Walden Media Wrangles Butler

Walden Media Wrangles Butler


Film Stew.com


May 21, 2007


by Dennis Michael



Before any of those rumored action flicks, Gerard Butler has wisely chosen to follow up 300 with a solidly cast change of pace.

It’s hard to keep up with all the Gerard Butler project announcements in the wake of his mega-hit 300, which the actor’s representatives at Creative Artists Agency are obviously trying to milk for all its Spartan worth. There’s the possible remake of Escape from New York, a reunion with 300 director Zach Snyder on the adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel The Watchmen, and now Nim’s Island opposite Jodie Foster and Abigail Breslin. Based on the Wendy Orr children’s book of the same name, Nim’s Island concerns the resourceful daughter (Breslin) of a scientist (Butler) on a remote tropical island. When her father is lost at sea, she begins communicating through e-mail with the authoress of one of her favorite books (Foster) and, with distant coaching, begins to handle her difficulties on the island. It’s hard to think of two bigger recent breakout Hollywood stars than Butler and Breslin, so the idea of them battling together onscreen against greedy tour companies is rather intriguing. Nim’s Island also marks the first time screenwriters Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett will get to work together as co-directors. He directed her script to produce the 2005 sleeper DVD hit Little Manhattan, and as writers the pair has also worked on Wimbledon and the upcoming 2008 3-D live action adventure Journey 3D. Shooting on Walden Media’s Nim’s Island will begin in August in Australia, with 20th Century Fox looking to release the movie next spring.




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