Par aiming at pair for 'Shooter'
Wahlberg focuses on 'Shooter'
Feb 23, 2006
Mark Wahlberg has signed on to topline and Antoine Fuqua is on board to helm the political thriller "Shooter" for Paramount Pictures. Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing through his Paramount-based shingle di Bonaventura Pictures.
Based on Stephen Hunter's novel "Point of Impact," published by Bantam Books in 1993, the story centers on an ace marksman -- living in self-exile in the Arkansas wilderness after causing the death of an innocent person -- who is persuaded by his former associates that they need his help to prevent an assassination and who is subsequently double-crossed and framed for the presidential assassination he was trying to prevent. He is forced to go on the run while trying to track down the real killer and discover the truth about who betrayed him.
The studio is eyeing a June start date. Jonathan Lemkin penned the screenplay.
The film will reteam Wahlberg and producer di Bonaventura, who collaborated on the sleeper summer hit "Four Brothers," which grossed nearly $75 million for Paramount.
Paramount's Brad Weston is shepherding for the studio.
Wahlberg, whose credits include "The Italian Job," "Planet of the Apes" and "Three Kings," next appears in Martin Scorsese's "The Departed." He is repped by Endeavor, manager Steve Levinson and attorney Jason Sloane.
Fuqua was attached to direct "By Any Means Necessary," another di Bonaventura-produced thriller for Paramount. That project appears to be on the back burner now that "Shooter" has been fast-tracked.
Fuqua has been developing several of his own projects via his company, Fuqua Films, and recently closed a deal with HBO to air "Bastards of the Party," a feature-length documentary about the history of gang violence in Los Angeles. His feature film helming credits include "Training Day" and "King Arthur." He is repped by CAA and attorneys Barry Hirsch and Bob Wallerstein.
Based on Stephen Hunter's novel "Point of Impact," published by Bantam Books in 1993, the story centers on an ace marksman -- living in self-exile in the Arkansas wilderness after causing the death of an innocent person -- who is persuaded by his former associates that they need his help to prevent an assassination and who is subsequently double-crossed and framed for the presidential assassination he was trying to prevent. He is forced to go on the run while trying to track down the real killer and discover the truth about who betrayed him.
The studio is eyeing a June start date. Jonathan Lemkin penned the screenplay.
The film will reteam Wahlberg and producer di Bonaventura, who collaborated on the sleeper summer hit "Four Brothers," which grossed nearly $75 million for Paramount.
Paramount's Brad Weston is shepherding for the studio.
Wahlberg, whose credits include "The Italian Job," "Planet of the Apes" and "Three Kings," next appears in Martin Scorsese's "The Departed." He is repped by Endeavor, manager Steve Levinson and attorney Jason Sloane.
Fuqua was attached to direct "By Any Means Necessary," another di Bonaventura-produced thriller for Paramount. That project appears to be on the back burner now that "Shooter" has been fast-tracked.
Fuqua has been developing several of his own projects via his company, Fuqua Films, and recently closed a deal with HBO to air "Bastards of the Party," a feature-length documentary about the history of gang violence in Los Angeles. His feature film helming credits include "Training Day" and "King Arthur." He is repped by CAA and attorneys Barry Hirsch and Bob Wallerstein.
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