Pollack`s death casts doubt on production sla...

Pollack`s death casts doubt on production slate

Category: Film/Movie
Posted 2 years ago by newshound
Credit: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080528/people_nm/pollac
By Borys Kit
Wed May 28, 5:57 AM ET



LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Monday`s death of filmmaker Sydney Pollack has thrown into limbo the many projects being developed by his production company, Mirage Enterprises.

Mirage finds itself in an unusual situation: Pollack ran the company with Oscar-winning "English Patient" director Anthony Minghella, who died March 18 following cancer surgery, and few companies have faced the death of two partners in such a short period of time. Pollack, the Oscar-winning director of "Out of Africa," succumbed to cancer, aged 73.

Insiders said Mirage projects -- those that are not partnered with other producers -- might find themselves under the wings of Pollack`s agents at Creative Artists Agency and his family, who might try to keep them going. Another scenario is that Pollack`s daughter Rebecca, who was an executive at United Artists, might take over.

"We`re all flying a little blind right now," said one person close to Pollack`s camp and involved in several projects.

Mirage, which has offices in Los Angeles and London, has a first-look deal at the Weinstein Co., and the company has said that it is intent on moving forward on those projects, including "The No. 1 Ladies` Detective Agency," which is going ahead at HBO.

Mirage`s docket at the Weinstein Co. also includes the high-profile remake of the Oscar-winning German drama "The Lives of Others" as well as the adaptation of Allison Pearson`s novel "I Don`t Know How She Does It." The latter has David Frankel ("Marley & Me") attached to direct.

Other projects, most of which are book adaptations or international-flavored thrillers, include:

-- "The Ninth Life of Louis Drax," which Minghella adapted based on a novel by Liz Jensen.

-- "The Silver Lining Playbook" an adaptation of a Matthew M. Quick book that Pollack was producing with Michelle Raimo.

-- "Bartimaeus Trilogy: The Amulet of Samarkand," an adaptation of a children`s fantasy novel that sees the Weinstein Co. sharing the project with Miramax. Sources said "Bartimaeus" had been dormant for a while.

-- At Miramax, Mirage was working on "The Resurrectionists," based on the novel by Michael Collins. Minghella had been attached to direct; the project was put on hold when he died.

-- "Colombian Gold" is set up at Focus, with Mirage producing with Miguel Arteta`s Flan de Coco Films shingle. Arteta also was attached to direct the murder mystery.

-- "Liberty," a thriller set in Haiti, is set up at Intermedia Films with Jez Butterworth directing.

-- Mirage also was producing "Turbulence" at Universal, home of Pollack`s last big studio picture, "The Interpreter." Tom Pabst is writing the internationally set thriller.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Related Links: Sydney Pollack, Anthony Minghella
Pollack`s death casts doubt on production slate
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See Also: Sydney Pollack News :: Anthony Minghella News
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