P.S. I Love to be released on December 21,2007

Warner Bros. stitching new 'Pants'


Variety.com


April 20, 2007


by MICHAEL FLEMING


Alcon and Warner Bros. have fitted director Sanaa Hamri into a sequel to the 2005 film "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." The original core ensemble -- America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel and Blake Lively -- are all in talks to reprise.

Plan is to begin production June 3, starting in Greece, then moving to New York and Connecticut. The challenge on the sequel has been squaring the availability of the actresses because of TV series commitments, but the hope is that all the actresses return.

Ferrera's career has taken off as the title character of "Ugly Betty." Tamblyn is awaiting word from CBS on a pickup of "Babylon Fields," the Michael Cuesta-directed drama pilot that also stars Ray Stevenson ("Rome"). Bledel had been expected to be done with "Gilmore Girls," but it is now looking like a strong possibility that the show will return. Lively has "Gossip Girls."

Scripted by "Pants" co-writer Elizabeth Chandler, the sequel uses as its foundation "Forever in Blue," the fourth installment of the "Pants" novel series by Ann Brashares. Bits of the second and third books will also be used. The girls once again take different paths during the summer, but remain bonded by a pair of secondhand pants they take turns wearing.

Now college age, the girls have storylines that take place in Turkey, Greece, New York, Vermont and Providence. They faced some heavy dilemmas in the original film, but the sequel concentrates on issues 19-year old girls deal with. While the original film was PG rated, the sequel is likely to be PG-13.

Morocco-born Hamri directed videos with Mariah Carey, Prince, Jay-Z and others before making her feature debut on the Focus Features romantic comedy "Something New." She's repped by ICM.

Alcon is financing the film, which will be released by WB. Debra Martin Chase, Denise Di Novi are producing with Alcon partners Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove. Kira Davis, Alison Greenspan and Leslie Morgenstein are exec producers.

Alcon just wrapped the Richard LaGravanese-directed "P.S. I Love You," which stars Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler. WB releases the film Dec. 21.




http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117963526.html?categoryid=13&cs=1