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Jennifer Lopez In Talks For ‘Parker’ And ‘What To Expect When You’re Expecting’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Tuesday June 21, 2011 @ 7:12pm PDTTags: Cameron Diaz, Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, John J. McLaughlin, Jonathan Mitchell, Kirk Jones, Lee Marvin, Les Alexander, Matthew Morrison, Mel Gibson, Parker, Peter Schlessel, Sidney Kimmel, Taylor Hackford, What to Expect When You're Expecting
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: There has been much speculation over whether Jennifer Lopez will return for another season as judge on American Idol. Adding to the intrigue: she is in talks to star in not one, but two feature films. I’m told that Lopez is in discussions to play the female lead opposite Jason Statham in Parker, the Taylor Hackford-directed action film adaptation of the Donald Westlake mystery novel series. Deadline revealed yesterday that the picture was acquired for U.S. distribution by FilmDistrict CEO Peter Schlessel. Statham will play Parker, a thief who follows a strict moral code, but a hard guy who’s willing to kill if crossed. That character was previously played by Mel Gibson in Payback and Lee Marvin in Point Blank. The hope is to hatch an action franchise. John J. McLaughlin wrote the script and Steve Chasman is producing with Kimmel, Hackford, Les Alexander and Jonathan Mitchell. Lopez plays the female lead, a character named Leslie, who gets involved with Parker as he executes a heist.

The film is being financed by Incentive Filmed Entertainment and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, and Sierra/Affinity’s Nick Meyer brokered that distribution deal and sold most worldwide territories at last month’s Cannes Film Festival. Production on the film begins in August.

At the same time, Lopez is also circling What To Expect When You’re Expecting, the Kirk Jones-directed Lionsgate film based on the bestselling how-to guide to preparing for childbirth. Cameron Diaz and Matthew Morrison star. Lopez is in discussions for the supporting role of Holly in that film. Neither deal is closed, but talks are underway. Clearly, Lopez is in demand again and that stint on American Idol certainly helped. Lopez last starred in The Back-Up Plan. UTA reps Lopez.

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FilmDistrict Acquires Taylor Hackford-Helmed ‘Parker’ With Jason Statham

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Monday June 20, 2011 @ 10:20am PDTTags: Bob Berney, Brian Helgeland, Donald E. Westlake, FilmDistrict, Graham King, Jason Staham, John Boorman, John J. McLaughlin, Jonathan Mitchell, Lee Marvin, Les Alexander, Mel Gibson, Parker, Peter Schlessel, Sidney Kimmel, Taylor Hackford, Tim Headington
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: FilmDistrict is closing a deal for U.S. distribution rights to Parker, the Taylor Hackford-directed thriller that will star Jason Statham. Production starts in early August. The John J. McLaughlin-scripted film is an adaptation of the Donald E. Westlake novel series, and Statham is playing a character that Mel Gibson played in the Brian Helgeland-directed Payback and Lee Marvin played in the John Boorman-directed Point Blank. Parker is a thief, but one who follows a strict moral code he’ll kill to uphold. The producers are Steven Chasman, Sidney Kimmel, Les Alexander, Jonathan Mitchell and Hackford. The film’s casting up quickly, and the movie was a prominent sales title during the Cannes Film Festival where Sierra/Affinity’s Nick Meyer sold offshore rights and made the domestic deal. Meyer has sold most world territories. Incentive Filmed Entertainment funded the film, and produced with Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Sierra/Infinity. Sierra/Infinity and Incentive Filmed Entertainment previously teamed on Shark Night 3D, a movie that will be released in September. Read More »

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Cannes Film Festival: Sales Round-Up

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Tuesday May 3, 2011 @ 6:04am PDTTags: Cannes, Cannes Film Festival, Gavin Hood, James Cameron, Nick Meyer, Sidney Kimmel
Mike Fleming

The 2011 Cannes Film Festival doesn’t get under way until next week, but the market is already getting busy. Sierra/Affinity, which will be handling such titles as the Gavin Hood-directed adaptation of Ender’s Game, has bolstered its sales force by … Read More »

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Another Katherine Heigl Film For Sidney Kimmel And Lakeshore

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Tuesday July 20, 2010 @ 12:16pm PDTTags: Adaline, Allison Burnett, Andy Tennant, Julie Anne Robinson, Katherine Heigl, Katherine Heigl Adaline, Lakeshore Entertainment, Movie Casting, One for the Money, Sal Paskowitz, Sidney Kimmel
Mike Fleming

katherine_heigl_112Sidney Kimmel, the schmatta magnate who verged on quitting the movie biz after making a bunch of good indie films that flopped, seems reinvigorated with a new strategy: make every film possible with Katherine Heigl.

Kimmel has joined forces with Lakeshore Entertainment … Read More »

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