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DreamWorks, Peter Jackson unite (Studio picks up 'Lovely Bones')
variety ^ | Sat., May 5, 2007, 8:59am PT | PAMELA MCCLINTOCK, MICHAEL FLEMING

Posted on 05/05/2007 10:19:22 AM PDT by maquiladora

Peter Jackson will make his next movie at DreamWorks. Committing at least $65 million, DreamWorks in association with Film 4 has won the bidding for Jackson's bigscreen adaptation of Alice Sebold's best-selling 2002 tome "The Lovely Bones."

Announcement came early Friday evening, capping a weeklong auction that had three other majors vying for Jackson's project as well-Warner Bros Pictures, Universal and Sony.

Jackson is set to begin lensing in October in Pennsylvania and New Zealand from a script he co-wrote with "Lord of the Rings" collaborators Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh. Paramount, which owns DreamWorks, will distribute "Bones" worldwide, with Jackson promising to deliver the film by the fourth quarter 2008.

Producers are Jackson, Walsh and Aimee Peyronnet. Ken Kamins, Film 4's Tessa Ross and Jim Wilson will exec produce.

Project is a departure from the string of the special-effects driven tentpoles-"Lord of the Rings" franchise and "King Kong"-that have made Jackson one of the industry's most influential filmmakers.

"Bones," with its heart-wrenching storyline, is closer in tone to Jackson's 1994 "Heavenly Creatures." Sebold's book tells the story of a 14-year-old who has been raped and killed, and now watches over her family and killer from heaven.

"When you read an emotionally magical story that cries out to be turned into a major motion picture, you hope its winding path can find its way to the door of your own company," DreamWorks' Steven Spielberg said.

DreamWorks was a natural fit for several reasons, including Spielberg's interest in working with Jackson. Also, DreamWorks fought hard for the film rights to Sebold's book several years ago before the rights went to Jackson.

And Jackson made his last movie, "King Kong," with DreamWorks CEO-co-chair Stacey Snider when Snider was still running Universal.

Insiders say the acquisition deal came in at just under $65 million, but that might not include a $25 million contingency fee.

"We are thrilled that DreamWorks Studios has been able to acquire the film rights to this story that has captivated so many people," Snider said. "In the hands of Peter Jackson, we have a master of cinematic storytelling to bring it to the screen."


TOPICS: Books/Literature; TV/Movies; The Hobbit Hole
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 05/05/2007 10:19:25 AM PDT by maquiladora
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To: maquiladora

Mrs. F. just read the book — didn’t like it.


2 posted on 05/05/2007 10:22:54 AM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: martin_fierro

I read it a few years ago and I did like it. I would not go to the movie, however, as my imagination limited the images I saw while reading. Having someone else’s images 30 feet high would be quite disturbing to me.


3 posted on 05/05/2007 1:23:49 PM PDT by trimom
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To: maquiladora

I read the book. A movie about it just doesn’t appeal to me.


4 posted on 05/05/2007 3:30:02 PM PDT by gcruse
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To: maquiladora
Why do so many like to focus so much upon the rape, torture, and murder of girls (or boys)?
5 posted on 05/05/2007 3:32:48 PM PDT by unspun (What do you think? Please think, before you answer.)
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To: unspun

Sebold is a rape survivor herself. I read her book Lucky, and it was devastating. I would guess that is why she went with that theme. The book actually doesn’t spend a lot of time on the crime and most of the time with explaining what the crime and aftermath does to her family.

I thought Lovely Bones was a good book, but mostly because of how I imagined everything to be while I was reading it. I don’t think I could watch it as a movie.


6 posted on 05/05/2007 5:18:09 PM PDT by USMCWife6869 (Godspeed Sand Sharks.)
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To: maquiladora
I've heard about the book, but never read it. Will have to get it from the library now. Am just finishing "Memoirs of a Geisha". It is one of the few books I've read that I enjoyed more in movie form, even though parts of it were changed ever so slightly for film.

If PJ is doing the adaptation, I'd trust him with the work, and if I like the book, would likely see the movie.

7 posted on 05/09/2007 10:55:11 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: maquiladora

It’s great that he’s staying busy with films, but I wish that he would pick it back up and finish the Halo movie.


8 posted on 05/09/2007 11:01:59 AM PDT by BigBlueJon (Superman wears Jack Bauer pajamas to bed.......Jack Bauer wears George W pajamas.)
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To: SuziQ
I haven't yet read the book myself, but I probably will before the movie comes out.

By the way, the latest rumor about The Hobbit is that Peter Weir has been approached to direct it. That would be really special.

9 posted on 05/09/2007 2:51:15 PM PDT by maquiladora
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To: BigBlueJon

It wasn’t Peter’s fault that Halo has been delayed. Universal & Fox pulled the plug on the money.


10 posted on 05/09/2007 2:54:28 PM PDT by maquiladora
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