With Robopocalypse looking less and less likely, and American Sniper handed over to Clint Eastwood, the question of what Steven Spielberg might direct next is still on our minds. After the possibility floated that he could head to Montezuma with Javier Bardem, we now have another potential project: Deadline report that he’s interested in taking on a new adaptation of Robert Wise‘s iconic musical, West Side Story, itself based on a Arthur Laurents book. It’s set up over at Fox, but no writer has been set and additional details are sparse. Exploring the rivalry between the Sharks and the Jets, I can’t say it’s material that screams to be remade, but hopefully we get an answer from Spielberg soon on what he’ll next helm.
Moving, one while more attention seems to go the Best Picture winner, the track record of the Palme d’Or recipient is much stronger. So, with that, we have one eye on what Abdellatif Kechiche will follow Blue is the Warmest Color with, and today provides an update. Speaking with La Nouvel Observateur (via The Playlist), the director said he’s plotting a new movie about Héloïse d’Argenteuil and Peter Abélard. The true 12th-century story follows the former as a student who has an affair with her teacher. After getting married following a pregnancy, rumors began to spring up and Héloïse was sent to a convent to become a nun. Before long, they started exchanging letters and their relationship continued. With Kechiche always taking at least a few years in between films, we’ll have to wait and see if he confirms this will be his next feature.
While he’s currently entrenched in crafting The Amazing Spider-Man trilogy (and perhaps beyond), there is some light at the end of the tunnel for Marc Webb. Deadline reports that he’s been attached to Cold Comfort (aka How To Catch A Russian Spy), based on a book co-written by Newsday columnist Ellis Henican. The project follows the true story of an American civilian who taught himself how to be a spy, then worked with the FBI to take down a Russian agent. We imagine it’s a far ways off, but the lead is said to be a Jonah Hill-type, since that exists now.
Next up, after being nominated for an Academy Award for Kon-Tiki, directors Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg are making the major jump to hem the next Pirates of the Caribbean, but they’ve also added another film to their slate. THR reports Sony has set them to direct Winter’s Knight, which tells the Santa Claus story with an unexpected twist: the addition of Vikings. Scripted by Ben Lustig and Jake Thornton, don’t expect to see this one for some time considering their Jack Sparrow obligations.
In what’s easily the most depressing batch of directing news, Michael Bay has found a director that isn’t a reincarnated Alfred Hitchcock to helm a remake of his classic horror The Birds. In a final product that we imagine won’t be far removed from this, Variety reports Bay’s Platinum Dunes has brought on Dutch filmmaker Diederik Van Rooijen to helm the remake. While he received acclaimed for his film Taped, we can’t say expectations can get much lower for yet another remake from this company, who gave us a pile of throwaway re-dos.
Which of the above projects are you most looking forward to?