Walt Disney Pictures and Columbia Pictures to Join Forces in Co-Production of 'Bicentennial Man'
biz.yahoo.com
>>LOS ANGELES, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Walt Disney Pictures and Columbia Pictures have entered into a joint production, distribution and marketing arrangement on the Robin Williams-starrer ''Bicentennial Man,'' it was announced today by Joe Roth, Chairman of the Walt Disney Studios, and John Calley, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. The film, which began production this week on location in San Francisco, re-unites Williams once again with director Chris Columbus, the duo responsible for 1993's box-office hit ''Mrs. Doubtfire.''
The two studios enjoyed a prior highly successful arrangement in 1997 with ''Air Force One,'' which became a box office hit both domestically and internationally. This new partnership on ''Bicentennial Man'' calls for both companies to share in the film's financing. Disney will handle domestic marketing and distribution while Columbia will be responsible for the international release.
The heartwarming family comedy-drama, based on the short story ''The Bicentennial Man'' by Isaac Asimov, and the novel, ''The Positronic Man,'' written by Isaac Asimov and Robert Siverberg, follows the life and times of Andrew, an android programmed to perform menial tasks for the Martin family, who begins to display uncharacteristically human emotion, curiosity and creativity. Over the course of his long association with the Martin family, Andrew discovers the intricacies of life and love and recognizes he has a unique destiny -- to become human.
The film, which also stars Sam Neill, Embeth Davidtz and Oliver Platt, is produced by Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe and Michael Barnathan (who most recently produced ''Stepmom'' for Columbia); Wolfgang Petersen and Gail Katz (''Air Force One''); and Laurence Mark and Neil Miller.
''As this project came together and the sheer scale of the production became evident, it was obvious to us that we wanted a partner to maximize production, marketing and distribution,'' said Roth. ''We are thrilled to have as that partner John and his team at Columbia.''
''We are pleased to be involved in the arrangement we've forged on this most exciting project,'' said Calley. ''To have the chance to work with Joe and our friends at Disney once again and to be involved with these most talented filmmakers was an opportunity we couldn't resist.''
Production on ''Bicentennial Man'' will continue through June. Current plans call for a late 1999 holiday release in the United States. << |
