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Reel News Tim Ryan |
‘Five-0’ deal nearly
in placeOn the feature film front: the film version of "Hawaii Five-0" is progressing with "serious negotiations" for a distribution deal nearly in place with Warner Bros. George Litto Productions, which holds the rights to the "Hawaii Five-0" name and film, has just moved its production offices to WB's Burbank studio lot. A screenwriter is being hired to rewrite the original script by Roger Town. No decisions have been made on director or cast. Filming is expected to begin here next February for a summer 2006 release.
During a recent visit to Los Angeles, Hawaii film commissioners met with WB production officials, including Ravi Mehta, VP of physical productions, to discuss the project and the studio's concerns about available studio space on Oahu, considering the multiple network TV series which might still be filming here. If no space can be found, at least some of the "Hawaii Five-0" filming will be done in L.A. ...
Scouts from Jerry Bruckheimer Productions and the Disney Studio were recently on Kauai checking out possible locations for the "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel ...
In TV news, NBC execs will let "Hawaii" pilot producers know this Friday if the series is green lit. Filming would start on Oahu July 12. Some L.A. sources say the green light would mean "a slam dunk" for the series. Possible warehouse space for a soundstage is reportedly being looked at in Mapunapuna ...
Asian Media Watchdog has been campaigning for ABC to pick up the Hawaii-filmed castaway series "Lost" because it has a positive portrayal of Asian-Americans. Daniel Dae Kim is one of the series regulars ... and John Stockwell's "Rocky Point" for the WB network will definitely begin filming on Oahu in September ...
And in indie news, the "Fishbowl" short film project to be directed by Kayo Hatta (based on Lois Ann Yamanaka's book "Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers") appears back on track, with filming now scheduled to begin in August, a year from last year's planned start date. Producers are Linda Barry and Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga.
Hatta's previous film, "Picture Bride," will be released by Miramax next month ...
The National Japanese American Historical Society and playwright-filmmaker Lane Nishikawa began three weeks of filming in Los Angeles yesterday on his movie "Only The Brave," about the 100th/442nd all-Nisei Regimental Combat Team. The story centers around the team's rescue of the "Lost Battalion" of the Texas 141st Regiment during World War II. Film stars Nishikawa, Jason Scott Lee, Tamlyn Tomita and George Takei...
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Contact Tim Ryan at tryan@starbulletin.com.