• Actor Edward Norton and director Spike Lee The 25th Hour
• Michael Clarke Duncan to 'Daredevil'
• Toy Men, Vince Vaughn and David Dobkin
• Joel and Ethan Coen redo Brit crime caper "Gambit"
• Jude Law, Cruz Make Entries In Mamet's "Diary"
• "Ghost World" director spins to "Bad Santa" comedy
• Remake Rights To Spanish Thriller Intacto To Buena Vista
• Legal; Universal Scores Order Against "Rollerball" Ads
• Legal; Winnie the Pooh heads for court
• Studio Pix Offer Competition To DVD Format
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Actor Edward Norton and director Spike Lee The 25th Hour

Actor Edward Norton and director Spike Lee are teaming for the first time on a big-screen adaptation of David Benioff's novel "The 25th Hour," which the Walt Disney Co. is coming aboard to finance and distribute. Production begins in May in New York.

The low-budget project will be produced by Nick Wechsler of Industry Entertainment, which manages Benioff, and Lee's longtime associate Jon Kilick.

First-time author Benioff also adapted the screenplay, which depicts the last day of freedom for a young man before he begins serving a seven-year jail term for drug dealing. Prowling through the city until dawn with his two close male friends and his girlfriend, he is forced to re-examine his life and how he got himself into his predicament, which leads to a shocking, disturbing finale.

Book Description: (buy this book) An absorbing novel of crime, its terrifying consequences, and a bond that redefines the friendship of three restless young men. Wall Street speculators, the Manhattan downtown club scene, Russian gangsters, immigrant neighborhoods - all the elements in the urban turf of this finely crafted contemporary crime novel wed danger with excitement and possibility. They're the rewards that Monty Brogan, who stands at the center of the moral glare in this tale, has already lost, just as he's lost his Corvette, and the "sway" that opened the doors of exclusive night spots and guaranteed him courtside seats at Madison Square Garden. Tomorrow Monty's travels by bus, to the federal prison in Otisville, for seven years. He's afraid, and all he'd ever really wanted when he grew up was to be a fireman. With the pulse of the city in its prose, this debut novel follows Monty through the twenty-four hours of his last day out. At the same time, it illuminates the worlds, and souls, of his two best friends: Frank Slattery, an edgy bond trader who gambles daily with financial ruin, and Jakob Elinsky, an English teacher who clings to illusions as he compromises his ideals. Friends since their high school days, the three of them nostalgically share a past, but warily they confront a future that can no longer accommodate their adolescent dreams. They meet. They drink, and talk, go clubbing, dance, drink, and remember. What neither Slattery nor Jakob know, however, is that Monty has a plan. It's a shocker.

About the Author :David Benioff has written articles and stories for GQ, Seventeen, and Zoetrope, and anthologies that include The Ex-Files and Best New American Voices 2000

Norton is repped by Endeavor. Lee and Benioff are repped by WMA. Benioff recently sold the supernatural thriller "Stay" to Regency Enterprises for more than $1 million.

Kilick's association with Lee began with 1989's "Do the Right Thing" and was renewed most recently with 2000's "Bamboozled." Wechsler and Industry most recently produced "15 Minutes."

Michael Clarke Duncan to 'Daredevil'

Michael Clarke Duncan has joined Ben Affleck, Colin Farrell and Jennifer Garner in 20th Century Fox/Regency Enterprises' live-action adaptation of the Marvel comic book "Daredevil" for writer-director Mark Steven Johnson. Shooting starts March 25.

"Daredevil" centers on attorney Matt Murdock, who was blinded in a freak accident involving a radioactive transport truck. At the same time, his other senses were enhanced, giving him a secret edge and allowing the blind superhero to battle crime using his heightened awareness and special powers. In the project, Duncan plays one of the most powerful men in New York, a criminal mastermind named Wilson Fisk who cloaks his illegal activities under the guise of a legitimate business.

Garner stars as Elektra, while Farrell plays the role of Bullseye, the villain. The last lead role of Foggy is expected to be filled soon.

Producing "Daredevil" are Gary Foster ("The Score"), Marvel's Avi Arad and executive producer Stan Lee. Regency is fully financing "Daredevil," with Fox handling distribution. Johnson wrote the screenplay.

Duncan is in front of the cameras on the independent feature "George and the Dragon." He next stars in Universal Pictures' "The Scorpion King." He is repped by the Gersh Agency, Dolores Robinson and attorney Nina Shaw of Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka & Finkelstein.

Toy Men, Vince Vaughn and David Dobkin

MGM is closing a deal to pick up the pitch "Toy Men" from actor-producer Vince Vaughn that "Clay Pigeons" helmer David Dobkin will direct.

The pitch, which Vaughn delivered to MGM executives last week based on his original idea, is an ensemble project about four hard-driving reps on the road who compete in the no-holds-barred arena of toy sales. When they zero in on a housewife who has come up with what could be a new best seller, one of the reps -- to be played by Vaughn -- brings his 11-year-old daughter to improve his chances to land the account.

"High Fidelity" scribe Steve Pink is attached to write the screenplay, but there is no deal yet, sources said.

Vaughn developed the pitch with Dobkin, who directed him in 1998's "Pigeons." Vaughn will produce with Mosaic Media Group, which has a first-look deal at the studio. Mosaic principal Eric Gold brought the project in with vp production Garby Leon.

Vaughn, repped by UTA and attorney Debbie Klein at Barnes, Morris, Klein, Mark & Yorn, most recently has produced and starred in Artisan Entertainment's "Made" and starred in Paramount Pictures' "Domestic Disturbance." He is before the cameras on the DreamWorks/Montecito Pictures production "Old School," directed by Todd Phillips.

Dobkin is repped by UTA and manager Daniel Rappaport at 3 Arts Entertainment. He next directs "Shanghai Knights," follow-up to the Jackie Chan-Owen Wilson starrer "Shanghai Noon."

Pink is repped by WMA. His other credits include scripting "Grosse Pointe Blank."

Joel and Ethan Coen redo Brit crime caper "Gambit"

 Joel and Ethan Coen are negotiating a seven-figure deal to write an update of the 1966 British caper comedy "Gambit," which will be fashioned as a potential starring vehicle for Hugh Grant.

"Gambit" revolves around a British thief who conspires with a beautiful woman to rob a rich guy of his expensive statue; heist is imperiled by a series of double-crosses. The original starred Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine.

Producer Michael Lobell has been trying to get the remake off the ground for four years. The Universal Pictures project attracted strong writers, whose careers took off before they could get the script done. One was Aaron Sorkin, who signed a deal contingent on pickups of his two pilots. One was "Sports Night," the other was "The West Wing," and he never wrote a word of "Gambit."

The Coens sparked to the original film and, though a deal is still being finalized by their reps at the United Talent Agency, they will likely begin writing immediately.

They are set to direct their rewrite of "Intolerable Cruelty" at Universal with George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones but must wait for Clooney to complete his directorial debut, Miramax comedy "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." The brothers are currently in theaters with "The Man Who Wasn't There."  There is no deal with Grant, who is waiting to see the script.

Jude Law, Cruz Make Entries In Mamet's "Diary"

Jude Law is negotiating to star in "Diary of a Young London Physician," writer/director David Mamet's take on the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story.

Law, who'll play the doc and his alter ego in the period drama, is near a deal that will pay him an advance of about $7 million against a share of gross revenues. Penelope Cruz is also in early talks to play the female lead. The Warner Bros. film is expected to begin production in late spring.

Law will next be seen starring with Tom Hanks and Paul Newman in the Sam Mendes-directed "The Road to Perdition," which will be released July 19. Cruz most recently starred with Tom Cruise in Cameron Crowe's "Vanilla Sky."

"Ghost World" director spins to "Bad Santa" comedy

Dimension Films is getting into the Christmas spirit early this year. The studio moved swiftly Tuesday to pick up the seasonal comedy "Bad Santa" after it was put on the backburner by Working Title Films.

"Santa" centers around a pair of con men who masquerade as Santa and an elf, traveling to different malls each Christmas to rob them, until they meet an introverted 8-year-old who reminds them of the true meaning of Christmas.

It will be directed by Terry Zwigoff of "Ghost World" fame. Casting is expected to begin immediately ahead of a spring production start and a Christmas release. Joel and Ethan Coen will serve as executive producers.

Remake Rights To Spanish Thriller Intacto To Buena Vista

Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group (BVMPG) has bought the remake rights to Spanish thriller Intacto following its successful screening at the Sundance Film Festival where Lions Gate Films bought worldwide distribution rights.

The film, which marks the feature directorial debut of Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, follows a series of characters who test their luck in a series of high-risk games of chance. Max Von Sydow plays a Holocaust survivor whose protégé Eusebio Poncela abandons him. When Poncela discovers a plane crash survivor (Leonardo Sbaraglia), he thinks he will be his instrument of revenge but his plan is hindered by a dogged police investigator (Monica Lopez), herself the survivor of a car crash. Fresnadillo was Oscar nominated for his breakthrough short film Link in 1996. 

Intacto was brought into Disney by Alicia Keyes, the director of worldwide acquisitions at Buena Vista International, who negotiated remake rights from producer Fernando Bovaira, executive producer Enrique Lopez-Lavigne and Sunmin Park on behalf of Sogepaq.

Keyes will be production executive on the project with junior production executive Jill Morris and under the aegis of BVMPG president Nina Jacobson.

Legal; Universal Scores Order Against "Rollerball" Ads

A federal judge Tuesday barred Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. from running ads that say its upcoming movie "Rollerball" is from the same filmmakers behind rival studio Universal Picture's street-racing hit "The Fast and the Furious."

Universal, a unit of Vivendi Universal, sued MGM for false advertising and unfair competition on Monday, seeking to halt the ads. Universal claimed its efforts to develop "Fast and Furious" sequels could suffer from association with "Rollerball," which has gained a reputation as a troubled picture.

MGM reportedly postponed its release date for "Rollerball," a remake of a 1975 drama about a futuristic roller derby, from last August to February of this year after a rough cut of the film was panned by online film critic Harry Knowles.

In recent broadcast spots, "Rollerball" was touted as being "from the filmmakers that brought you 'The Fast and the Furious."'

Universal officials argue the promotional link to its "F&F" was misleading because neither the director nor the producers for "Rollerball" had director or producer credits on "F&F."

The closest connection between the films in terms of their creative pedigree is that John Pogue, one of two screenwriters for the "Rollerball" update, also was one of several producers credited for "Fast and Furious."

U.S. District Judge Howard Matz sided with Universal and issued a temporary restraining order.

MGM CONCEDED DEFEAT

MGM later insisted its ads were fair but conceded defeat in court.

"We believe our ad was 100-percent accurate and appropriate," an MGM spokeswoman said. "However, since the injunction only involves a couple of TV and radio spots that were scheduled to end on Friday anyway, we are not going to contest the court's ruling and of course will abide by it."

Insiders at the studio said the disputed spots represented less than 10 percent of the advertising campaign for "Rollerball."

In an unrelated movie-marketing dispute, MGM has cried foul over New Line Cinema's title for its upcoming third installment of the spy spoof franchise starring Mike Myers, "Austin Powers in Goldmember."

In response to MGM's complaint that "Goldmember" infringed on its James Bond franchise, an industry arbitration panel ruled last week that "Goldmember" was inadmissible, forcing New Line to withdraw movie trailers, posters and online promotions for the latest Austin Powers film. New Line, a unit of AOL Time Warner Inc., has said it would appeal the ruling.

"Goldmember" plays on the title of the third in the series of Bond films, the 1964 classic "Goldfinger" starring Sean Connery.

Legal; Winnie the Pooh heads for court

The weather is looking decidedly blustery in Hundred Aker Wood. Lawyers representing the family that owns the merchandising rights to Winnie the Pooh are stepping up their fight with Walt Disney, the entertainment group which has turned the English children's books into a huge multi-media franchise.

The Hollywood attorneys of New York literary agent Stephen Slesinger, which bought the rights from author AA Milne in 1929, have filed a suit to terminate Disney's licence and to claim damages for "hundreds of millions" of dollars.

The filing is an escalation of a decade-long battle between Mr Slesinger's family and Disney, which had previously focused on the payment of royalties. In what has become an acrimonious dispute, the Slesinger family has alleged that Disney has been withholding royalty checks since 1983.

In an earlier trial, the Florida-based family claimed it was owed $35m (£24m) from video, DVD and software sales. Walt Disney rejected the claim, insisting that the products in question were not covered by its agreement with the firm, Stephen Slesinger. The judgment from that case has not yet been made public.

Bert Fields, a lawyer representing Stephen Slesinger, said: "We are seeking damages in the hundreds of millions and we feel very confident."

The attorneys for the heirs said that Winnie the Pooh is now more valuable to Disney than Mickey Mouse. They claim the character drives about $4.5bn of Disney's $25bn annual revenues.

 Actors' awards tip Crowe and Spacek for Oscars

Nominations for the Screen Actors' Guild award appeared to confirm Russell Crowe and Sissy Spacek as narrow favorites for this year's Best Actor and Best Actress Oscars when they were announced last night.

Crowe is nominated for his role in A Beautiful Mind, with Spacek up for her turn in the acclaimed In the Bedroom. In the past, the SAG awards have established themselves as a reliable form guide for Academy glory.

This may prove to be bad news for some. The most notable omission from the SAG shortlist was Nicole Kidman, who was previously believed to be a strong contender after star performances in both The Others and Moulin Rouge last year.

Elsewhere, there were some surprise inclusions, most notably those of Kevin Kline and Sean Penn in the Best Actor category, and Renee Zellweger in the Best Actress nominations. None of these stars had been seriously considered as a possible Oscar winner this year. Until now, that is.

The SAG awards honors acting performances only. Its most prestigious award is therefore that of Best Ensemble Cast, SAG's equivalent of the Best Film Oscar. This year's nominees are The Lord of the Rings, Gosford Park, A Beautiful Mind, Moulin Rouge and In the Bedroom. The Best Actor nominees are Russell Crowe, Sean Penn (who plays a mentally disabled man in I am Sam), Denzel Washington (Training Day), Kevin Kline (for the generally ignored Life as a House) and Tom Wilkinson (In the Bedroom). The Best Actress award is between Spacek, Zellweger (for Bridget Jones's Diary), Halle Berry (Monster's Ball), Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) and Judi Dench (Iris).

Now in their eighth year, the SAG awards have already shown an eerie accuracy in picking the Oscar winners. In the previous seven outings, the winner of SAG's Best Actress gong has gone on to claim the Academy Award on five occasions. In the Best Actor category the strike rate is still more impressive, with the SAG winner being later anointed Oscar winner six times. The one exception was last year, when Benicio Del Toro won an SAG for Traffic, but missed out on the Best Actor Oscar. Even this could hardly qualify as a slap in the face. In the event Del Toro took the Best Supporting Actor award instead.

The SAG awards are announced on March 10, with the Academy Awards ceremony following exactly two weeks later.