Film Version Of ‘Lost World’ To Be Directed By Spielberg
Steven Spielberg, whose “Jurassic Park” is the top worldwide grossing film in movie history, has signed on to direct the movie of Michael Crichton’s sequel “The Lost World,” which has nestled in the top spot on the best-seller lists since the book was published on Sept. 28.
The film, a co-production of Universal Pictures and Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, is expected to start shooting sometime in the second half of 1996 for a 1997 release. David Koepp, who co-wrote the screenplay for “Jurassic Park” with Crichton, will write the screenplay. No cast has been set.
“The Lost World,” which has more than 2 million copies in print, is the fastest-selling novel in the history of Alfred A. Knopf. The tag line on the book jacket reads: “Something has survived” - a reference to the fact that dinosaurs are once again running loose on a remote island off the coast of Costa Rica.
“Jurassic Park,” which grossed more than $913 million since it was released in 1993, also set records in home video, where it holds the title of the top-selling live action motion picture of all time. “Jurassic Park - The Ride,” a multimillion-dollar theme park attraction, is scheduled to open at Universal Studios Hollywood for the summer of 1996.
Spielberg, who was awarded the prestigious Irving R. Thalberg Award at the Academy Award ceremonies in 1987, has directed or produced seven of the top 20 movies of all time.
‘Gothic’ out; ‘South,’ ‘Murder’ in
CBS said Wednesday it will take its weird-but-unwatched “American Gothic” off the air for a rest next month, part of a revamp of its weak Friday night schedule.
Starting Dec. 8, two familiar comedy/cop dramas, “Due South” and “Diagnosis Murder,” will return to the air at 8 and 9, respectively, while “Picket Fences” moves from 9 to 10, replacing “Gothic.” The changes would indicate CBS is trying to lure back the older audience that this fall learned it was no longer welcome at the network.
CBS has ordered eight episodes of “Due South,” the story of a Canadian Mountie working the mean streets of Chicago as a cop. Despite being iced by CBS during last spring’s schedule-setting season, “Due South” has remained in production because it has a commitment from CTV in Canada as well as sales to 62 other countries.
“Diagnosis Murder” was picked up for CBS for this season, and has been waiting in the wings since fall. The show, in its third season, stars Dick Van Dyke as a crime-solving physician who now works out of his beach house.
The network had earlier removed two comedies aimed at the younger crowd, “Dweebs” and “The Bonnie Hunt Show,” from the Friday night 8-9 time slot. Through last Sunday, “Gothic” had ranked 76th among 120 series since the season began on the four networks; “Fences” was 80th, “Dweebs” 92nd and Bonnie 98th.
‘Pursuit of Happiness’ spiked
NBC has bid adieu for the time being to “Pursuit of Happiness” following Tuesday’s dismal showing in the 9 p.m. time slot.
Besides having the sitcom’s lowest ratings to date, “Pursuit” only held on to 58 percent of its “Frasier” lead-in - its lowest performance to date, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co.
NBC had already planned to preempt “Pursuit” later in the sweeps to air “Friends” and “Frasier” reruns in the slot; after Tuesday’s telecast, the network decided to air an episode of “The John Larroquette Show” in the slot next week.