Sad news for Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, Universal Pictures has decided to pull out of the three picture deal for the CGI adaptation of Tintin.  The biggest reason for the break in the deal wasn’t Spielberg trying to break DreamWorks away from Paramount, but the $130 million budget.  In a day an age where $130 million seems like a drop in the bucket for a franchise that could literally net Universal ten times that in world wide distribution, something certainly seems fishy. Perhaps it was the 30% of gross Spielberg and Jackson wanted - meaning Tintin would have to gross $425 million before it broke even and Universal started seeing a profit.

But fear not Herge fans, the duo have taken their proposal to Paramount… oh, yeah, that whole split thing might be a hang up.  Paramount has had the proposal for several weeks now, so it Tintin is simply awaiting a yay or nay from the suits.

via Empire Online

Regardless of what you think of Platinum Studios, you have to admit, it does know how to market and spin itself to megabucks. Cowboys and Aliens, the sci-fi western that finally saw the light of day last year, was sold to Dreamworks to be turned into a major motion picture, after 10 years in on again off again development hell.

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Robert Downey Jr. is in negotiations to play the lead in the the flick.

“Cowboys & Aliens” derives from a graphic novel written by Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley from an original idea by Rosenberg. The story centers on an Old West battle between the Apache and Western settlers, including a former Union Army gunslinger named Zeke Jackson (Downey), that is interrupted by a spaceship crashing into the prairie near Silver City, Ariz.

via THR

DreamWorks is at it again, this time snatching up the rights to Atlantis Rising from Platinum Studios. Atlantis Rising is created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg who will act as one of the co-producers for the live action adaptation.

In “Atlantis,” seismic disturbances at sea force world militaries to investigate the deepest part of the world’s ocean, where an underground civilization emerges to wage war with planet Earth.

Ah, I get it now; Spielberg was so happy with War of the Worlds he’s hoping his movie company can hit a home run again with this flick.

The final installment of Atlantis Rising will arrive on store shelves toward the end of the month, no word on when we might see the film in the local theater.

via Hollywood Reporter

DreamWorks is on a major scramble to nab up all sorts of properties, and the latest acquisition is the Japanese manga Ghost in the Shell, which the company plans on turning into a 3D live-action movie.

Created by Masamune Shirow, “Ghost in the Shell” was first published in 1989. It went on to generate two additional manga editions, three anime film adaptations, an anime TV series and three videogames. The second anime film, “Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence,” was released in the U.S. by DreamWorks in 2004.

Jamie Moss will write the adaptation with Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul producing.

via Variety

The Oni Press graphic novel The Damned has been picked up by DreamWorks and has signed David DiGilio to adapt.

Described as horror-noir, “Damned” follows a Los Angeles detective who discovers that a new gang with ties to the supernatural has infiltrated the city.

This is the second Oni Press title DreamWorks has picked up in the last couple of weeks - we previously reported on The Return of King Doug being adapted for the silver screen.

via Variety

Ben Stiller has signed to produce The Return of King Doug, an adaptation of the title from Oni Press.

Written by Greg Erb and Jason Oremland, “King” centers on a man who must return to the fantasy world which he abandoned 30 years earlier. Erb and Oremland will also write the screenplay.

At this time Stiller is only signed to producer, but he may also take up the title role of Doug. Two other Oni Press titles; “Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things” and “The Damned”, were also picked up by Dreamworks Studios.

via Hollywood Reporter

Word out of San Diego last night was the Oni Press titles Courtney Crumrin and The Damned have both been acquired by Dreamworks Pictures to be turned into movies.

Lisa Gitter, Steven V. Scavelli and Joe Nozemack will co-produce the two projects for DreamWorks, while Peter Schwerin will exec produce. Alisa Tager brought in the projects to shingle Parkes/MacDonald, which is based at DreamWorks.

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