THE DA VINCI CODE - CODE RED ON DA VINCI CODE PREQUEL

CODE RED ON DA VINCI CODE PREQUEL

Word of renewed negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers came as Sony's Columbia Pictures announced that it would delay production of the Da Vinci Code prequel, Angels & Demons, due to the strike. It represented the first movie casualty of the strike. In a statement, the studio said that while it regards the current version of the screenplay by Oscar winner Akiva Goldman as "very strong," it does "not believe it is the fully realized production draft required of this ambitious project." The studio had planned to release the film in time for next year's Christmas holiday but has now set a tentative release date of May 15, 2009. Also postponed was United Artists' Pinkville, based on the investigation into the Vietnam War's My Lai massacre, co-written by its director, Oliver Stone. Stone, a member of the WGA, customarily makes script changes while his films are in production -- something he would not be permitted to do while the strike remains in effect. Several analysts have forecast that if other major studio releases are delayed, smaller films from independent filmmakers could be brought up to take their places, representing a boon to indies.

19/11/2007