Boxoffice-July.1995

HOLLYWOOD
UPDATES
Filmmakers and brothers Ridley and Tony
Scott, who recently formed Scott Free, a
motion picture and television company,
have entered into a multiple-picture directing
and domestic distribution commitment
with the Walt Disney Motion Picture Group.
Scott Free will deliver tour to six motion
pictures, directed by Ridley and Tony Scott,
to be distributed under the studio's various
production banners over the next tour years.
Ridley's credits include "Alien," "Blade Runner,"
"Thelma & Louise" and the upcoming
"White Squall"; Tony Scott helmed "Crimson
Tide," "True Romance" and "Top Gun."
MCM Inc. and Largo Entertainment have
entered into a non-exclusive co-production
agreement, under which MCM will produce
films to which it will hold domestic rights in
all media and to which Largo will hold all
international rights. The first film under the
deal is "Mulhuliond Falls," a crime drama
starring Nick Nolle produced for MCM Pictures
by Richard Zanuck and Lili Zanuck.
"We are delighted to expand our already
substantial production output by combining
MCM's creative talents with Largo's tradition
of backing high-profile films with bankable
stars," says Frank Mancuso, chairman and
chief executive officer of MCM Inc. "Our
agreement with MCM is of major importance,"
says Barr B. Potter, chairman and
chief executive officer of Largo Entertainment.
"From day one. Largo's strategy has
been to provide high-profile films with major
stars to our international distributors." The
agreement will cover two to six films a year.
Working Title Films has signed screenwriter
Terry Hayes ("The Road Warrior") to
adapt "Gridiron," the Philip Kerr novel acquired
earlier this year for $1 million. The
adventure-thriller centers on a high-tech
"smart" building that turns on its occupants.
Recent Working Title hits include "French
Kiss" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral."
Miramax Films and BIG Entertainment
have joined in a film production deal for the
Miramax/Dimension label. The success of
the comic book-based "The Crow," which
grossed over $50 million, has prompted
Miramax to compete in the fantasy genre.
Under the deal with BIG, whose holdings
include Techno-Comix, Miramax has acquired
the rights to three Techno-Comix titles
for feature film and television. The properties
are Mickey Spillane's "Mike Danger," about
a 1 95()s private eye who, after being frozen,
is thawed out a century later and faces the
alien world of 2050; Neil Caiman's "Mr.
Hero," a story of a steam-driven robot from
another dimension who winds up on earth;
and Gene Roddenberry's "Lost LJniverse,"
which is set in the future and follows the
adventures of a team of explorers in a lost
world. "Mike Danger" is expected to be the
first project to be produced of the three.
As long as the studios refrain from making
plans to bring "Family Circus" or
"Marmaduke" onto the big screen, the market
can probably bear a few more titles in the
genre: Also from the funny papers (er,
"graphic novels") comes a deal between
TriStarand "Prophet" creator and illustrator
Rob Liefeld. Says Liefeld, "'Prophet' is the
story of a man out of place and time who
wakes up in a brave new world where he is
a total stranger. He finds himself faced with
the unexpected challange of thwarting a
doomsday military plot. The closer he gets to
stopping the forces that align themselves
against him, the more he learns about himself
and his true purpose and origin."
David Hoberman and his Disney-based
company Mandevilie Films has purchased
writer Jeff Valdez's screenplay "Play Ball"
for a seven-figure sum. The script is described
as the Cinderella story of a team of
Cuban baseball players who, after defecting,
are granted a Major League franchise and
become championship contenders.
Sony's Columbia Pictures and the
Children's Television Workshop have struck
a deal that will include the production of at
least two new "Sesame Street" movies,
based on the immensely popular children's
educational television show that debuted in
1968 and has since won 58 Emmy awards.
The only previous "Sesame Street" film was
Warner Bros.' "Sesame Street Presents Follow
That Bird," released in 1985. The first
feature is expected to be released in 1997.
Lisa Henson, president of Columbia Pictures,
isthe daughter of the latejim Henson, creator
of "Sesame Street" and "The Muppet Show."
BITS AND PIECES: Plans for a sequel to
"Pretty Woman" were
the 1990 smash hit
nixed when Julia Roberts passed on the opportunity
to reprise her breakout role as the
archetypal "hooker with a heart of
gold". ..Morgan Creek has pushed back production
on "Flying Tigers," about the famed
U.S. flying squad that helped China fight the
Japanese. Originally scheduled for a May 1 5
start date, it will instead begin shooting in
October. Delays in casting and construction
were cited as the reason for the postponement.
..Jason Alexander, who plays George
on television's "Seinfeld" and has also starred
in "North" and the upcoming "Dunston
Checks In," has signed a two-year, first-look
deal with Fox'sfamily films unit that will give
him a studio-based production company and
enable him to produce, direct and act in
feature films. Alexander recently made his
directoral debut with Castle Rock
Entertainment's "For Better or Worse," in
which he also stars with Lolita Davidovich,
James Woods and joe Mantegna.
CLARIFICATION: The photo caption jccompanying
BOXOFFICE'sjune "Pocahontas" sidebar
story on Alan Menken misidentiiied the awardwinning
composer as Howard Ashman. Ashman,
who died in 1991 o( AIDS-related complications,
was Menken's writing partner for many
years.
"The Neopolitan Mathematician" was mistakenly
listed as a Cramercy lllm in /one's Independent
Feature Chart; the niou'c, currently in
release, is from Greycat.— Ed.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Ray Greene
MANAGING EDITOR
Kim Williamson
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Ctiristine James
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Linda Andrade
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Alex Albanese
Jotin Allen
Bruce Austin
George T. Chronis
Carole Glines
Wade Major
Jetf Schwager
Shiomo Schwartzberg
Fern Siegel
Eric Williams
CORRESPONDENTS
BALTIMORE Kate Savage, 301-367-4964, BOSTON Guy Livingston,
617-782-3266. CHARLOTTE, Charles Leonard, 704-333-
0444: CINCINNATI Tony RutherlGcd, 304-525-3837: CLEVELAND:
Elaine Fried. 216-991 -3797; DALLAS Mary Crump, 214-821-981 1
DULUTH/TWIN CITIES Roy Wirtzleld, 218-722-7503: FLORIDA
Lois Baumoel, 407-588-6786, Rhonda P Hunsinger, 407-898-
5525: HOUSTON Ted Roggen, 713-789-6216, MILWAUKEE: Walter
L Meyer, 414-692-2753: NEW ENGLAND Allen M, Widem,
203-232-3101, NEW ORLEANS Wendeslaus Schuiz, 504-282-
0127; NEW YORK: Fern Siegel, 212-647-9166, NORTH DAKOTA:
David Forth, 701-943-2476: OREGON Bob Rusk. 503-861-3185:
PHILADELPHIA: Maurie Orodenker, 215-567-4748: RALEIGH:
Raymond Lowery, 919-787-0928: SAN ANTONIO: William R
Burns, 210-736-2323, TOLEDO Anna Kline, 419-531-7702: CAN-
ADA: Maxine McBean, 463-249-6039 Internalional News: NEW
YORK MortWax, 212-302-5360: DUBLIN, IRELAND: Doug Payne,
353-402-35543: AUSTRALIA: Mark A, Barbelluk, 61-2-588-6189
FOUNDER
Ben Shiyen
PUBLISHER
Bob Dietmeier (3121338-700/
NATIONAL ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Robert M, Vale 1213)465-1186
ADVERTISING CONSULTANT
t(/lorris Sctilozman (816)942-5877
EAST COAST ADVERTISING REP.
MitchellJ, Hall (212)877-6667
BUSINESS MANAGER
Dan Johnson (312)338-7007
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
Chuck Taylor (312)922-9326
OFFICES
Editorial and Publishing Headquarters:
6640 Sunset Blvd., Suite 100, Hollywood. CA
90028-7159(213)465-1186, FAX: (213)465-5049
Corporate: Mailing Address: P,0, Box 25485.
Chicago. IL 60625 (31 2) 338-7007
^The
Audit
Bureau
Circulation Inquiries:
BOXOFFICE Data Center
819S, Wabash Ave,.
Chicago. IL 60605
(312)922-9326
FAX: (312) 922-7209
6 BOXOFFICE