From the trades:
Warner Bros. has staked "Get Smart" director Peter Segal and his Callahan Filmworks partner Michael Ewing to a three-year first-look deal.
Segal and Ewing kick off the pact with "Liam McBain: International Tennis Star and Proper English Geezer," a Chip Hall-scripted spec. Segal will develop to direct a film that follows the rise, fall and ultimate redemption of a fictional British tennis star of the '80s.
As part of the deal, WB has also acquired the John August-scripted "Captain Marvel"; Segal will direct the DC Comics adaptation. He and Ewing began working on the film two years ago at New Line, but the property has moved over to WB. Pic tells the story of teenaged Billy Batson, who transforms into the superhero when he says the word "Shazam!"
Segal and Ewing met on "Naked Gun 33 1/3" and formed a company named after the auto parts company in the Segal-directed 1995 Chris Farley comedy "Tommy Boy." Their last deal was at Paramount, where Segal directed "The Longest Yard" remake.
Deal comes as Segal prepares to direct a sequel to "Get Smart" for WB and Village Roadshow Pictures. Ewing was a producer of the original pic, along with Chuck Roven, Alex Gartner and Andrew Lazar. Segal was an executive producer.
Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember returned to write the sequel script, and the film is expected to shoot next year, depending upon the availability of Steve Carell, who'll return with Anne Hathaway and Alan Arkin.
No mention of Dwayne Johnson (Jesus dude, will you just go back to being The Rock? So much cooler) as still being a part of Shazam. Guess we'll have to wait and see.
