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EXCLUSIVE: I’ve learned that the deal coming together will turn bestselling author James Patterson’s crime novel Double Cross into a 2nd movie starring Tyler Perry as the famous Washington DC crimefighter/psychologist. Perry’s first turn as Alex Cross opens this Friday from QED. Summit Entertainment is distributing in the U.S. It’s Perry’s first lead role that he didn’t produce or direct or write – and his reviews so far have been rather good. Certainly a lot better than I expected from the star of the crossdressing Madea movies. Although the critics have been harsh on helmer Rob Cohen and 
the film as a whole. QED International’s Bill Block put together Alex Cross at a cost of only $25M (lowered to $23M with Louisiana tax subsidies). He chased down the book rights from Patterson for under $1 million, then hired Marc Moss and Kerry Williamson to pen the screenplay with Patterson. Then Block and Patterson sought out Tyler’s WME agent Charles King. After meetings in Atlanta, QED signed the actor for $5M upfront. Perry took over the role from Morgan Freeman who first played Alex Cross in the films Kiss The Girls and Along Came A Spider. Amazingly, Perry didn’t want to write, direct or produce the movie. He didn’t even want to move the location to his home base in Georgia for all his creature comforts. And he had the leverage, too. Instead Perry wanted QED to run the project so he could focus solely on his acting. Maybe next time Perry should direct, too.
Tyler Perry And James Patterson Finalizing Alex Cross Film Sequel With QED: Exclusive
ABC Inks Script-To-Series Deal With Gaumont For Drama Based On James Patterson’s Character Michael Bennett
EXCLUSIVE: Gaumont International Television, the independent TV studio behind upcoming series Hannibal on NBC and Hemlock Grove on Netflix, has signed a deal with ABC for another potential straight-to-series project, James Patterson’s Bennett. The drama, based on bestselling author James Patterson’s character Michael 
Bennett, has received a script- to 13-episode commitment, meaning ABC has ordered a script and if the network brass likes it, it will trigger a 13-episode order. Gaumont used the same model for Hannibal, which was written by Bryan Fuller.
James Patterson’s Bennett will be written by Ildy Modrovich (Necessary Roughness), who will executive produce with Patterson. Patterson’s Bennett novels center on New York Detective Bennett, a character Patterson says was “inspired by the brave heroes of the NYPD”. The top-selling New York detective series of all time, it consists of five novels so far: Step On A Crack (2009), Run For Your Life (2009), Worst Case (2009), Tick Tock (2010) and I, Michael Bennett (2012). Read More »
James Patterson’s ‘Private’ Books Getting TV Treatment
NEW YORK, April 19, 2012 – Sonar Entertainment and James Patterson Entertainment will produce Patterson’s New York Times best-selling book series Private as a 13×60 original series for television. James Patterson, one of the world’s most prolific, popular and top-selling authors, will serve as Executive Producer. The announcement was made today by Stewart Till, CEO, Sonar Entertainment and Steve Bowen, President of James Patterson Entertainment.
‘I, Alex Cross’ Sparks Producers’ Lawsuit Over Claims Of Credit By Rivals
Producers of Summit Entertainment’s upcoming release I, Alex Cross, directed by Rob Cohen with Tyler Perry stepping into the role created by Morgan Freeman, have filed suit against other producers who claim they should receive compensation and screen credit for the movie. Bill Block and Paul Hanson are partners in QED, which produced the project that Summit has acquired for distribution. QED claims in the suit that prolonged negotiations that began in 2008 with potential producers Jan Korbelin and Marina Grasic (who with Mark Lindsay have launched Cargo Entertainment) and their company Visitor Pictures failed to come to an agreement on Visitor’s involvement with the development of I, Alex Cross. QED claims it drafted and redrafted multiple memorandums of understanding for Visitor’s involvement that were all rejected and no agreement was reached or signed. In 2009, QED says it formally notified Visitor that all previous offers were withdrawn. QED asserts that development of the movie proceeded without Visitor, who “indeed sought to have no involvement,” according to the suit.
Now that principal photography on I, Alex Cross has finished and the movie is expected to be released next year, QED claims that Visitor has resurfaced and is demanding compensation and screen credit, probably in preparation for legal action of their own. QED and other plaintiffs Suejack Inc and JPB Businesses are seeking a court ruling in the case to remove the “cloud” cast over I, Alex Cross by Visitor’s claims before the movie is released. Read More »
Arnold Set For QED Action Film ‘Black Sands’
EXCLUSIVE: Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to star in Black Sands, an action film that will be directed by Scott Waugh and Mike McCoy. Financed by Bill Block’s QED, the film will begin production April 1, 2012. In the script that … Read More »
Universal To Remake ‘Phasma Ex Machina’ With ‘Cup Of Tears’ Helmer Gary Shore
EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures has acquired remake rights to Phasma ex Machina, the small independent feature directing debut by Matt Osterman that was the toast of the genre film festival circuit. The studio acquired the project as a pitch for a horror movie called Our House, and the studio has attached Gary Shore to direct the remake and Nathan Parker to write it. John Davis is the producer along with Nick Spicer of XYZ Films. Shore and Parkers are already collaborating on a feature version of Cup of Tears for Universal and Working Title, based on the stylized samurai short film that Shore directed. That short has created heat and prompted Universal to make several deals with him. I’m told that the hope is for Shore to direct Phasma ex Machina, potentially follow with an adaptation of the James Patterson book series Maximum Ride, and then helm a feature version of Cup of Tears. Read More »
Rob Cohen And Voltage Team On ‘Bullet Run,’ A ‘Fast & The Furious’ In The Desert
EXCLUSIVE: Voltage Productions has set Rob Cohen to direct Bullet Run, an Andrew Hilton-scripted action film that puts Cohen back on the fast car track he was on when he helmed The Fast & The Furious. Voltage Productions producers Nicolas … Read More »
Summit Captures U.S. Rights To James Patterson’s Alex Cross Reboot With Tyler Perry And Matthew Fox
EXCLUSIVE: Summit Entertainment has acquired domestic distribution rights to I, Alex Cross, the reboot of the James Patterson franchise. Tyler Perry stars as the title character, with Rob Cohen directing. Lost‘s Matthew Fox was just set to play Michael Sullivan, a psycho serial killer who viciously murders Cross’s wife when the detective thwarts his earlier attempt to commit a murder. The drama becomes a mano a mano battle between cop and the killer who is one of the most memorable villains in Patterson’s novels. Ed Burns will play Cross’s partner Tommy Kane.
Three distributors chased the picture. One was Lionsgate, which has the long relationship on all the hit films that Perry has directed and starred in. But Summit Entertainment had an “in” as well: Summit co-chairman/CEO Rob Friedman. Friedman, former Vice Chairman and COO at Paramount Pictures Motion Picture Group, had an active hand in Paramount’s release of the first two Alex Cross films, Kiss the Girls and Along Came A Spider, which starred Morgan Freeman. He personally oversaw the acquisition and has a relationship with the author. Read More »
‘Lost’s Matthew Fox Lands Killer Role In ‘I, Alex Cross’
EXCLUSIVE: In his first major film role since leaving Lost, Matthew Fox has signed on to play an assassin in I, Alex Cross, the reboot of the James Patterson franchise character that’s being put together by QED with Tyler Perry … Read More »
Tyler Perry As Alex Cross In James Patterson Franchise Reboot
QED has packaged an adaptation of I, Alex Cross, the James Patterson novel that is essentially a reboot of the James Patterson mystery series that starred Morgan Freeman as the detective/psychologist based in D.C. Tyler Perry will headline this version, … Read More »
Grand Central Books Exterminators To Tackle Bedbug Problem
Bedbugs have run rampant in New York City offices this summer (Bedbugs In CBS’ NY Offices), and Grand Central Publishing is the latest haunt to catch the bug. The publisher, whose Park Avenue offices near Grand Central Station are home … Read More »
Is E-Book Sales Milestone Worth Cheering?
Amazon.com is crowing that for the first time, its e-book sales volume has surpassed hardcovers. Am I the only one who sees this as an apocalyptic sign for the great pleasure of book reading? Amazon’s basing its assertion on sales figures … Read More »
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