Universal chairman Adam Fogelson recently sat down with The Hollywood Reporter for an extensive interview about the cinematic success stories and failures of the studio since his promotion to chairman in 2009. The company is coming off its best year yet thanks to the highly profitable trio of "Ted," "The Lorax" and "Les Miserables," and Fogelson … [Read more...]
Universal Adapts Julie Kagawa Fantasy Series
February 10, 2013 by
Universal Pictures has picked up the film rights to an untitled supernatural young-adult book series proposal from fantasy author Julie Kagawa. The story is set in a present-day coastal town where mythical creatures hide amongst us cloaked as humans. Slayers soon infiltrate the town disguised as out-of-town kids, setting up a confrontation and a … [Read more...]
Windows Phone web store opens in 37 new countries, adds universal search, and supports installing apps via SD card
December 14, 2012 by
If you had any doubts about Microsoft's efforts to actually make an impact with Windows Phone 8, let this address them. After announcing that it'd be maintaining a full staff to certify apps through the holiday period, the outfit has just revealed that its web store for apps / games is now open in 37 new locations around the globe. (You can find … [Read more...]
Universal Keen On More “Bourne,” “Ted”
September 13, 2012 by
NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke says "film franchises and animation" are the key things its Universal Pictures division plans to focus on for the near future says The Hollywood Reporter. Speaking via webcast from a Merrill Lynch conference in Los Angeles, Burke says developing these two corner stones will allow for stable financials from its film … [Read more...]
Universal Plans A Sequel To “Safe House”
September 6, 2012 by
Universal Pictures and Bluegrass Films are moving forward on a sequel to this year's Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds-led thriller "Safe House" says Heat Vision. The Daniel Espinosa-directed original followed a bored young CIA agent (Ryan Reynolds) overseeing a South African safe house who is thrust into a life-and-death adventure when he has … [Read more...]
Universal Acquires ALS Tale “Breathe Deeply”
June 18, 2012 by
Universal Pictures has won a bidding war for Susan Spencer-Wendel's memoir "Breathe Deeply" says Variety. Spencer-Wendel quit her job as Florida court reporter after being diagnosed last year with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which forced the 44-year-old author to confront her own mortality. It is expected that because of the motor … [Read more...]
Universal Moves Forward On “Huntsman 2”
June 9, 2012 by
Universal Pictures is reportedly in talks with "Snow White And The Huntsman" director Rupert Sanders about returning for the proposed sequel to that film says Deadline. Sanders is reportedly interested, but isn't signed and isn't under option by the studio to do the film (unlike the actors who have options for two sequels). Sanders hasn’t chosen … [Read more...]
Universal Plans LEGO “Hero Factory” Film
May 28, 2012 by
Universal is in negotiations to acquire the screen rights to "Hero Factory", a 2010 line of robotic toy sets from LEGO says Heat Vision. Unlike other lego toys, the 'Hero' line-up comes with a dense mythology built in with various characters "hailing from a planet where a factory churns out robotic machines whose goal is to fight intergalactic … [Read more...]
Universal Snags Rights To “Agent 13”
April 22, 2012 by
Universal is finalising a deal to pick up the sci-fi spec project "Agent 13" which has Charlize Theron attached to star and "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" helmer Rupert Wyatt set to direct reports Heat Vision. T.S. Nowlin penned the pitch, apparently based on a little known trilogy of novels and comics from the 80's which themselves are … [Read more...]
Universal To Reboot “The Mummy”
April 9, 2012 by
"The Darkest Hour" and early "Prometheus" scribe Jon Spaihts has been hired to pen a reboot of "The Mummy" franchise for Universal Pictures says Variety. Stephen Sommers helmed the decently received first film in 1999 which starred Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz and was itself a reboot of the classic Universal Monsters movies from the 30's and … [Read more...]
