons a fat suit to shield herself from any more romantic upsets.

"Pretendiendo," which saw a limited release in the U.S. this year, has won a clutch of awards, most recently the audience choice nod at the 24th Chicago Latino Film Festival in April.

"Pretendiendo" is the biggest non-Mexican Latin American hit in Mexico to date.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" opens on Friday.

Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117985680.html

Posted: Thurs., Aug. 23, 2007, 4:39pm PT
DISNEY NABS COSTNER'S 'SWING VOTE'

Hopper, Tucci topline large cast
By MARC GRASER

Touchstone Pictures has reteamed with Kevin Costner to distrib "Swing Vote," a political comedy the thesp is lensing through his banner Treehouse Films.

Walt Disney Studios will distrib the pic domestically. Kathy Morgan Intl. will oversee international sales.

Costner toplines the comedy as an apathetic working-class single dad who's thrust on the world stage when the presidential election comes down to his vote.

Dennis Hopper plays the Democratic candidate, Kelsey Grammer the Republican nominee.

Stanley Tucci, Nathan Lane, George Lopez, Judge Reinhold, Mare Winningham, Richard Petty, Willie Nelson and Madeline Carroll round out the cast.

Joshua Michael Stern ("Neverwas") helms "Swing Vote" from a script he penned with Jason Richman.

"Swing Vote" began production in Albuquerque in July.

Costner is financing the pic and producing with longtime Tig Prods. partner Jim Wilson.

Robin Jonas, Costner's partner in Treehouse Films, serves as exec producer along with Radar Pictures and G&M Films.

The Mouse House most recently worked with Costner on Coast Guard actioner "The Guardian," in which he starred last year. It also distribbed "Open Range," the 2003 Western he toplined and directed.

Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117970762.html