Weather Change For Cage

Nicolas Cage's upcoming movie The Weather Man has been forced to find a new studio, following rows over financing with Sony's COLUMBIA PICTURES.

As well as disagreements over the film's budget - believed to be in the $20 million (GBP12.5 million) to $30 million (GBP18.75 million) range - producers ESCAPE ARTISTS also failed in their bid to secure profit deals for Cage and the film's director Gore Verbinski.

The drama is now set up at Paramount Pictures and shooting is scheduled to begin in February (04), to allow time for Cage to complete his work on Disney's National Treasure for producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

The Verbinski movie centres on a divorced Chicago weatherman who is up for a new job on a network morning show in New York, leaving behind a disgruntled ex-wife and their angry children.