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Exclusive: Power EP Mark Canton is teaming with former WWE star Karlee Leilani Perez to develop a new cop series.

The show, Miami River Cops (working title), is based on the life of former police officer Victor Zapata.

It will follow Zapata as a young Latin street cop, examining his encounters with drug dealers, racist commanders and his own corrupt motivations. Ultimately, it will watch as he and his closest friends are transformed from cops to criminals while chasing the American dream in 1980s Miami.

The series is being scripted by James Dilapo and Sebastian Gutierrez. Canton and Perez will exec produce, alongside Dorothy Canton, Gil Bellows, Emil Pinnock and Matthew Einstein.

Miami River Cops is the first project to emerge from a 50-50 partnership deal Perez recently entered into with Canton’s Atmosphere Entertainment. We hear that Perez already is slated to produce a number...

There’s no such thing as a sure path to success in Hollywood, but the Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting is as close as you’re going to get. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the five 2013 finalists just over two weeks ago, and already the honorees are fielding calls from agents, managers and studios eager to work with them. At least one has already signed with an agent and a manager.

The program, now in its 28th year, allows aspiring screenwriters who have never earned more than $25,000 writing fiction for film or television to submit an...

It seems like a natural progression really, don’t you think? In fact, shame on Hollywood for not thinking of a sci-fi interpretation of Homer’s The Odyssey sooner! If you weren’t asked to read The Odyssey in your youth then here’s a brief synopsis and maybe it will inspire you to go grab the book with the intentions of envisioning space ships and aliens in place of these Greek characters.

The Odyssey is about a man named Odysseus and his adventure returning home from the Trojan War. It tells of all the sorrows/challenges he faced through his long and lonely (but not too lonely) road home to his wife (Penelope) and child (Telemachus). The challenges include the Cyclopes, Sirens, Helios’ cattle, Charybdis, Scylla, and killing all the Suitors at his house.The Odyssey is about Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, attempting to come home after fighting...

We haven’t read Homer’s The Odyssey since way back in honor’s English during our freshman year of high school, but we’ll all have an opportunity to see a new take on the subject matter thanks to our friends at Warner Bros. Deadline reports the studio is ready to move forward with a retelling of the classic tale, and this time it will be set in -- wait for it -- space! Screenwriter James Dilapo has been hired to write the project, which follows Odysseus on his lengthy quest to get home to his wife before she takes up with one of her many suitors. Moving the project to outer space should allow the scribe to take some creative liberties with the classic tale. The project has been kicking around for awhile, and Brad Pitt was once attached, but it’s...

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One of Homer’s most endearing works will be coming to the screen. While “The Iliad” was adapted into the movie “Troy,” the same will be said for “The Odyssey.” But, instead looking to the past, the movie will fly into the future.

Warner Brothers has hired James Dilapo to work on the Sci-Fi epic which will use Homer’s epic poem as a direct source. This will be one of the first projects Dilapo will be working on for a major studio. Even though he is a newcomer, he does come with an amount of acclaim. Dilapo’s first script “Devils at Play” which is a paranoid thriller set in 1937 Russia, won the Nicholl Fellowship and a spot on the 2012 Black List. He has been regarded well enough that the studio has made a deal to keep him long-term.

The idea to change the temporal setting of the story...

Warner Bros. is reportedly developing a new adaptation of one of the greatest works of classic literature, Homer’s The Odyssey with a sci-fi spin.

Therefore, the studio recently hired a young screenwriter James Dilapo to pen a sci-fi version of the story with the hope of launching a new franchise as well. Dilapo recently earned a spot on the 2012 Black List for his screenplay Devil’s At Play.

The Odyssey, in part, a sequel to the Iliad is the second half of Homer’s epic poem about the Trojan War. The journey of Odysseus from Troy to Ithaca takes ten years — the same amount of time that the Trojan War itself lasted.

The film was first announced back in 2008 and Brad Pitt was originally attached to star with George Miller (Mad Max) attached as director. The one of two major ancient Greek epic poems would actually work great as...

Jason went to space and now Homer is going, no not Homer Simpson. Warner Bros has just hired James Dilapo (Devils At Play) to bring Homer's "The Odyssey" to the big screen. But instead of making a Greek epic, the new film will take place in space and in the future. "The Odyssey" is Homer's follow-up to "The Illiad," which the studio turned into "Troy," which was directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starred Brad Pitt as Achilles. "The Odyssey" trac…...

The evergreen method of adding “…in space!” to the end of an existing title in order to pitch a “new” film has finally blindsided Greek poet Homer. Good thing he’s not around to not see it. According to Deadline Hollywood, Warners has hired James Dilapo to write a new version of “The Odyssey” that takes place in space. Yes, they literally want to make a space “Odyssey.” Dilapo is a recent Nyu grad who earned a Nicholl Fellowship and placement on the Black List with his first script, Devils At Play, but there’s no word yet on how the young talent will be engaging the story and transmitting it into the world of science fiction. At its very core, it could a tale of a captain trying desperately and difficultly to get home, or it could involve more of the direct elements of the classic epic poem. Undoubtedly, it...

The classic Greek epic The Odyssey, Homer's follow-up writing to the equally famous tale of The Illiad (which was already turned into the Brad Pitt led film Troy), is getting a Hollywood makeover at Warner Bros. Deadline reports James Dilapo, a fresh graduate from Nyu, has been hired to write this adaptation of the tale that will take the action to space. Dilapo might be a newcomer, but his first script, Devils at Play, won the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences' Nicholl Fellowship for screenwriters. In addition, that same script made the Black List at the end of last year, so this guy knows what he's doing. More below! Terry Dougas at 1821 Pictures is responsible for the seemingly silly, but not necessarily terrible idea of taking The Odyssey to space, and took the idea to Warner Bros. with his production partner Paris Kasidokostas Latsis. Those two guys...

With “Star Wars” now born again into either a wellspring of creative repair or a dismal continuation of recent mediocrity, studios are taking the time to cloud the sci-fi genre periphery with their similarly fantastical projects. As such, what better time to usher in a prime addition to that mix-and-match development style, as Warner Bros aims to revitalize Homer's text with a new space “Odyssey.” Having thoroughly attempted such recent sword-and-sandal epics as “Troy” and “Alexander,” Deadline reports WB has been swayed via a pitch by young writer James Dilapo -- seen on last year's Black List with his script “Devils at Play” -- to opt for an upgrade in footwear with a version of Homer's “The Odyssey” set in space. The idea originated with 1821 Pictures' Terry Douglas and his partner Paris Kasidokostas (“The Box”), who brought it to the studio as a project with Brad Pitt...

First Moby Dick, now The Odyssey. What other classics will be heading to space? We first heard several months ago that Lynn Ramsay was developing a science-fiction version of Herman Melville's Moby Dick, intended to be "a psychological action thriller set in deep space, [where] a captain consumed by revenge takes his crew on a death mission fueled by his own ego and will to control an enigmatic alien." And now Warner Bros. has announced (via Deadline) that it's developing a science-fiction version of Homer's The Odyssey. It's being eyed as a franchise -- of course -- and young James Dilapo has been hired to write the script, based on his pitch, which was, in turn, based on an idea by producer Terry Douglas. (Evidently...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Warner Bros has just hired James Dilapo (Devils At Play) to bring Homer's "The Odyssey" to the big screen. But instead of making a Greek epic, the new film will take place in space and in the future. "The Odyssey" is Homer's follow-up to "The Illiad," which the studio turned into "Troy," which was directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starred Brad Pitt as Achilles. "The Odyssey" tracks the struggle of Odysseus to return from the Trojan War as men line up to marry his wife and live off his estate. Producer Terry Dougas (Machete Kills) came up with the idea of setting the tale in space and had Pitt attached to the project at one point. The actor is no longer on board.

Homer’s The Odyssey is one of the greatest works of classic literature. It’s got a cyclops, a witch-goddess, and an army of giant cannibals. So what could possibly make such an epic tale even better? Space.

Or at least that’s what Warner Bros. is banking on. The studio recently hired screenwriter James Dilapo to pen a sci-fi version of the story with the hope of launching a new franchise.

Deadline was the first to break the story of the new Odyssey, which is being produced by Terry Dougas and Paris Kasidokostas Latsis of 1821 Pictures, as well as David Heyman, who produced the Harry Potter series.

For those unfamiliar with the classic, The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus, a warrior trying to make his way home after ...

Click to continue reading Warner Bros. Planning ‘The Odyssey’ in Space...

Warner Bros. Pictures is planning an outer space set version of Greek author Homer's "The Odyssey." James Dilapo ("Devils At Play") has just come onboard pen the script.

Set directly after the events of "The Illiad" (which Warners adapted into 2004's "Troy"), "The Odyssey" follows Odysseus' decade-long journey from the Trojan War to his homeland of Ithaca in Greece - a long journey due to his enraging of the god Poseidon.

Along the way he encounters various challenges - an angry Cyclops, the sorceress Circe who turns half his men into pigs, the treacherous songs of the Sirens, giant stone-throwing cannibals, the narrow passage between the many-headed monster Scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis, shipwrecks, nymphs and rival suitors for his wife and son.

Over the years the work has been translated onto film and TV many times and has been used as inspiration for features like "O Brother Where...

More than four years ago, Brad Pitt and Warner Bros. messed with the idea of doing The Odyssey the way Homer always wanted it done, which was as a sci-fi epic set in space. In the dawn of this post-Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter world, the project is back on the docket, sans Pitt and being written by 2012 Black List honoree James Dilapo. If this goes well, we're dying to see Beowulf: Spacewulf and The Merchant of Venus.

Warner Bros. has plans to develop an adaptation of Homer's Greek epic The Odyssey that will be set in space. The studio has hired writer James Dilapo to provide the screenplay.

The ancient Greek poet and storyteller's epic centers on King Odysseus, who after returning from the Trojan War, finds suitors lined up to claim his throne. The story is a sequel to The Illiad, which Wolfgang Petersen adapted into Troy in 2004.

The idea to take it into space was an idea brought to the table by 1821 Pictures' Terry Dougas and Paris Kasidokostas Latsis. Brad Pitt was once in talks to star, but nothing is confirmed as of yet.

No production schedule has been released.

I am baffled that Hollywood has yet to film the definitive version of The Odyssey, settling for that 1997 TV miniseries.  Homer's epic poem is filled with cinematic set pieces---given the public domain status, it seems natural that some cunning studio would have filmed The Odyssey in 3D, split it into a two parts, and made a fortune by now.  Warner Bros. is currently developing an adaptation, but not quite the definitive version I imagined.  Instead, based on a pitch by Terry Douglas, this Odyssey is set in space.  That is actually a neat sci-fi twist that should play well with the creatures and supernatural elements of Greek mythology in the story.  I want to see this version, too, but hope it encourages a traditional adaptation rather than replace it. Deadline reports WB hired James Dilapo to write the script.  Douglas will produce alongside Paris Kasidokostas Latsis (The Box), David Heyman...

Once in a while, we hear tell of a project that sees a classic tale being given an update. More often than not, it seems a studio has the idea to take some ancient tale and give it a sci-fi spin. The latest example is Homer’s The Odyssey, which Warner Bros. has once more decided would make for a great adventure set in space.James Dilapo, who has one unproduced script – Black List Soviet drama Devils At Play – to his name so far, has been hired to write the futuristic re-imagining of the Greek epic.Sadly, we're not talking about a mega-budget live-action version of classic '80s 'toon Ulysses 31. No details have yet been released about the new movie’s take on Homer’s follow-up to The Iliad (which formed the basis for Wolfgang Petersen’s Troy in 2004). But The Odyssey follows Odysseus’ long, difficult journey to return...

Homer's great epic of Odysseus making his way back home is making its way back to the big screen - only this time the adventure is going to be in the stars as opposed to on the high seas. Warner Bros. is now developing a new adaptation of The Odyssey with a sci-fi spin and have now found the writer to pen it. Deadline reports that first-time writer James Dilapo has been brought aboard to script the new version of hte story, which was brought to the studio by Terry Dougas of 1821 Pictures and Paris Kasidokostas Latsis. For those unaware of the story, the original book is about the Greek hero Odysseus who faces all sorts of perils while trying to make his way back home after the Battle of Troy (which they won with the help of the infamous Trojan Horse). The article doesn't mention any specifics about...

Homer's classic tale The Odyessy is getting a big screen adaptation by Warner Bros., but it's going to have a fun major twist. The studio is looking to turn the classic story into a futuristic sci-fi space adventure, and they've hired screenwriter James Dilapo to make it happen. Dilapo is a recent college graduate from Nyu, and this would be one of his first big feature film writing gigs. Let's hope he can pull it off! 

The project was first announced way back in 2008 when the studio set Brad Pitt to star in it. I seriously doubt he's still attached to it though after all this time has passed, but I guess the studio thinks that now is the right time start digging in and developing it. 

The original story follows the Greek hero Odysseus and his journey home after the fall of Troy. It takes Odysseus ten years...

Warner Bros is moving forward with the development of a futuristic retelling of Homer's The Odyssey. Writer James Dilapo has been tapped to pen the screenplay, based on the Greek epic poem about a warrior who contends with a series of obstacles on a decades long journey back home. It follows the epic poem about the Trojan War, The Illiad. Deadline reports that 1821 Pictures executive Terry Douglas came up with the concept of setting the ancient tale in space in the (more)...

Exclusive: Here’s one Homer surely didn’t see coming. Warner Bros is making The Odyssey, dropping the togas and setting it in space. The studio has just hired James Dilapo to write the futuristic re-imagining of the Greek epic. Warner Bros has also put in place a blind writing deal behind the project to keep him in the studio fold. The Odyssey is Homer’s followup to The Illiad, which the studio turned into the Wolfgang Petersen-directed Troy, which starred Brad Pitt as Achilles. The Odyssey tracks the struggle of Odysseus to return from those wars, as suitors line up to marry his wife, and sponge off his estate as they wait for her to make a decision. Terry Dougas of 1821 Pictures hatched the idea of setting the tale in space and he and cohort Paris Kasidokostas Latsis brought the idea to the studio. Brad Pitt was once...

It seems we will be getting a space-faring take on Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey. According to the ever-reliable Deadline, Warner Bros. have hired James Dilapo to work on a script, but don't reveal any other details for now. The Odyssey is Homer's follow up to The Iliad (adapted loosely for the big screen as Troy with Brad Pitt) and follows Odysseus (played in that movie by Sean Bean) as he returns home from the battle, encountering many adventures an dangers on the way including a giant cyclops. This actually wouldn't be the first sci-fi take on the story, as we had the Franco-Japanese animated television series Ulysses 31 back in 1981 - Ulysses being Latin for Odysseus. It was actually a pretty great little series, so WB could do worse than to look to it for influence.

Deadline is reporting that Warner Bros. is turning to Greek author Homer for the first time since the Brad Pitt action epic Troy , based on his classic "The Illiad," for a new project based on Homer's The Odyssey that will be transplanted into outer space by writer James Dilapo, whose screenplay for the period thriller Devils At Play made the 2012 Black List. The original story follows King Odysseus as he returns from the Trojan War depicted in "The Iliad" to find his wife being married off to prospective suitors. While Brad Pitt was once attached to star in this different take on Homer's epic, he is no longer a part of the equation. The project is the brainchild of 1821 Pictures' Terry Dougas and Paris Kadsidokostas Latsis who will produce the film...

Every year, film executive Franklin Leonard releases his list, called The Black List, of most-liked unproduced screenplays in Hollywood. This year's list was compiled from the suggestions of 290 film executives, each of whom picked up to ten of their favorite scripts. Since the list started in 2004, many screenplays ended up being turned into films. In 2005, two of the top three scripts were "Lars and the Real Girl" which was nominated for Best Original Screenplay Oscar, and "Juno" which actually won the Oscar. See the 2012 Black List below, broken up by how many votes each screenplay received. Some of the projects are already in the works. 65 - Draft Day (Rajiv Joseph, Scott Rothman) On the day of the NFL Draft, Bills General Manager Sonny Weaver has the opportunity to save football in Buffalo when he trades for the number one pick. He must quickly decide what he's willing to sacrifice in...

There is either a couple of football fans or Jerry Maguire/Moneyball with this year’s most liked unproduced screenplay. Close to 300 hundred film executives provided with the Black List creators a top ten of their favorite screenplays of the year and the consensus first overall pick (with 65 votes) comes from the recently featured in Variety (10 Screenwriters to Watch 2012) tandem of Rajiv Joseph & Scott Rothman and their drama which has nothing to do with enlisting in the armed forces. Draft Day – about the day in the life of a fictitious Buffalo Bills Gm appears to currently be in turnaround — which only means I expect to see this greenlight perhaps a little later than sooner – worth noting: top spot almost guarantees that the film will indeed go into production (2006, 2010 and 2011 are the exceptions.) Among the more alluring logline subjects we find on the list, I’d be keen on reading the...

Twitter is truly the place for breaking news.

This morning, @TheBlckLst tweeted out the annual honorees for the prestigious 2012 Black List – a survey put together by Hollywood executives that determine the best unproduced screenplays. Past titles have included Slumdog Millionaire and The King’s Speech. More than 290 executives participated in this year’s survey.

This marks the first time the list — which has been announced annually since 2005 — was released via Twitter. According to the feed, 37.1% of the 78 scripts on this year’s list do not yet have a producer attached, and 69.2% of the scripts on this year’s list do...

Today, it was announced that screenwriter Billy Ray will deliver the keynote address at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting ceremony on Thursday, November 8, at the Beverly Wilshire. Ray, who co-wrote this summer’s “The Hunger Games,” also wrote and directed “Breach” (2007) and “Shattered Glass” (2003). He is the writer of “Captain Phillips,” starring Tom Hanks, which is scheduled for release in 2013. The Academy annually awards up to five Nicholl fellowships of $35,000 each. This year’s recipients are: -Nikole Beckwith, Brooklyn, NY, “Stockholm, Pennsylvania” -Sean Robert Daniels, Laezonia, Gauteng, South Africa, “Killers” -James Dilapo, New York City, NY, “Devils at Play” -Allan Durand, Lafayette, La, “Willie Francis Must [ Read More ]

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