Gerard Butler In Talks For ‘The Raven’

http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/gerard-butler-in-talks-for-the-raven/

Gerard Butler In Talks For ‘The Raven’

The Raven is looking closer to achieving lift off. Gerard Butler is in deep negotiations to play the lead in the sci-fi conspiracy thriller that Ricardo de Montreuil is set to direct for Gold Circle Films and Universal Pictures. The feature, based on a 2010 short film by de Montreuil and Antonio Perez, was penned by Michael Gilio and Justin Marks. Butler is the second actor in as many months named for the movie’s potential lead; The Hunger Games’ Liam Hemsworth had been in talks before. Universal picked up rights to the short in late 2010. The studio and Gold Circle will co-finance the feature, which Gold Circle will produce and Universal will distribute worldwide Paul Brooks will produce for Gold Circle with COO Scott Niemeyer executive producing. Mark Wahlberg will produce alongside Steve Levinson, who originally brought the project to the studio. Nick Osborne, Trevor Engelson and Oly Obst will executive produce for Underground Films. Butler is repped by CAA and Alan Siegel Entertainment.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/gerard-butler-talks-star-sci-523535

Gerard Butler in Talks to Star in Sci-Fi Action Project 'The Raven'

Gold Circle has come aboard to produce and co-finance the project with Universal.

The Raven is once again hoping to take flight.

Gerard Butler is in negotiations to star in the Universal sci-fi action project, which has seen several iterations since it made its debut as a hot short in early 2010.

Gold Circle has now come aboard to co-finance the production, with Universal distributing the movie worldwide.

Universal picked up the rights to the short, directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, in December 2010 after eight months of on-and-off, back-to-life negotiations. When it finally settled at the studio, it attracted Liam Hemsworth, but that phase passed as well.

Now with Butler and Golf Circle, Raven is looking like it may be before cameras this year.

De Montreuil is still on board to direct. Michael Gilio wrote the script based on the short film’s story by de Montreuil and Antonio Perez. (Justin Marks wrote an early draft.)

Raven, the short, focused on a young man with powers being chased around downtown Los Angeles by robotic police drones, while a giant police ship coordinates the effort from the skies above.

For the feature, Gold Circle’s Paul Brooks now joins Mark Wahlberg and Steve Levinson, who originally brought the project to the studio.

Gold Circle COO Scott Niemeyer will executive produce with Nick Osborne, Trevor Engelson and Oly Obst.

Butler, repped by CAA and Alan Siegel Entertainment, is coming off the surprise hit Olympus Has Fallen.

The Gold Circle-Universal partnership is the latest collaboration between the two companies, coming after the strong performance of musical comedy Pitch Perfect and with the two being currently in production on the comedy Search Party.

The original short is at the link if you want to watch it. It's 6 minutes long.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/gerard-butler-replaces-liam-hemsworth-in-sci-fi-actioner-the-raven-20130516


Gerard Butler Replaces Liam Hemsworth In Sci-Fi Actioner 'The Raven'


For a minute, it looked like Gerard Butler might be done. The Scottish actor had never quite cemented his stardom since breaking through with "300," and had a series of painfull and gigantic flops in the last few months, with both "Chasing Mavericks" and "Playing For Keeps" proving to be box office disasters. But then salvation arrived, in the unlikely shape of "Olympus Has Fallen," the White House-set "Die Hard" knock off that proved to be a surprise hit, currently nesting just under the $100 million mark.

It was proof that Butler does have an audience in the right kind of picture, and Butler looks to be learning from the lesson, as according to Heat Vision, he's just signed on to the sci-fi actioner "The Raven." Thankfully unrelated to the John Cusack/Edgar Allan Poe train wreck, the long-gestating project began life as a short film back in 2010, and was quickly snapped up for a remake, with Mark Wahlberg, and more recently Liam Hemsworth, linked to the project.

It seems that the latter, who was only mentioned back in April, has fallen off, but Butler has replaced him in the main role of Chris Black, a young man on the run from a robotic police force. Original short helmer Ricardo de Montreuil is on board to direct from a script by Justin Marks and Michael Gilio, while Gold Circle are backing the project, with filming hoped to begin before the end of the year. So is it the next "District 9," or the next "Total Recall" remake? Take a look at the original short below, and judge for yourself.

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/do-not-post-yet-gerard-butler-negotiations-star-raven-universal-gold-circle-91956

Gerard Butler in Negotiations to Star in 'The Raven' for Universal, Gold Circle
Mark Wahlberg is among those producing the feature adaptation of Ricardo de Montreuil's popular short film

Olympus may have fallen but Gerard Butler's career as an action star continues to take off, as the "300" hero is in negotiations to topline Ricardo de Montreuil's "The Raven" for Universal Pictures and Gold Circle Films.

Universal, which acquired rights to the director's popular short film in December 2010, will handle worldwide distribution and co-finance with Gold Circle, which will also produce.

Liam Hemsworth had initially been rumored to star, but those reports proved premature.

Now Butler is making a deal to play a man with remarkable powers who is being sought by both the government and the military.

Paul Brooks will produce for Gold Circle, whose Scott Niemeyer will executive produce. Mark Wahlberg will also produce with Leverage's Steve Levinson, who originally brought the project to the studio. Nick Osborne, Trevor Engelson and Oly Obst will executive produce for Underground Films.

Michael Gilio rewrote the screenplay, which is based on the short film co-written by Antonio Perez and de Montreuil. Justin Marks penned an earlier draft.

Universal and longstanding partner Gold Circle recently collaborated on the hit comedy "Pitch Perfect," which has grossed $113 million worldwide. The companies are currently in production on Scot Armstrong's directorial debut "Search Party."

Butler recently led FilmDistrict's action movie "Olympus Has Fallen" to an impressive $131 million gross worldwide. He voices one of the lead characters in "How to Train Your Dragon 2."

Butler is represented by Alan Siegel Entertainment and CAA, which also reps De Montreuil along with 3 Arts Entertainment and attorney Carlos Goodman. Gilio is repped by UTA and Management 360.

http://www.movieweb.com/news/gerard-butler-circles-the-raven

Gerard Butler Circles The Raven

Gerard Butler circles The RavenGerard Butler is in talks to star in the gestating sci-fi action project The Raven for Universal Pictures and director Ricardo de Montreuil.

The project has been in development since 2010, when Ricardo de Montreuil's short film of the same name debuted. Liam Hemsworth was initially attached to star, but he is no longer involved. The story centers on a man with incredible, super-human talents, who is on the run from robotic cop drones in downtown Los Angeles, while a police ship hovers the skies, coordinating the chase.

Gold Circle has come aboard to co-finance with Universal, with Paul Brooks is producing alongside Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson. Scott Niemeyer, Nick Osborne, Trevor Engelson, and Oly Obst executive producing. Production may begin later this year.

Gerard Butler most recently starred in the ensemble comedy Movie 43 and the action-thriller Olympus Has Fallen. His upcoming projects include Dynamo and the animated sequel How to Train Your Dragon 2.
The Raven is in development and stars Gerard Butler. The film is directed by Ricardo de Montreuil.

http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/gerard-butler-the-raven/

Gerard Butler to Destroy Robots With His Mind in 'The Raven'

Who needs "300"-style Spartan abs when you can just blow robots up with your telekinetic powers?

That's a question you'll have to ask Gerard Butler, since according to Deadline he and his abs are in negotiations to replace Liam Hemsworth as the lead in Universal's feature version of sci-fi short "The Raven." No relation to that bird crap John Cusack movie of the same name, or the Lou Reed album either.

And, no, it's not the same movie as "The Crow," either. Nice try.

Ricardo de Montreuil's 6-minute futuristic conspiracy thriller exploded the internet in 2010, looking like a legit summer blockbuster right out of the gate with its combo of well-integrated CGI, tight action and lens flares galore. The calling card announced in de Montreuil a perfect blend of Neill Blomkamp meets Michael Bay, even though its plot of dystopian government types using machines to hunt down a super-powered fugitive was nothing we hadn't seen before. "Minority Report"? "The Island"? "THX-1138"? Anyone? Bueller?

Gerard Butler is perhaps the most "treading water" movie star there is, taking on middle-of-the-road fare like "The Bounty Hunter" and "Olympus Has Fallen" which don't really exploit the potential we saw in "300." Considering that, "The Raven" seems to fit right into his wheelhouse, i.e. high concept, derivative, action-oriented. The age-shift from young bucks like Hemsworth and original lead Victor Lopez to 43-year-old Butler as a telepath-on-the-run will no doubt require a script polish, and perhaps more personal oxygen bars on set.

As for Hemsworth abandoning the project, seems his allegiance is to another bird, the mockingjay, and may the odds be ever in his favor. He'll have his hands full with "Hunger Games" sequels and the occasional street brawl.