July 31 2006

John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky have been hired to re-draft “Leisureworld” for New Line Cinema. The comedy originally written by Jason and Justin Heimberg and Jeff Sank, then rewritten by Casey McCabe is about a stressed-out, overachieving guy who seeks refuge from his hectic career and girlfriend by checking into a retirement community, only to discover that the retirees are like a bunch of teens caught up in sex and drugs. Bob Cooper and Paul Schiff are producing. 7/31

Rob Corddry, Jon Stewart and Ben Karlin have sold their pitch “The Donor” to Paramount Pictures. Corddry, Brian Huskey and Jason Mantzoukas are writing the comedy. The logline is being kept close to the vest. Stewart and Karlin (Bus Boy Prods.) are producing. Corddry will also star and executive produce. Gail Berman and Eben Davidson are overseeing for the studio. 7/31

Kit Whitfield* has sold the film rights to his novel “Benighted” to Warner Bros. The horror story takes place in a society where werewolves (known as “Lunes”) are the majority and the minority of non-lycanthropic humans (“Barebacks”) are subjected to the Lunes’ prejudiced abuse. Adam Adamson, who is interested in directing, is producing the project along with Graham King (Initial Entertainment Group). The project is out to writers. 7/31

*Update: Script Radar was emailed by Anonymous and informed that Kit Whitfield is a woman. Thank you, masked avenger.

David Jacobson has been hired by Columbia Pictures to pen and helm the silver screen version of the novel “Roadside Picnic” by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky. The crime thriller with a sci-fi twist is about a “Stalker” – that is, a person who plunders alien artifacts left behind on Earth in the forbidden area called “The Zone” and sells the items in the black market. Neil Moritz is producing. 7/31