by Haggis (Sean Loyless)
June 16th, 2003 @ 8:28 am
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Ratner To Deliver “Get Shorty” Sequel
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Helmer Ratner eyes duties on ‘Shorty’ sequel
MGM is hot for helmer Brett Ratner.
The director behind “Rush Hour” is in negotiations to team with John Travolta on the studio’s “Be Cool,” the sequel to the 1995 feature “Get Shorty.” With Ratner near a signed deal, MGM and the project’s producers — former Jersey partners Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg and Stacy Sher — are hoping to get the project into production before year’s end.
The studio and the trio formerly known as Jersey Films were known to be courting Ratner for the project, but a deal looked closer to fruition Thursday night at the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award tribute to Robert De Niro; Ratner had a seat next to MGM vice chairman and chief operating officer Chris McGurk and wife Jamie.
The only hitch could be that Ratner still owes his next film to New Line Cinema, home of the “Rush Hour” franchise. However, sources said that situation could be worked out if “Cool” can be scheduled around a third installment of the Jackie Chan-Chris Tucker starrer.
The “Cool” vehicle will see Travolta reprise his role as Miami mobster-turned-movie producer Chili Palmer, who in the sequel decides that he’s had enough with the movie business and suddenly finds himself mixing it up with the rough and tough music business. He then meets a sexy young singer and decides to make her into a star.
In addition to his producing chores, DeVito is expected to return in the sequel as Martin Weir. Peter Steinfeld penned the screenplay from a novel by Elmore Leonard, who will executive produce along with Michael Siegel. At the studio, Elizabeth Cantillon and Stephanie Palmer are overseeing.
Ratner is repped by CAA. He most recently helmed “Red Dragon” for Universal Pictures.
Rolled out in October 1995, “Shorty” grossed north of $72 million, more than doubling its budget of $30 million.
