Zellweger to star in 'Appaloosa'

Harris prepares to direct Western drama

By DAVE MCNARY, MICHAEL FLEMING

Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen and Renee Zellweger will topline the Western drama "Appaloosa," with Harris directing from the screenplay he co-wrote with Robert Knott. New Line is on board to distribute and Michael London is producing via his Groundswell Prods., which is co-financing the film.

Harris and Knott also are producing. Lensing is set to start Oct. 1 in New Mexico, giving New Line a strongly cast project to shoot before a possible strike by actors next summer.

Project reteams Harris and Mortensen, who worked together on New Line's "A History of Violence." Story is adapted from Robert B. Parker's novel of the same name, centered on a pair of friends hired to protect a lawless town suffering at the hands of a renegade rancher. The arrival of an attractive widow disrupts their plans.

It's the second directorial gig for Harris, who directed himself in "Pollock." He'll be seen next in "Gone Baby Gone," "The Cleaner" and "National Treasure: Book of Secrets."

Zellweger is voicing a lead role in "Bee Movie" and will be seen in "Leatherheads" and "Case 39."

Groundswell has completed production on "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh," "Smart People" and "The Visitor." London's credits include "Sideways" and "The Illusionist."

"Appaloosa" is the second Western penned by Parker, best known for suspense novels. He also wrote "Gunman's Rhapsody," a fictional version of the Wyatt Earp story.

Vince Vaughn in producing pact

Variety:Actor signs two-year deal with Universal

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Vaughn Shmuger

Universal Pictures has made a two-year, first-look producing deal with Vince Vaughn and his Wild West Picture Show Prods. Arrangement kicks off with three features, each of which could be a starring vehicle for Vaughn.

Vaughn has set in development "Male Doula," a high-concept comedy based on his idea, to be scripted by Dana Fox ("What Happens in Vegas ...").

He is partnered with "The Break-Up" producer Scott Stuber on two other projects. One is an untitled comedy Jon Favreau is scripting about couples that attend a retreat to reinvigorate their marriages. The other is "Realtors," a satire about the cutthroat chase for commissions by rival realtors in the residential housing market.

The deal given Wild West Pictures Show Prods. by U production prexy Donna Langley allows the shingle to acquire pitches and spec scripts and gives Vaughn a discretionary fund.

While Vaughn received his first producing credit with Favreau on their "Swingers" follow-up "Made," he made his mark as a producer with Universal on "The Break-Up." The comedy was based on Vaughn's idea, with Jeremy Garelick and Jay Lavender writing the script. After the pic grossed $205 million worldwide, U brass felt Vaughn was money and he didn't even know it.

"We came away feeling that he was one of the absolute smartest guys in the business, who attended to every part of the process with such focus and has a real touch for what is fresh and interesting for the culture," Universal Pictures chairman Marc Shmuger told Daily Variety. "We think Vince will find a long and comfortable place for himself here."

Vaughn was also a hands-on producer on the documentary "Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights -- Hollywood to the Heartland." Pic, which features Vaughn as emcee of a comedy tour, sold in a bidding battle to the Weinstein Co. at last year's Toronto Film Festival.

Months later, when Vaughn was unconvinced about the release and marketing strategy, he appealed directly to Weinstein and was able to buy back the film and make a new deal with New Line and Picturehouse. The pic will be released next year, after Vaughn stars in the holiday comedy "Fred Claus" for Warner Bros., bowing Nov. 9.

"I'm looking forward to working again with Marc, David Linde, Donna Langley and their talented teams," Vaughn said in a statement. "I had a great experience on 'The Break-Up,' and the marketing team, led by Adam Fogelson, did a fantastic job with the film."

'Bourne Ultimatum' chases down $70.2 million

"The Bourne Ultimatum"

Jason Bourne returns to America in his quest to discover his true identity, and North American moviegoers embraced his homecoming as "The Bourne Ultimatum" rushed to an estimated $70.2 million opening weekend.

Although Universal Pictures' propulsive chase movie dominated the frame, Buena Vista Pictures' "Underdog" found some favor with family audiences. But the weekend's other new wide arrivals, Paramount Pictures' comedy "Hot Rod" and Lionsgate's teen outing "Bratz: The Movie," received the cold shoulder.

The PG-13 "Ultimatum" -- with Paul Greengrass, who directed "The Bourne Supremacy" three years ago, again at the helm -- raced past the bows of 2002's "The Bourne Identity," which opened to $27.2 million, and 2004's "Supremacy," which arrived to $52.5 million.

Applauded by critics -- it earned a 94% approval rating at RottenTomatoes.com -- the film written by Tony Gilroy, Scott Z. Burns and George Nolfi and produced by Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley and Paul Sandberg earned an A from moviegoers according to CinemaScore as it racked up a per-theater average of $19,175.

Read the rest here@ The Hollywood Reporter

Weekend Box Office

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE ESTIMATE Aug. 3 - Aug. 5, 2007
	Title	Engagements	Estimated Weekend Box Office
1.	The Bourne Ultimatum (UNIV)	3,660	$70.0
2.	The Simpsons Movie (FOX)	3,926	$25.6
3.	Underdog (BV)	3,013	$12.0
4.	I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (UNIV)	3,289	$10.5
5.	Hairspray (NEW LINE)	3,115	$9.3
5.	Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (WB)	3,125	$9.3
7.	No Reservations (WB)	2,425	$6.6
8.	Transformers (PAR)	2,419	$6.0
9.	Hot Rod (PAR)	2,607	$5.0
10.	Bratz (LIONSGATE)	1,509	$4.3
in millions of dollars

Full list available Monday afternoon at www.variety.com/boxoffice