Suicide pact? Al Pacino eyes Kevorkian biopic
Al Pacino is in negotiations to star in You Don’t Know Jack, a movie about convicted murderer Jack Kevorkian, the infamous advocate of doctor-assisted suicide.
Kevorkian, 81, also known as Dr. Death, assisted in more than 150 cases of suicide. He beat the state court system in Michigan numerous times, but was finally convicted of second-degree murder in 1999 after he videotaped a procedure for a terminally ill man, and sent the tape to “60 Minutes.”
He was given a 10- to 25-year sentence, but was paroled last June after serving just over eight years.
The HBO Films biopic, to be directed by Barry Levinson, will follow Kevorkian as he builds his Mercy Machine, conducts his first assisted suicide, and starts a media frenzy with his epic legal battles defending a patient’s right to die.
Adam Mazer (Breach) wrote the script, which is loosely based on “Between the Dying and the Dead: Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the Assisted Suicide Machine and the Battle to Legalize Euthanasia” by Neal Nicol.
The project has been in development for some time, with Ben Kingsley once attached to play Kevorkian. Levinson last directed What Just Happened? while Pacino’s last outing was Righteous Kill.
Tom Hanks enlists for WWII documentary
Tom Hanks has tapped into his knowledge of World War II to executive produce a new documentary, Beyond All Boundaries, which will screen daily in the National WWII Museum in New Orleans beginning November 9.
The museum is currently undergoing a renovation and will see the opening this year of three major new destination attractions, representatives announced here Wednesday. One of them is the Victory Theater, which will be presenting Beyond All Boundaries, described by museum reps as a “groundbreaking 4-D cinematic experience.”
“This film uses a whole world of technologies, including an incredible sound system, multilayered projection, high definition, moving sets, 3-D features and more spectacular theatrical effects,” said Phil Hettema, creative director of Beyond All Boundaries.
Hanks – the star of Saving Private Ryan and an executive producer of the war-themed miniseries Band of Brothers and The Pacific – was involved throughout the process, said Hettema.
“He has a very deep knowledge of World War II. He knows more than some of those who work at the museum,” the creative director said. “He’s been excitedly and graciously involved, and has an important honorary role in the making of this film.”
Movie on Paulo Coelho’s Alchemist to go on floors
The movie adaptation of Brazilian author Paulo Coelho’s bestseller The Alchemist is all set to go on floors later this year. Coelho was recently at Cannes to talk to producer Harvey Weinstein about the long-standing adaptation of his first book for which shooting is expected to start by this year’s end. The author said various helmets are being considered for The Alchemist.
The movie adaptation will reportedly be a USD 60 million project, an online reported. “Harvey told me the screenplay will be finished in three months and the film should start shooting a few months later,” said Coelho adding, “If there is one person in the world who can make a movie out of the ‘Alchemist’ it’s Harvey Weinstein,” Coelho.