Back in October James Cameron entered talks with Sony to direct an adaptation of the Stacy Schiff book Cleopatra: A Life with Angelina Jolie in the lead role. Less than 2 weeks later 20th Century Fox signed a deal with Cameron to direct Avatar 2 and 3 back-to-back. His scare tactic worked.

With that out of the way, Sony is now talking with a number of other directors with the aim of getting the Egyptian epic off the ground later this year.

Producer Scott Rudin recently spoke to Deadline about the project:

Rudin isn’t spilling but we hear that the filmmakers “like the idea” of the much respected Paul Greengrass although his name hasn’t even been mentioned yet to Angie who’s attached.

“It is a completely revisionist Cleopatra, a much more grown-up sophisticated version,” Rudin recently told Mike Fleming. “She’s not a sex kitten, she’s a politician, strategist, warrior. In the Joseph Mankiewicz movie, Elizabeth Taylor is a seductress, but the histories of Cleopatra have been written by men. This is the first to be written by a woman. It felt like such a blow-the-doors-off-the-hinges idea of how to tell it, impossible to resist. We’re pretty close. A lot of directors want to do it, but there is only a handful we’ll make it with.”

Sony has been hoping for a start date in 2011 and readily acknowledges that the pic “won’t be cheap”. In fact, Amy Pascal is calling this her Gone With The Wind epic.

Greengrass would be an interesting choice, mainly because we haven’t really seen Ancient Egypt get the shaky-cam treatment yet. The historical epics we saw earlier in the decade such as Gladiator and Troy have died down in recent years, so an expensive one with a female lead will be a risk.

Even though The Tourist made little impact at the box office Angelina Jolie can bring in the crowds with action movies (Salt, Wanted), and if this gets made it will probably be her defining role regardless of whether it is a grand epic or an epic failure.

Are you interested in seeing Jolie play Cleopatra? Who should direct?

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According to Deadline Universal has hired Tony Gilroy to write the script for Bourne 4. Gilroy has worked on all the past Bourne scripts and has been called “the key screenwriter” behind the Bourne franchise, so it looks like it is in good hands.

Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley are back to produce and Universal are aiming to release the film sometime in 2012. No word yet on whether Matt Damon or Paul Greengrass will be back, however.

Greengrass announced in December that he would not be returning to direct the fourth film, with speculation that it was due to a rift between Universal and himself over the hiring of writer Josh Zetumer. Matt Damon said he wouldn’t do it without Greengrass, and in February the actor said “there’ll probably be a prequel of some kind with another actor and another director before we do another one.”

I’m guessing Universal would prefer to get Greengrass and Damon back, although they may end up hiring another actor/director combo if the duo decides against returning. Greengrass has nothing lined up at the moment (so far as we know) having recently decided against directing a remake of the 1966 sci-fi movie Fantastic Voyage for James Cameron.

Do you want to see Greengrass/Damon return for Bourne 4, or would you be more interested in a prequel/reboot?

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According to Deadline Bourne director Paul Greengrass will not be directing a 3D remake of the 1966 sci-fi movie Fantastic Voyage.

Last month we heard Greengrass was talking with Avatar director James Cameron and producer Jon Landau who are producing the film with 20th Century Fox. Landau said “Paul and we want to date a little bit before we put on the ring”, but it seems the date didn’t go as planned.

The plot, while a bit strange, does seem quite interesting. The storyline centers on a dying scientist whose only chance for survival rests with five colleagues who are miniaturized and injected into his bloodstream. It would have been something different for Greengrass who is known for his serious and gritty films such as United 93 and the Bourne films.

The director will instead focus on a stylized adaptation of Treasure Island that Sherlock Holmes producer Lionel Wigram is working on at Warner Bros.

Cameron and Landau are now looking for a different director to take on Fantastic Voyage.

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Earlier this month it was reported that Bourne director Paul Greengrass was in talks with 20th Century Fox to direct a 3D remake of the 1966 sci-fi movie Fantastic Voyage. The film will be produced by Avatar director James Cameron and his production company Lightstorm Entertainment, along with producer Jon Landau.

The plot, while a bit strange, does seem quite interesting. The storyline centers on a dying scientist whose only chance for survival rests with five colleagues who are miniaturized and injected into his bloodstream. While promoting Avatar on DVD/Blu-ray Landau spoke more about the film, and Greengrass’ involvement.

From Sci-Fi Wire:

“We had a very good conversation with Paul yesterday,” Landau said, “We’re still progressing along that.”

“I think for certain scenes [he will use handheld cameras],” Landau said. “What Paul likes about the movie is that it gives him an opportunity to do something that he hasn’t really done that much of, designing this world and playing to that. You take Titanic and say, ‘Does it give Jim Cameron an opportunity to bring his action sensibility to a period drama?’ And it did. So I think Paul bringing that style but adapting it, Paul’s a smart, smart guy. He’ll do a great job on that movie.”

Nothing is final yet for Fantastic Voyage while Greengrass, Cameron and Landau are feeling each other out. “When you hire a director on a movie, it’s like a marriage,” Landau said. “I think Paul and we want to date a little bit before we put on the ring.”

The adventure-fantasy will be something new for Greengrass, who is known for his serious and gritty films such as United 93 and the Bourne films. Once the trio have finished bonding (not Na’vi style I hope) we should get more news on this as it moves forward. I’m always up for new and different sci-fi films (even if it is a remake).

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According to Variety Green Zone director Paul Greengrass is in talks to direct Fantastic Voyage for 20th Century Fox. The film will be produced by Avatar director James Cameron and his production company Lightstorm Entertainment.

The adventure-fantasy will be something new for Greengrass, who is known for his serious and gritty films such as United 93 and the Bourne films. Greengrass passed on making a fourth Bourne last year and his latest movie, Green Zone, was released earlier this month.

“Fantastic Voyage” will be shot in 3D, using the same technologies Cameron and Jon Landau’s Lightstorm developed for “Avatar.” Cameron is one of the producers on the sci-fi project.

Fox considers “Fantastic Voyage” a big event property. Already onboard to adapt the remake of the 1966 sci-fi pic is Shane Salerno (“Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem).

Storyline centers on a dying scientist whose only chance for survival rests with five colleagues who are miniaturized and injected into his bloodstream.

The plot, while a bit strange, does seem quite interesting. Green Zone has underperformed at the box office (earning only $60 million so far on a $100 million budget) and it is also Greengrass’ worst reviewed film to date, so maybe a change in direction is what the director needs. No casting for the film has been announced yet, although he has worked with Matt Damon a lot over recent years so the actor may come on-board if there is a role for him.

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Yesterday we learned that The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum director Paul Greengrass would not be returning to direct Bourne 4, and there was speculation that it was due to a rift between Universal and himself over the hiring of writer Josh Zetumer. Well a statement from Greengrass was released by Universal and in it he explained his reasons for leaving.

“Jason Bourne existed before me and will continue, and I hope to remain involved in some capacity as the series moves on,” said Greengrass in a statement released by Universal on Tuesday. “You won’t find a more devoted supporter of the ‘Bourne’ franchise than me.”

“I will always be grateful to have been the caretaker to Jason Bourne over the course of ‘The Bourne Supremacy’ and ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’”, Greengrass said. “I’m very proud of those films and feel they express everything I most passionately believe about the possibility of making quality movies in the mainstream.

“My decision to not return a third time as director is simply about feeling the call for a different challenge. There’s been no disagreement with Universal Pictures. The opportunity to work with the Bourne family again is a difficult thing to pass up, but we have discussed this together and they have been incredibly understanding and supportive. I’ve been lucky enough to have made four films for Universal, and our relationship continues.”

Variety speculate that if Matt Damon is happy with Bourne 3 writer George Nolfi, who left writing duties on Bourne 4 to direct The Adjustment Bureau which also stars Damon, then Nolfi may be a candidate to direct the next Bourne instalment. They also think that Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote Bourne 3 and directed Duplicity which starred Julia Roberts and Clive Owen, may also have a chance of directing.

Alternately, Universal could reboot the franchise. Just about every other franchise is being rebooted nowadays so there’s nothing stopping them. I’m sure they’d prefer Matt Damon to return though.

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Back in April we heard that Universal were aiming for Bourne 4 to hit the big screen in summer 2011 and a script was being written by George Nolf, co-writer of The Bourne Ultimatum. However, according to The Playlist the hiring of a new writer a few months ago, Josh Zetumer, may have annoyed director Paul Greengrass, as he has apparently left the project.

Greengrass, who has been busy toiling away on “Green Zone,” was not consulted by Universal in the hiring of a new writer. This obviously did not make him happy, but that’s only part of the issue that’s been ongoing for some time.

Matt Damon has already said that “Green Zone,” another Universal film that Greengrass directed, cost $100 million to make. But the price tag of this Iraq War-set thriller is actually close to $150 million — Greengrass has reshot several times (gets expensive) and has been tinkering away in the editing room for months spending Universal’s money and testing their patience.

Considering everything Greengrass did with the Bourne franchise, he hasn’t been happy how he’s been treated on “Green Zone” and how hard the studio has been riding him. It seems like the straw has finally broken the camel’s back.

So right now, they’re citing “creative differences” and we expect this to hit the trades at any moment.

It’s unlikely that Matt Damon would do Bourne 4 without Greengrass so it’s pretty unlikely the film with go ahead. Unless, of course, Universal and Greengrass kiss and make up.

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Yahoo! have released the first trailer for Green Zone which stars Matt Damon as a warrant officer who helps a senior CIA officer in the search for weapons of mass destruction. Yes, this is an Iraq film. A $100 million Iraq film to be exact, which was a risky move from Universal as these types of films haven’t exactly blown up the box office.

Damon is reunited with Paul Greengrass who directed him in The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, and as a result it has a Bourne vibe to it. Watch below:

Green Zone will be released next March.

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Frank Marshall, producer of the Bourne trilogy, updated his Twitter profile with the following messages:

Bourne4 is in the works for Summer 2011…

George Nolfi is the writer of Bourne4, should have a draft by June.

If they keep on target this would mean Bourne 4 should start filming sometime next year. Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass have already signed up to return, and George Nolfi wrote The Bourne Ultimatum so we can expect a film as good as the previous ones.

With producers, directors and actors revealing information on Twitter we can expect more of these mini updates.

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Universal have got themselves the exclusive rights to the Jason Bourne character and first look at other Robert Ludlum novels, according to Variety.

The deal with Ludlum Entertainment paves the way for more installments in the Bourne saga, which was originally envisioned as a three-picture series but has become Universal’s answer to James Bond.

After the first three films grossed a total of more than $1 billion worldwide, Universal signed Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass for a fourth film that George Nolfi is writing. The film is expected to be readied for the summer of 2010.

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