Although still reeling from the failed domestic launch of “Battleship,” Universal still believes in the premise of toys-as-movies, and has entered negotiations to acquire the rights to Lego's robotic toy line Hero Factory. The writing duo behind 2010’s “Predators,” Michael Finch and Alex Litvak, will pen the script. [THR]
Brett Ratner is the latest filmmaker to head to Asia for his next project, teaming up with South Korea-based CJ Entertainment to develop an East-meets-West buddy action-adventure franchise called “The Golden Age.” He’s looking to produce and direct the first entry, titled “The Golden Age: The Lost Treasure of Zheng He.” [Variety]
“Act Of Valor” co-director Scott Waugh is adding to his slate, planning to helm the adaptation of the video game series “Need For Speed” for DreamWorks. The film, written by George Gatins, is being positioned as a tentpole franchise in the vein of the “Fast and the Furious” films. [Variety]
Producer Gene Kirkwood (“Rocky,” “New York, New York”) and partner Ross Elliot, through newly-formed BiteSize Entertainment, have optioned the rights to the Vanity Fair article “Untangling Rebekah Brooks,” about the former CEO of News Corp.’s U.K. newspaper unit that is at the center of a phone hacking scandal. Kirkwood says the project could kick into high gear as soon as there’s an ending or major development in the story, which likely means until they find out if Brooks will go to jail or not. [THR]
BiteSize Entertainment is also behind the David Cross and Bob Odenkirk (“Mr. Show”) reunion, “Girlfriends Day.” Written by Odenkirk and Eric Hoffman (also of “Mr. Show”), the film is shooting this summer with Bryan Cranston, Amber Tamblyn, David Koechner, Fred Armisen, and Cross as the leads. [THR]
“Get Smart” director Peter Segal is in early talks with MGM to direct the Vin Diesel action vehicle “The Machine.” The film, written by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant (“The State” and “Reno 911!”), stars Diesel as a human-like machine created in secrecy by the Pentagon as the world’s first true ultimate weapon. Two decades after the project was scrapped by the government for unknown reasons, a child find and befriends “The Machine.” [Variety]
Emmy-award winning writer Adam Mazer (“You Don’t Know Jack”) is writing a script based on Chris Paciello, the nightclub impresario who, in the 1990s, became the “King of Miami” and turned South Beach into the hottest party destination in the world. New Line Cinema is developing the project. [