Hollywood Ink

Hollywood Ink

Hollywood Ink: Universal Back in the Tom Hanks/Julia Roberts Business

Written by S.T. VanAirsdale | 10 Feb 2010, 6:00 AM | Comment

tom_hanks_julia_roberts_ink.jpg· The previously announced Tom Hanks/Julia Roberts project Harry Crowne has found a domestic distributor in Universal, which also released the pair’s earlier collaboration Charlie Wilson’s War back in 2007. This time around Hanks is directing from a script he co-wrote with Nia Vardalos — just another tasteful A-list drama about man, a woman and a midlife crisis, which Roberts will no doubt promote with exciting, drunk-aunt aplomb when the time comes. [Deadline]

Summit invests in a tandem of its own, a defunct New York institution returns to life, and more Hollywood Ink after the jump.

· Twilight overlord Summit Entertainment is with I’m With Cancer, or whatever it decides to call the upcoming, working-titled Seth Rogen/James McAvoy dramedy based on Will Reiser’s memoir. It really doesn’t matter considering studio mascot Taylor Lautner will probably be added to the poster just for the hell of it. [THR]

· Everyone welcome back New Yorker Films, the influential indie/foreign-film distributor rescued from limbo after a year out of business. The buyers at Aladdin Distribution have re-installed former VP Jose Lopez as the boss (founder Dan Talbot has moved on but given his blessing) and are expected to hire back most of the staff let go when New Yorker closed a year ago. Yay! Good news is awesome. [indieWIRE]

· After threatening such an experiment for years, Disney wants to reduce Alice in Wonderland’s theatrical release window by nearly a month, eyeing a mid-June DVD/Blu-ray release date. Exhibitors ultimately won’t have much choice in the matter, though expect some negotiations to protect theater owners. Bonus take: Blame Prince of Persia. [THR]

· A senior editor at US Weekly just sold a thriller to Universal for mid-six figures. Dream big, America. [Variety]

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Tagged: alice in wonderland, harry crowne, i'm with cancer, james mcavoy, julia roberts, seth rogen, summit, tom hanks, universal

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All Movieline Reviews
By the Numbers: weekend takes every Monday
Shutter Island Paramount
$22.67M
$75.54M
Cop Out Warner
$18.21M
$18.21M
Crazies Overture
$16.07M
$16.07M
Avatar Fox
$13.66M
$706.56M
Percy Jackson Fox
$9.58M
$71.00M
Valentine's Day Warner
$9.06M
$99.92M
Dear John Sony
$4.81M
$72.43M
Wolfman Universal
$4.26M
$57.38M
Tooth Fairy Fox
$3.43M
$53.84M
Crazy Heart Searchlight
$2.46M
$25.01M
Data courtesy of Rentrak