Alcon Entertainment announced today that they have acquired the rights to an untitled screenplay written by newcomer Jack Paglen for Wally Pfister to direct, marking the Oscar-winning cinematographers directorial debut. Pre-production will start immediately while principal photography is set to begin early fall.
The screenplay, which is being kept under wraps, was developed by Straight Up Films, whose Company principals include Marisa Polvino, Kate Cohen and Regency Boies and Annie Marter.
Polvino, Cohen and Marter will produce along with Johnson and Kosove. Boies will co-produce.
Alcon co-founders and co-CEOs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove issued the following statement: “We have been talking to Wally about making his directorial debut with Alcon for over a decade since we all worked together on ‘Insomnia’. Wally is truly one of the most talented artists with whom we have ever collaborated. To now have the opportunity to work with Wally as a director on this truly remarkable project, is a company highlight for Alcon Entertainment.
Pfister is an Oscar winning cinematographer (for Inception) and is best known for his work on projects with Christopher Nolan. His collaboration with Nolan has spanned seven films, beginning in 1999 with Memento, and earning him 4 Oscar nominations.
While this is his first feature project, Pfister has been directing commercials for several years and gained notice for his powerful work on PSAs for “The Montana Meth Project” alongside the work of Directors Darren Aronofsky, Tony Kaye, and Alejandro Inarritu.
Pfister recently completed The Dark Knight Rises with Nolan and served as the cinematographer on last year’s best picture nominee, Moneyball.
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