“Little White Corvette”  — Action/comedy screenplay by Michael Diliberti reportedly sold in a deal worth a cool million bucks to GK Films. It’s about money-strapped siblings who set out to peddle a load of cocaine discovered in the trunk of their late father’s white corvette. Diliberti wrote the story with David Branson Smith. Script is on the Black List 2011, a collection of unproduced screenplays favored by Hollywood executives. Emma Stone is attached to star and will executive produce along with Diliberti. Both Stone and Diliberti are repped by WME. Stone is managed by Anonymous. Diliberti managed by New School Media.

“Cult”   — A mystery crime drama from sci-fi writer/producer, Rockne S. O’Bannon, has been greenlighted by the CW Network. TV series revolves around an inquisitive female production assistant on a popular TV show called “Cult,” who teams up with a journalist blogger to investigate copycat crimes which appear to be perpetrated by zealous fans of the show. In a strange twist in the deal, the CW ordered the pilot after rejecting it six years ago. O’Bannon is the creator and executive producer of the sci-fi series “Farscape.”

Evan Spiliotopoulos to rewrite “Asteroids” for Universal Pictures— This busy screenwriter picks up another big assignment. Universal has hired Spiliotopoulos to rework “Asteroids” based on the 1970′s Atari video game. Original script by Matt Lopez.

Spiliotopoulos is repped by UTA. More here on Variety.

Chris Shafer and Paul Vicknair’ hired to write “The Girl Who Conned the Ivy League” — Shafer and Vicknair are two hot screenwriters on the fast track. This project is based on a Rolling Stone magazine article about the true story of a woman who conned her way into Columbia University using a fake identity. Amanda Seyfried may star.

Shafer and Vicknair are repped by UTA.  More on deadline.com

“Dreamt” by Andrew Alexander— Safady Entertainment announced the purchase of this spec script on Monday, November 8. In a PR Newswire release company co-founder/producer, Gary Safady, talked about the acquisition: “We’re excited to tell a thrilling, exciting story with an amazing twist to it,” said Safady, adding: “The script has all the elements for intrigue and fascination to capture the audience from the opening frame of the film. Andrew has crafted an amazing story in the vain of Memento and Fight Club.”

“Dreamt” is about two men who have a supernatural connection through their dreams, but when they discover each others existence, one will stop at nothing to take over the life of the other. “The Hills Have Eyes II ” director, Martin Weisz, is attached to the project. Principal shooting  on this psychological thriller is set to get underway next April.

Weisz is represented by Anonymous Content. Screenwriter Andrew Alexander’s rep is Original Artists.

A  Hollywood movie deal reportedly in the works for the yet to be released biography of the late Steve Jobs. Sony Pictures is in talks to shell out big money for the film rights to the bio, according to Mike Fleming over on deadline.com. Check out the details here.

The big summer movies are rolling into theaters. Tomorrow, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Strange Tides,” opens in the U.S.  The fantasy adventure is the fourth installment in the “Pirates of the Caribbean”  film series. The movie is based on the book from 1987, “On Strange Tides,” by Tim Powers.

Today over on the publishing site Galleycat, Powers talks about his fantasy  book, how it got optioned by Disney, and more here.

Another bestselling book is headed to the big screen. Sony Pictures has bought screen rights to “Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of his His Trip to Heaven and Back,” according to deadline.com

This book claims to be the true adventures of a four-year -old boy who leaves his body during emergency surgery and takes a trip to heaven. Colton Burpo comments on the doctors in the operating room, his parents in the waiting area, and heaven; where he meets biblical characters and some relatives for the first time.

The book is written by the boy’s father, a small town minister, Todd Burpo with scribe Lynn Vincent. “Heaven is for Real” was published last November and  has been on the New York Times Bestsellers List for months.  Also today, “Heaven is for Real” is ranked in the top 10 on both Amazon.com and the Barnes & Noble website.

One of the producers of the movie version, Bishop T. D. Jakes. The bishop is very busy in the movie industry these days. Jakes is one of the producers on “Jumping the Broom,” which debuted very strongly this past weekend. For more on the deal go here.

“Shrek Forever After” number one again

For the third week in a row, “Shrek Forever After” is king of the domestic Box Office, but the achievement is overshadowed by the lackluster performance of a new crop of films. Audiences are not packing the theaters like they did last year at this time.

“Shrek Forever After” drew the biggest crowds making $25.4 million, bringing its three week domestic take to $183.2 million. In second place the new film, “Getting Him to the Greek,” which opened with $17.5 million. The comedy centers on a record company intern who takes the job of escorting an out-of-control British rock star to a concert in Los Angeles. Jonah Hill and Russell Brand star.

Another new movie,”Killers” landed in third with$15.8 million. The action comedy is about a woman who discovers, three years into her marriage, that she’s hooked up with a CIA hitman who has a contract on his head.  Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl star.

“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” earned $14 million for fourth place. Rounding out the top five, “Sex and the City 2″ with $12.3 million — bringing its two week domestic haul to $73 million. Box Office Mojo has more on the weekend movie derby.  

“Now You See Me” spec script sale

The cold spec script market warmed up somewhat with the sale of, “Now You See Me.” Screenwriters Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt sold their spec to Summit Entertainment. The script is a thriller with a hocus -pocus kind of twist. In the plot, a top FBI team takes on some of the greatest illusionists who create magic on stage while pulling-off a series of daring bank heists. The Hollywood Reporter has more on this deal and other projects involving these two hot screenwriters.  

Sandra Bullock re-teams with Ryan Reynolds for new flick

Oscar-winning actress, Sandra Bullock, is back in the mix. During the past few days, Bullock made her first official appearances since being hit with all that personal drama from her ex-husband’s infidelities. Before that, Bullock was on a high after winning the best actress Academy Award for, “The Blind Side.” Over the weekend, The actress dropped by “Spike TV Guy’s Choice Awards” and “The MTV Awards.”

Today, there’s buzz about Bullock and Ryan Reynolds co-starring in a new action comedy, “Most Wanted.” Bullock and Reynold clicked in the successful romantic comedy, “The Proposal.” That film debuted at number one its first weekend back in June of 2009, then went on to earn $162 million at the domestic Box Office and $317 million worldwide.  Details on the new teaming of Bullock and Reynolds here.

Academy Award winning director set to make a film about adultery

Director Ron Howard is reportedly lining up a comedy, written by Allan Loeb, about infidelity as his next project. The Hollywood Reporter says Vince Vaughn has committed to play a guy who learns his best friend’s wife is a cheater. Kevin James is in negotiations to take on the role of the best friend.

Imagine Producer Brian Grazer came up with the idea. Grazer did not have far to look for inspiration with all the cheating celebrities and politicians in the news these days. And have you checked out the everyday lying cheats, women and men, on TV’s “The Maury Povich Show” lately? Plenty of material there, too.

The cheating comedy could go before the cameras as early as this spring. Oh, you might remember, Howard won the Oscar for directing “A Beautiful Mind” (2001). He shared the best picture Academy Award for the same film with Producers Grazer and Eric Fellner.

Rapper “50 Cent” is now a screenwriter

Big time rapper-turned-actor-turned-screenwriter, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson or “Ffity,” is firing up a new project through his production company, Cheetah Vision. ”Ffity” has co-written a sports drama, “Things Fall Apart,” with writer Brian Miller. The Donedealpro website says the script is about a star college football player who faces personal tragedy and his own mortality in his senior year.

“Ffity” will star. Mario Van Pebbles has reportedly come aboard to direct.

A “Killer” spec screenplay sold

The spec script market continues to show signs of life. Hyde Park Entertainment and Parkes-MacDonald Productions have teamed up to purchase and develop the spec script, “Killer.”  Kenny Golde’s screenplay is a cat-and-mouse thriller about a rogue police investigator who discovers a video left by a killer and sets out to capture the culprit. The script sold for six figures, according to Donedealpro.

A first spec script sale for two TV writers

Successful TV scribes, Sonny Lee and Patrick Walsh, have made the move to writing for the big screen. Lee and Walsh have written for the FX comedy series, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Nikki Finke is reporting that the writers have sold their first spec screenplay called,”21 Shots” about a guy who loses his I.D. on his 21st birthday and has only one day to find it. Some folks who have read it, say this script is very funny.  It was bought by Montecito over at Paramount. No word on the selling price, however, since the writers are repped by CAA it was probably a nice deal with plenty of dollar signs.

Hollywood is gung-ho right now for film projects based on material from other mediums — particularly comics and novels. Screenwriter Suzanne Corso has written a number of unproduced scripts, but she recently hit the big time with her first novel. Corso wrote a coming-of-age story, based on personal experience, about a teenager in Brooklyn during the 1970s who falls for a local Mafioso wannabe, according to Publishers Weekly.

The novel, “Brooklyn Story” was picked up by Simon & Schuster for publication. Also, Director Penny Marshall grabbed the film rights. Some top talent has signed onto the project, among them Lorraine Bracco, Olympia Dukakis, and Armand Assante.

Also listed recently on the Publishers Weekly website, screenwriter/playwright p.g sturges sells his debut Tinseltown crime novel, “Shortcut Man,” to Scribner. The plot centers around a P.I. named Dick Henry and a case involving a Hollywood producer’s cheating wife. The writer’s father is famous Screenwriter/Director Preston Sturges (who did not spell name in all lower case letters). The father won an Academy Award for the screenplay “The Great McGinty” in 1941. He was best known for directing screwball romantic comedies like the classic,”The Lady Eve,” which starred Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck (1941).

Photo: Keith James/ freelance photographer

Cleveland Cavaliers Superstar, LeBron James has signed on to take his game to the big screen. 24-year-old James will star in a comedy called, “Fantasy Basketball Camp” set to go before the cameras next summer, according to Daily Variety.

James’ role in the film will not be much of a stretch, he’ll be playing himself. The story reportedly revolves around five guys who get to head off to Vegas to live out their fantasies at the LeBron James Adult Basketball Camp. This is a co-venture between Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment.

Meanwhile, James is busy with some other entertainment projects.  Yesterday, the Los Angeles Times reported James is on tour promoting his new book/memoir called “Shooting Stars” and a related documentary titled, “More Than A Game.”  Both projects deal with James’ tough childhood and close bond with four long-time friends. The documentary is due to hit theaters October 2.

James has been a hoop shooting sensation on the NBA court since being drafted by the Cavaliers at the young age of 18.  Last spring, LeBron was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2008-2009 season.

Photo: William P. Gottlieb (1947)

Legendary crooner Frank Sinatra died 11 years ago on May 14, 1998, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after suffering a heart attack. Sinatra was 82. Now the entertainer, known as “Ol’ Blue Eyes” or “The Voice,” is about to live again on the big screen and in the pages of a new book.

Francis Albert Sinatra was born December 12, 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey and grew up to become one of the best known and most accomplished American singers ever. Also, Sinatra achieved recognition as a stage, television, and film actor. In 1954, Sinatra won the best supporting actor Academy Award for his performance in the classic war flick, “From Here to Eternity.” Sinatra’s personal life was just as extraordinary as his career with alleged ties to organized crime and four wives, including actresses Ava Gardner and Mia Farrow.

This week, there were media reports dealing with a new Sinatra movie to be directed by Martin Scorsese. The famous director has had success with films about billionaire recluse Howard Hughes and controversial prize fighter Jake La Motta. The Sinatra project came together after years of negotiations with the singer’s family and business interests, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The script is by Phil Alden Robinson who wrote the screenplay for the much-loved baseball movie “Field of Dreams.”

Photo: http://www.franksinatragolf.org/

 Meanwhile, Sinatra’s fourth wife has sold a book project to Harmony Books, according to Publisher’s Weekly.  Barbara Marx, a former model and Las Vegas showgirl, was married to Sinatra from 1976 until his death in 1998. The book is tentatively titled, “Life with Frank.” Wendy Holden is co-writing the book with Barbara Sinatra.

Best selling author Patricia Cornwell’s popular book sleuth/medical examiner, Dr. Kay Scarpetta ,is headed to the big screen. Angelina Jolie is on board to play the fictional crime solver in a suspense thriller based on the 16-book series, which began with “Postmortem”(1990).  The latest, “Scarpetta,” came out last December.

 Cornwell once worked as a newspaper reporter and a computer analyst in a chief medical examiner’s office in Virginia. Cornwell’s novels are know for their complex characters, gripping plots, and grisly details. The movie rights for two of the author’s other novels, “At Risk,” and “The Front,” have been picked up by Lifetime Television, according to Variety.

 Fox 2000 made the deal for the movie rights to the Scarpetta novels and reportedly plans to develop a film in the vein of “Seven” and “The Silence of the Lambs.”

Singer/actress Queen Latifah has signed on to play the lead in the romantic comedy, “Just Wright.” The story is a so-called Cinderella tale involving a physical therapist who falls in love with a basketball player she is helping recover from a career-threatening injury. The rom-com had been in development for the past six years at Disney. Recently, Fox Searchlight picked up the project and set it up to begin production some time in May.

Latifah’s company, Flavor Unit, will be co-producing the movie with producer Debra Martin Chase. This is not the first romantic comedy for the entertainer. In 2006, Latifah starred in the remake of “Last Holiday.” Born in East Orange, New Jersey as Dana Owens, she first gained fame as a pop/hip-hop artist before making a smooth and successful transition into acting.

Latifah was nominated for a best-supporting actress Oscar for her role as Matron Mama Morton in the musical “Chicago” (2002).  Among her other films, “Hairspray” (2007),  “What Happens in Vegas ” (2008), and “The Secret Life of Bees” (2008).  Also, she is the voice of Ellie, the woolly mammoth character, in the animated “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” due out this summer. 

No matter who wins the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Steelers or the Cardinals, it will probably be a super weekend for former NFL star quarterback Jim Plunkett. A movie deal, which involves the life rights for Plunkett’s story, was announced in Variety today.

 Plunkett, who is Mexican-American,  was raised by blind parents who struggled to make a living in San Jose, California. Plunkett went on to become a star quarterback at Stanford University. Plunkett won the Heisman Trophy and led Stanford to a 27-17 victory over Ohio State in the 1971 Rose Bowl. 

 Later during his career as an NFL quarterback, Plunkett led the Raiders to a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV. Plunkett was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. In another dramatic win, Plunkett and the Raiders rolled over the Washington Red Skins, 38-9, in Super Bowl XVlll. Plunkett retired from the NFL in 1986.

Act2 Entertainment will be producing the Plunkett film along with manager/producer Richard Arlook of the Arlook Group management firm. In Variety, Plunkett said he felt the time was right to take his story to the big screen: “I would like to leave behind some kind of legacy.”

A film version of the bestselling novel “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” is coming to a theater near you in the not too distant future. Earlier this week, Universal Pictures bought the rights to the David Wroblewski novel – his first.

“The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” reportedly has spent  at least 30 weeks on the bestseller lists since being released last September. It was selected for Oprah’s Book Club. Also, Oprah’s Harpo Films will be producing the movie adaptation of the novel along with actor Tom Hanks’ company, Playtone.

“The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” is a touching and captivating story about a mute boy and his dogs who flee into the wilds of Wisconsin after their home life is shattered by the arrival of a relative.

Today on the Barnes & Noble website bestseller list “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” is holding down the number 19 spot. It’s number 15 over on Amazon.

“Romeo and Juliet”  by Sir Frank Dicksee (1853-1928)

The publishing industry has been buzzing for months about Danish author Anne Fortier’s “Juliet.”  In the  novel a woman discovers she may be related to the star-crossed lovers who inspired the classic, “Romeo & Juliet.” Today, there are a flurry of reports about Universal Pictures picking up the movie rights for “Juliet.”

Director/producer James Mangold is attached to the project along with his producer wife Cathy Konrad. Mangold and Konrad were involved in the 2007 remake of the western, “3:10 to Yuma,” and are developing the time-travel thriller, “The Archive.”

Last September, “Juliet” sold in a seven figure deal to Ballantine over at Random House. Fortier’s agent Daniel Lazar says the book is that “rare combination of commercial and literary.”  The Hollywood Reporter estimates book rights deals for “Juliet” now stand at around 21 with many foreign rights agreements in the six figure range. ”Juliet” is set to be published in 2010.

Alec Greven is only 9-years-old, but he knows a thing or two about sweet talking girls. The Colorado fourth grader wrote a self-help pamphlet for his fellow students at the age of eight. “How to Talk to Girls,” was a big hit at a school book fair. Publisher Harper Collins snatched up the dating book and released it last month.  

“How to Talk to Girls,” has been selling briskly. When I checked today, it was number 42 on the Barnes & Noble website and ranked 99 on Amazon.com’s bestseller list. Recently, the pint-size love guru has been interviewed on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show, CNN, and the “Today Show.”

 Now, the young author has a movie deal. The Hollywood Reporter says Fox made a low-to-mid six figure deal for “How to Talk to Girls.” Meanwhile, Greven is planning to write a series of sequels for various age levels as he grows up and gains more knowledge about the opposite sex.

Legal crime author John Grisham just keeps cranking out the kind of novels Hollywood loves to turn into movies. Grisham’s latest, “The Associate,” doesn’t hit bookstore shelves until January 27, 2009, but it already has a film deal.

Earlier this week, reports came out that actor Shia LaBeouf had won the lead role in the movie version of “The Associate.” Last summer, I saw LaBeouf in ”Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Also, I caught him in the first “Transformers” flick. I thought the good-looking LaBeouf was okay in both films, but he did not do any heavy acting. The legal thriller, “The Associate,” will more than likely give LaBeouf a meaty role where he can really show off his serious acting chops.

“The Associate” is a legal thriller about a sharp young Yale Law School graduate who lands a dream job in a top law firm only to have a secret that threatens his whole career catch up with him. This is Grisham’s 22nd novel. Several  of his books already have been turned into movies including  “The Client,” “A Time to Kill,” “The Rainmaker,” “The Firm, and “The Pelican Brief.” 

Google image/ 1901- 1971

Oscar winning actor Forest Whitaker has signed on to play the great Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong in an upcoming film about the musician’s extraordinary life.

Born on August 4, 1901, in a poor section of New Orleans called “The Battlefield,” Armstrong rose to fame as a singer and  trumpet virtuoso. Armstrong was the first important Jazz soloist and his style shaped and influenced that emerging new music form. 

In his later years, Armstrong gained new fans by appearing in films and making his mark on the pop music scene. He reportedly died of a heart attack at the age of 69 on July 6, 1971.

Forest Whitaker, who won the best actor Oscar in 2006 for playing Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in “The Last King of Scotland”, will also direct. The screenplay is being written by Ron Bass and the project is produced by Legende Films, according to the Done Deal website.  

The Armstrong movie is titled, ”What a Wonderful World.” That song was written for Armstrong and he recorded it in 1967. Surprisingly, it did not become a hit in this country until 1987 when it was used in the film “Good Morning, Vietnam.”

Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington is about to make a leap into the future. Washington has signed on to star in “Book of Eli,” according to Variety. Washington reportedly will star as a lone hero in an apocalyptic future who must fight his way across America to bring society the knowledge that could be key to its redemption.

The drama will be directed by Allen and Albert Hughes. It will be their first drama since “From Hell” in 2001.  Filming is set to get underway in January.

By the way, Washington won the best actor Oscar for “Training Day” in 2002  and supporting for “Glory” in 1990.

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 “Ghostbusters” heading for the big screen again

If you dug the first two versions of “Ghostbusters,” get ready for a third film.  Sony has ordered up a new installment of the bumbling ghost-hunting scientists, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The original “Ghostbusters” was released in 1984 and grossed $292 million worldwide. “Ghostbusters II” hit the big screen five years later and earned $215 million around the world.

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 When Alex was bad

Producer Cathy Schulman has bought the film rights to the erotic thriller, “When Alex was Bad.”  The novel reportedly was optioned for a high six figures. Schulman’s credits include the Academy Award winning “Crash” which won best picture in 2006.

The novel by Jo Davis weaves a murder plot into a story about a wife who attempts to save her marriage by allowing her husband to live out his sexual fantasies with other women, according to Publishers Weekly.

The novel is scheduled to be released next August. Davis, who left teaching in the public schools to become a writer full time, has a romantic suspense novel out this month called “Trial by Fire”, then  ”Under Fire” comes out next May, followed by ”Hidden Fire” in December of 2009.   

Coco Chanel 1883-1971

From book to movie

The life and times of legendary fashion designer Coco Chanel are headed to the big screen. The film “Coco Avant Chanel” is set to start filming in Paris in mid-September and scheduled for release next year.

Chanel is known for a classic style that has staying power. She introduced the perfume Chanel No.5 in 1922, her signature cardigan jacket in 1925, and the  ”little black dress” in 1926 — a few of her fashion achievements that are still popular today.

Also, Coco Chanel rose to fame through some interesting twists and turns in her life.  The upcoming film will be based on the Chanel biography “L’lrreguliere” (The Nonconformist) by Edmonde Charles-Roux.

The film will star Audrey Tautou and feature fashions from the Chanel collection. Warner Bros. will finance and produce the biopic. More details at Variety.

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Actress Hilary Swank has put a new movie project on the fast track.  Swank picked up movie rights to the novel “Something Borrowed” by Emily Giffin, according to the trades Variety and Hollywood Reporter.

Swank will reportedly star as the main character Rachel in an off-beat romance about a lawyer who falls in love with her best friend’s fiance. Swank will produce with partner Molly Smith through her new company 2S Films.

Also, the deal includes rights to Giffin’s sequel, “Something Blue.”

From play to movie to TV sitcom

Multi-talented actor and producer Tyler Perry has signed a new TV deal to create a sitcom based on his successful play-turned-movie, “Meet the Browns.”  The family drama/romantic comedy is a little film that earned over $40 million at the Box Office, earlier this year.

TBS has ordered 10 half-hours of “Meet the Browns.”  Perry will executive produce  and direct.

Perry has a sitcom “House of Payne” running on TBS and it’s the highest rated original sitcom ever on an ad-supported cable network. More details at Variety and Hollywood Reporter.