DreamWorks believes in Ghost

DreamWorks has acquired rights to the Japanese manga Ghost in the Shell, planning to turn the “futuristic police thriller” into a 3-D live-action feature. “Story follows the exploits of a member of a covert ops unit of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission that specializes in fighting technology-related crime.” Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul of Seaside Entertainment, who brought the project to DreamWorks, will produce Ghost. Jamie Moss will write the adaptation. Variety delivers the news.

Stiller crowned King Doug

The Hollywood Reporter indicates that Ben Stiller will produce and possibly star in The Return of King Doug, DreamWorks’ film adaptation of an upcoming Oni Press graphic novel. Greg Erb and Jason Oremland penned the novel and will write its screenplay. King Doug tells the tale of “a man who must return to the fantasy world which he abandoned 30 years earlier.”

DreamWorks enters Hereafter

DreamWorks has struck a seven-figure deal to acquire Hereafter, reports Variety. Described as being in the vein of The Sixth Sense, the thriller was written by Peter Morgan, who penned scripts for Frost/Nixon and The Queen. Kathleen Kennedy will produce Hereafter through Kennedy/Marshall.

DreamWorks banking on C.O.D.

DreamWorks has paid mid-six figures for C.O.D. (Cash on Delivery) from newcomer Lars Jacobson, indicates The Hollywood Reporter. The project is being produced by Barry Josephson via Josephson Entertainment, as well as Neal Flaherty through his new Royal Prospect banner. C.O.D. “centers on a Manhattan bike messenger who becomes America’s most wanted man when he’s forced to deliver three bombs under threat of his family receiving one. He must avoid capture by the authorities while trying to deliver the bombs with an entire nation looking for him.”

Big Screen Roundup: 1/31/08 Edition - Part II

The official website for Superhero Movie has debuted. As it turns out, however, the trailer for the flick is no longer at YouTube.

Coming Soon has a scanned version of the second new Empire Magazine photo from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The image features Cate Blanchett as villain Agent Spalko. Other exclusives Coming Soon serves include a video of Jim Carrey bungee jumping for the comedy Yes Man, as well as a clip from The Accidental Husband and a one-sheet for Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns.

Dark Horizons informs that Oscar-winner Paul Haggis has signed to an overall nonexclusive deal with United Artists. Under the agreement, he will write, produce and possibly direct projects for the studio through his production company, Hwy61.

Variety reports that DreamWorks has acquired all domestic and remake rights to the Slamdance Fest entry Paranormal Activity. Helmed by Oren Peli, the micro-budget haunted house film was shot over one week with a high-def camera in his own house with two unknown actors.

According to Moviehole, Robert Englund will indeed be approached about reprising his role as Fred Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street remake.

Lightning Entertainment has acquired the international sales rights to Jada Pinkett Smith’s directorial debut, The Human Contract, writes Variety. The pic “tells the story of a relationship between a repressed advertising exec and a reckless woman.”

The New York Daily News has the latest on the video it describes as “showing a guilt-ridden Heath Ledger at a Hollywood drug party confessing to strangers he [had used pot] for most of his life.” Apparently, Entertainment Tonight is no longer planning to broadcast the video.