‘Shakespeare’ heads to bigscreen

Paramount Pictures is reteaming with “Spiderwick Chronicles” producers Mark Canton and Ellen Goldsmith-Vein to bring young-adult novel “Spanking Shakespeare” to the bigscreen.

Based on the debut novel by New York-based eighth-grade teacher Jake Wizner, story centers on Shakespeare Shapiro, who chronicles every mortifying detail of his quest to get into college and find a girlfriend in his memoir — a writing project that every high school senior must complete.

- from Variety

Paramount to produce mobile comics

Paramount is to produce a string of mobile comics based on its current crop of movie properties.

The studio’s Paramount Digital Entertainment unit has pacted with Singapore-based toon house Omnitoons to deliver Manga-styled series based on Gurinder Chadha-helmed Brit hit “Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.” That will be followed by others adapted from September release “Eagle Eye” and the “Mission: Impossible” franchise.

Comics will be available as single panel; comics, four screens per comic strips and short stories with more than 20 screens in each episode. Currently, these comics are available in MMS and J2ME formats in the U.S., Australia, Europe and India. The mobile comics will be made available by download through key carriers and major content distributors worldwide.

- from Variety

Iron Man Special Collector’s Edition Blu-ray news from Paramount, kinda

So when we talked to Jon Favreau way back in 2006(?!), who would’ve thought that Paramount’s Iron Man would’ve been such a big hit? Well, we did, because we think Jon Rocks — and Iron Man Rocks — so of course it would be an excellent fun summer flick. So we’ve been watching our clock, tapping our toes, waiting for the news on the Blu-ray Iron Man release.

Via the Amazon.com preorder page, there’s news of an Iron Man (Special Collector’s Edition) [Blu-ray] (2008) — with a release date of September 30th. No specs or anything else, just that the Blu-ray Disc Iron Man is listed at $39.99. Nothing officially has been announced on Iron Man Blu-ray news from Paramount, and trust me, we tried contacting everyone there.

Since we’re such good friends with Jon Favreau, perhaps we’ll drop him a note and dig for answers. Stay tuned.

Update: OK Ok! Here’s the official Blu-ray news from Paramount: Iron Man Blu-ray News

Paramount films fuel Viacom

From Variety:

Paramount’s triple play — Indy, “Iron Man” and “Kung Fu Panda” — punched up revenue at parent Viacom by 21% to $3.9 billion last quarter, providing welcome relief as slower advertising growth continues to rattle cable networks and punish media stocks.

“The media industry is not immune (to a slowing economy). I understand the frustration of shareholders who have seen share prices fall victim to the economy,” chairman Sumner Redstone said in an I-share-your-pain pep talk during a conference call. “There is opportunity even in difficult times for companies that have strong and enduring assets.”

Paramount forced to suspend $450m financing

From FT:

The credit crunch has hit home in Hollywood after Paramount Pictures, which has released a string of hit movies this year, was forced to suspend plans for a $450m film financing.

The studio has been working with Deutsche Bank on financing that would have provided funds for up to 30 films, including possible blockbusters such as the sequel to Transformers and a new version of Star Trek.
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However, the bank was unable to close the financing because of a market-wide lack of enthusiasm for the deal’s senior debt component. Deutsche has subsequently decided to close its film finance unit and concentrate on other areas.

A person familiar with the negotiations said Paramount had walked away from the agreement because the terms had become too onerous. ”The terms had become unattractive compared with alternative sources of financing available to Paramount,” he said.

Although another bank may yet step in and rescue the package Paramount is likely to have to put the financing on ice until credit markets stabilise. Liquidity has dried up and although film slate deals can generate lucrative returns, potential lenders are steering clear of asset classes that are not triple-A rated

Both Paramount and Deutsche Bank declined to comment.

Under the Deutsche deal, which would have also covered Tropic Thunder, the new Ben Stiller comedy, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which stars Brad Pitt, the syndicate assembled by the bank would have taken a 25 per cent stake in each of the 30 films.

Paramount Ditches Comic-Con

From Variety:

Paramount Pictures will not be putting on any panels or bringing any stars to Comic-Con this year. They may do some viral stuff. But their big “geek” titles G.I. Joe, J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek, Michael Bay’s Transformers 2 and M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender won’t be released until 2009. Last year Paramount kicked off Iron Man at the Con, which played big there. “The timing was off this year,” said one Paramount spokesman.

Mario Puzo’s heirs sue Paramount over ‘Godfather’ game

Taking it to the legal mattresses, Mario Puzo’s estate filed a $1-million lawsuit today against Paramount Pictures for allegedly cheating “The Godfather” author’s heirs out of proceeds from a Corleone-inspired video game.

According to the suit, Paramount and Puzo, who died in 1999, agreed that he would receive a “significant share” of “audiovisual” products derived from his Mafia saga. Puzo’s son and executor, Anthony, contends in the suit that “The Godfather” video game is covered by the deal because it includes characters from the films.

“You hear them. You see them. That’s audiovisual to me,” said the estate’s lawyer, Bert Fields.

- from LAtimes

Paramount Pictures and J.J. Abrams are going house hunting.

The studio has paid mid-six figures for a New York Times article written by Penelope Green about a Gotham home whose owners discovered secret panels and hidden clues that led them on a mystery-filled scavenger hunt.

Abrams will produce the film via his Par-based Bad Robot shingle. Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky have been tapped to write.

The Fifth Avenue home, described as a giant ’20s-era co-op with Central Park views, was gutted several years ago at the behest of a couple, who later moved in with their four children. An architectural designer who oversaw the rehab job left behind a series of messages, games and treasures, unbeknownst to the family, who eventually unraveled a mystery that featured a poem, a book, a soundtrack and a host of historical figures.

- from Variety

DreamWorks exit could hurt Paramount. Well, duh.

Once considered a lock for $300 million-plus in domestic boxoffice, the latest installment in the Steven Spielberg franchise might have to claw its way to that benchmark. But with the first Indy sequel in 19 years now well into its global theatrical rollout and Spielberg and company now mulling their possible exit from Paramount, there’s this more important question: What will Par do for film production if DreamWorks brass bolt the studio?

DreamWorks-produced movies have helped fill distribution pipelines since Par acquired DW in December 2005. The loss of such content would put severe demands on remaining production execs.

- from THR

Paramount’s ‘Panda’ Leads With $60 Million

‘”Kung Fu Panda,” the animated comedy starring the voice of Jack Black, was the weekend’s top film, taking in $60 million in ticket sales for Viacom Inc. and DreamWorks Animation SKG.

Adam Sandler’s “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan,” from Sony Corp., opened in second place with sales of $40 million, box- office tracker Media By Numbers LLC said today in an e-mailed statement.

“Panda” follows the misadventures of a lazy bear, voiced by Black, who tries to master martial arts to save his friends from a gang of leopards. The film was produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Viacom’s Paramount Pictures. It’s the fourth Paramount-released film to open in first place this year.

“Paramount is definitely on a roll,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the Encino, California-based Media By Numbers. “They’ve had a spectacular summer starting with `Iron Man,’ followed by `Indiana Jones,’ and now the bigger-than- expected success of `Kung Fu Panda,”’ he said, noting their combined domestic box office revenue is about $602 million.

In “Panda,” Black’s character studies with a group of legendary martial arts masters. His slacker personality collides with their highly disciplined approach to self-defense. Some of the actors providing other voices include Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan and Angelina Jolie.

Tired of War

“You Don’t Mess With the Zohan” stars Sandler as an Israeli special forces operative who has tired of war. He fakes his own death and moves to the U.S. to become a hairdresser. John Turturro and Emmanuelle Chriqui co-star.

- From Bloomberg