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Francis Lawrence's Unrealized Projects
During his long career, American filmmaker Francis Lawrence has worked on several projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects fell in development hell, were officially canceled, were in development limbo or would see life under a different production team. 2000s ''Awful End'' film In March 2005, Lawrence was announced to direct a film adaptation of the children's novel ''Awful End''. ''Snow and the Seven'' On August 1, 2007, Lawrence was announced to direct ''Snow and the Seven'' for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was intended to be a Chinese-inspired take on Snow White, in which a British girl is trained by seven Shaolin monks in 19th-century Hong Kong. The film was written by Josh Harmon and Scott Elder, with rewrites by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. Yuen Woo-ping would serve as fight choreographer. In February 2011, Michael Arndt was reported to be providing a new rewrite while John Myhre would be production de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Francis Lawrence
Francis Lawrence (born March 26, 1971) is an American filmmaker and producer. After establishing himself as a director of music videos and commercials, Lawrence made his feature-length directorial debut with the superhero thriller ''Constantine (film), Constantine'' (2005) and has since directed the Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic horror film ''I Am Legend (film), I Am Legend'' (2007), the romantic drama ''Water for Elephants (film), Water for Elephants'' (2011), four of the five films in The Hunger Games (film series), ''The Hunger Games'' film series, and the spy thriller ''Red Sparrow'' (2018). Early life Lawrence was born to American parents in Vienna, Austria. His father was a theoretical physicist who taught at California State University, Northridge, and his mother is a vice president of technology at a public-relations agency based in his hometown. He moved to Los Angeles at the age of four. Lawrence worked as second assistant camera on the fe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The World Without Us
''The World Without Us'' is a 2007 non-fiction book about what would happen to the natural and built environment if humans suddenly disappeared, written by American journalist Alan Weisman and published by St. Martin's Thomas Dunne Books. It is a book-length expansion of Weisman's own February 2005 ''Discover'' article "Earth Without People". Written largely as a thought experiment, it outlines, for example, how cities and houses would deteriorate, how long man-made artifacts would last, and how remaining lifeforms would evolve. Weisman concludes that residential neighborhoods would become forests within 500 years, and that radioactive waste, bronze statues, plastics and Mount Rushmore would be among the longest-lasting evidence of human presence on Earth. The author of four previous books and numerous articles for magazines, Weisman had traveled to interview academics, scientists and other authorities. He used quotations from these interviews to explain the effects of the natur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Entertainment's Sony Pictures, which is one of the Major film studios, "Big Five" film studios and a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony, Sony Group Corporation. On June 19, 1918, brothers Jack Cohn, Jack and Harry Cohn and their business partner Joe Brandt founded the studio as CBC Film Sales Corporation, Cohn-Brandt-Cohn (CBC) Film Sales Corporation. It adopted the Columbia Pictures name on January 10, 1924 (operating as Columbia Pictures Corporation until December 23, 1968), went public two years later, and eventually began to use the image of Columbia (personification), Columbia, the female personification of the United States, as its logo. In its early years, Columbia was a minor player in Hollywood, but ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harry Houdini
Erik Weisz (March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926), known professionally as Harry Houdini ( ), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts. Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in the United States and then as Harry "Handcuff" Houdini on a tour of Europe, where he challenged police forces to keep him locked up. Soon he extended his repertoire to include chains, ropes slung from skyscrapers, straitjackets under water, and having to escape from and hold his breath inside a sealed milk can with water in it. In 1904, thousands watched as Houdini tried to escape from special handcuffs commissioned by London's ''Daily Mirror'', keeping them in suspense for an hour. Another stunt saw him buried alive and only just able to claw himself to the surface, emerging in a state of near-breakdown. While many suspected that these escapes were faked, Houdini presented himself as the scourge of fake spiritualists, pursuing a persona ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marco Polo
Marco Polo (; ; ; 8 January 1324) was a Republic of Venice, Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marvels of the World '' and ''Il Milione'', ), a book that described the then-mysterious culture and inner workings of the Eastern world, including the wealth and great size of the Mongol Empire and China under the Yuan dynasty, giving Europeans their first comprehensive look into China, Persia, India, Japan, and other Asian societies. Born in Venice, Marco learned the mercantile trade from his father and his uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo Polo, Niccolò and Maffeo, who travelled through Asia and met Kublai Khan. In 1269, they returned to Venice to meet Marco for the first time. The three of them embarked on an epic journey to Asia, exploring many places along the Silk Road until they reached "Cathay". They were received by the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laura Harrington
Laura Harrington (born April 29, 1958)Connelly, Sherryl (June 22, 1981)"Fresh and flirtatious Laura Harrington" ''New York Daily News''. p. M6. Retrieved September 1, 2024. is an American actress and screenwriter. Biography A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Harrington attended Boston University, where she studied with David Wheeler, artistic director of the Theater Company of Boston. Harrington made her Broadway debut under Wheeler's direction as Margaret in the 1979 revival of ''Richard III'' with Al Pacino, a fact highlighted by '' Bergen Record'' critic Emory Lewis at the conclusion of an otherwise lukewarm review: Harrington, who portrays Lady Margaret, makes an impressive Broadway debut. Few performers know how to listen on stage. Even when she doesn't have a line of dialogue, this gifted actress speaks volumes with her eyes and her expressive hands. Wheeler also facilitated Harrington's acclaimed 1981 screen debut in '' The Dark End of the Street'', when he recommen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Hague
Michael Hague (born September 8, 1948) is an American illustrator, primarily of children's fantasy books. Biography Among the books he has illustrated classics such as ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''The Wizard of Oz'', ''The Hobbit'' and the stories of Hans Christian Andersen. He is known for the intricate and realistic detail he brings to his work, and the rich colors he chooses. Hague trained at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. He lists his influences as the comics series ''Prince Valiant'' and the works of Disney, Japanese printmakers Hiroshige and Hokusai, and turn of the 20th century illustrators Arthur Rackham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth and Howard Pyle. His first big break came through Trina Schart Hyman, who as an art director for Cricket Magazine, gave him several cover art assignments. Hague has collaborated with family members on some works. In 2008 he and his son, graphic designer Devon Hague, produced the graphic novel ''In the Small''. He and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shawn Levy
Shawn Adam Levy (; born July 23, 1968) is a Canadian and American filmmaker and actor. He is the founder of 21 Laps Entertainment. His work has spanned numerous genres, and his films as a director have grossed a collective $3.5 billion worldwide. Following early work as a television director, Levy gained recognition in the 2000s for directing comedy films like '' Big Fat Liar'' (2002), '' Just Married'' (2003), '' Cheaper by the Dozen'' (2003) and ''The Pink Panther'' (2006). He then found further success as the director of the first three films in the '' Night at the Museum'' film franchise (2006–14). In the early 2010s, he directed films including '' Date Night'' (2010), ''Real Steel'' (2011), and '' The Internship'' (2013), developed several comedy television pilots, and executive produced the ABC/ Fox sitcom '' Last Man Standing''. Levy was a producer on the 2016 sci-fi film '' Arrival'', which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Since 2016, Levy ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Levien
David Levien (born December 9, 1967) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and novelist. He is co-creator, executive producer, and showrunner of Showtime's '' Billions'', along with Brian Koppelman. Some of his credits include ''Ocean's Thirteen,'' ''Rounders'', '' Solitary Man'', '' The Illusionist'', '' Runaway Jury'', '' Tilt'', and ESPN's '' 30 for 30 (This Is What They Want)'' for which he won a sports Emmy. Levien is also the author of six novels, including four in the Frank Behr series. Some of his earlier works were published under D.J. Levien. Early life and education Levien was born in Great Neck, New York. He met his lifelong writing partner and friend, Brian Koppelman, on a summer bus trip for teens when Levien was 14 years old. Levien is Jewish. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan. After school he moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a story editor for various agencies and production companies. Finding that editing the stories of the other ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Koppelman
Brian William Koppelman (born April 27, 1966) is an American television and film writer, producer and director. Koppelman is the co-writer of ''Ocean's Thirteen'' and ''Rounders (1998 film), Rounders'', a producer of films including ''The Illusionist (2006 film), The Illusionist'' and ''The Lucky Ones (film), The Lucky Ones'', the director of films including ''Solitary Man (film), Solitary Man'' and the documentary ''This Is What They Want'' for ESPN's ''30 for 30'' series, and the Television program creator, co-creator, showrunner, and Executive producer (television), executive producer of Showtime (TV network), Showtime's ''Billions (TV series), Billions'' and ''Super Pumped (TV series), Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber.'' Early life and education Koppelman was born on April 27, 1966, in Roslyn Harbor, New York (state), New York, the son of Brenda "Bunny" Koppelman and Charles Koppelman. Koppelman is American Jews, Jewish. His father was a producer and media executive. Koppelma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrew Niccol
Andrew Niccol (born 10 June 1964) is a New Zealand screenwriter, producer, and director. He wrote and directed '' Gattaca'' (1997), '' Simone'' (2002), '' Lord of War'' (2005), '' In Time'' (2011), '' The Host'' (2013), and '' Good Kill'' (2014). He wrote and co-produced '' The Truman Show'', which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and won him the BAFTA Award in the same category. His high-concept science fiction films tend to explore social, cultural and political issues; artificial realities and simulations are frequent themes in his work. His film ''Good Kill'' was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 71st Venice International Film Festival. Early and personal life Niccol was born in Paraparaumu, New Zealand, and grew up in Auckland, where he attended Auckland Grammar School beginning in 1973. He left New Zealand at age 21 and began directing TV ads in London, which he did for more than ten years before his directori ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Overbrook Entertainment
Overbrook Entertainment, Inc. is an American production company based in Culver City, California. It was founded by partners Will Smith and James Lassiter in 1998, around the same time production for ''Wild Wild West'' (1999) began. The name "Overbrook" is derived from Will Smith's neighborhood in West Philadelphia. The on-screen logo consists of a spinning record with the company name. The company produces music, films and television shows. Smith claimed to have started the company in order to serve as producer and find roles. He uses his role in the company to help unknown artists record music, and also records music for some of his films in Overbrook. History On November 11, 1997, actor Will Smith (age 29) and manager James Lassiter signed an overall first-look term deal at Universal Pictures. Thus, Overbrook Entertainment was born. It was formally incorporated on February 2, 1998. David Tochterman, formerly employee of The Carsey-Werner Company, joined the company on Septe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
