EFM ROUND-UP: Strand takes Considine's 'Tyrannosaur' in US; Dante making 'Monster Love' (VAR, THR, SCR)

By Nancy Tartaglione

(Note: The following is a round-up of reports published after Wiretap's Thursday afternoon newsletter.)

Richard E. Grant will direct his second feature with the comic Western "In With the Outlaws," from writer-producer Nicholas Sercombe, it was announced in Berlin.

Per Variety the $10 million film will shoot in in late spring in England with cast yet to be announced.

Tim Lewiston, meanwhile, will make his directorial debut with "Hot Potato" starring Ray Winstone, Lois Winstone, Jack Huston, Colm Meaney and John Lynch. Per The Hollywood Reporter the late 1960s British gangster romp will be followed by another directorial outing that Lewiston is developing.

Lewiston has been involved in various capacities on more than 40 films over 38 years in the industry. Via his Wardour Pictures he also plans to produce a John Henderson-directed remake of the 1950s comedy Genevieve. He told THR he is aiming to "build a company in London and make three pictures of a reasonable budget each year."

Protagonist Pictures has sold Paddy Considine's Sundance World Cinema Directing and Dramatic and World Cinema Special Jury Prize-winner "Tyrannosaur" to Strand Releasing for the US and D Films for Canada, according to Screen.

Also from Screen, Arclight Films genre label Darclight is selling Joe Dante's teen comedy horror love story, "Monster Love." Elizabeth Stanley and Frederic Brost are producing.

FilmNation has closed key territories on the upcoming Salman Rushdie adaptation "Midnight's Children," led by deals with eOne in the UK and Metropolitan in France. Deepa Mehta directs the epic tale of Indian independence.

Curzon Artificial Eye has taken UK rights to Wim Wenders' "Pina" from Hanway Films. The film is world premiering in Berlin on Sunday.

Screen further reports that Distribution Workshop has picked up international sales rights to the Jet Li film "The Sorcerer And The White Snake" from director Tony Ching Siu-tung. The $25 million film is in post-production.

Icon, also per Screen, has taken UK rights to Sundance pic "The Devil's Double" by Lee Tamahori. Lionsgate has the film in North America.

We Distribution is launching pre-sales on "The Flying Guillotines" from "Bodyguards And Assassins" director Teddy Chen, producer Peter Ho-sun Chan, production designer Kenneth Mak and costume designer Dora Ng. The $15 million film is currently in pre-production with a projected release later this year, says Screen.

**This article was compiled using reports from Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Screen. The original stories can be accessed by clicking the hyperlinks in the text above.