Patty Jenkins Scores a 'Jackpot'; Brad Anderson Lines Up Spy Flick 'Shadow Run'

Remember Patty Jenkins? It's okay if you don't since she hasn't directed a feature film since 2003's Monster with Charlize Theron. She had been in line for Marvel's Thor: The Dark World but was replaced by Alan Taylor over creative differences. She's been busy on TV ever since, but now she's turning to the big screen once again for a remake of Norwegian crime film Jackpot, based on the book by Jo Nesbo (Headhunters). The film is described as an action-comedy about four men who win big in a sports betting pool, only to have things turn violent when it comes time to split the winnings. Will Gluck (Easy A) is producing this one, with a script by The Expendables' David Callaham. [THR]

Brad Anderson (Transsiberian, a personal favorite) is set to direct Shadow Run, a spy film penned by Joe Gazzam (Cliffhanger). No plot details are available yet but Deadline refers to it as "Bourne-esque", which is what every studio is aiming for with their espionage movies now. Anderson scored an unexpected hit last year with the Halle Berry thriller, The Call, and recently directed Stonehearst Asylum starring Kate Beckinsale.

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'Atonement' director Joe Wright the frontrunner to helm 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

The most sought after gig in Hollywood right now may be that of Fifty Shades of Grey, the adaptation of EL James' erotic novel that has had ladies all hot 'n bothered since it first hit digital download. Hey, nobody buys actual books anymore. While most of the attention has been on the casting front, with some erroneously claiming that Alex Pettyfer and Emma Watson had won the two main roles, there's still a director that needs to be found, and one major names has popped up as a contender.

Atonement and Anna Karenina director Joe Wright has emerged as the frontrunner according to THR. It may seem like an odd choice because he's normally associated with historical romances, but Wright has shown his diversity with the contemporary assassin film Hanna. The less said about The Soloist the better. Other names on the list are Bennett Miller (Capote), and Patty Jenkins (Monster), suggesting that the studios are looking for refined filmmakers rather than someone who can just crank out something quickly. If anything, it's a sign that Universal and Focus Features are taking the adaptation seriously, even if 'Grey' has become something of a national punchline at this point.

So we'll see what happens, but with this news it's probably just a matter of time before a decision is made on who will play Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele.

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