In the works: "Cocaine Cowboys" the feature, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" the remake.

Thursday, July 24, 2008 | 11:51 AM

In the works: Journalist and screenwriter Evan Wright, best known for penning the book on which "Generation Kill" is based, has been hired to write the screenplay for a feature version of Billy Corben's guilty pleasure doc "Cocaine Cowboys," about Miami and the rise of the Colombian cocaine barons. Mark Wahlberg will star, and the in-demand Peter Berg will direct. [Hollywood Reporter]

Don't be afraid, but MTV is remaking "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," sticking with the original screenplay but possibly adding new music. Which can only mean that "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is being looked at as the "High School Musical" of the next rung up the marketing demo ladder. [Variety] John Waters is returning to his own musical remake -- he's been brought on to write a treatment for "Hairspray 2." [Variety]

"Catch a Fire"'s Phillip Noyce is also in the remake business -- he'll direct a long-in-the-works remake of the 1935 swashbuckler "Captain Blood," with no announcements yet as to who is our current age's equivalent to Errol Flynn. [Hollywood Reporter]

Acquired: It's been confirmed -- Sony Pictures Classics will bring Charlie Kaufman's daring and somewhat disastrous directorial debut "Synecdoche, New York" to US theaters in October. [indieWIRE]

Beastie Boy Adam Yauch's Oscilloscope Pictures has picked up "Wendy and Lucy," Kelly Reichardt's follow-up to "Old Joy" and one of the best films I saw at Cannes this year. It'll open at the Film Forum on December 10. [Variety]

And here! Films has picked up Yen Tan's "Ciao," which won the jury prize for best feature at the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, for a fall theatrical release. [indieWIRE]

[Photo: "Cocaine Cowboys," Magnolia Pictures, 2006]

+ Evan Wright takes on 'Cocaine Cowboys' (Hollywood Reporter)
+ MTV readies 'Rocky Horror' redux (Variety)
+ New Line asks for more 'Hairspray' (Variety)
+ Phillip Noyce in for 'Blood' (Hollywood Reporter)
+ Sony Classics Brings "Synecdoche, New York" Stateside (indieWIRE)
+ Oscilloscope acquires 'Wendy & Lucy' (Variety)
+ here! says "Ciao" to America (indieWIRE)