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Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich (“Aladdin”) are producing

Disney has picked up the rights to the 2005 Broadway musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and will adapt it into a live-action film, an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.

Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who produced the 2019 live-action “Aladdin” for the studio, will produce via their Rideback banner. Rideback’s Ryan Halprin will executive produce.

The musical follows several competitors competing in a spelling bee. Composer William Finn’s musical opened on Broadway in 2005 and earned six Tony nominations while winning two: for Rachel Sheinkin’s book and for Dan Fogler’s featured performance. The show, which also included a pre-“Modern Family” Jesse Tyler Ferguson in its original cast, played for nearly three years and 1,100-plus performances on Broadway.

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The show is based...

Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich are producing a Disney film adaptation of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, through their Rideback banner, Deadline can confirm.

Rideback’s Ryan Halprin will exec produce.

Based on the improvisational play C-r-e-p-u-s-c-u-l-e, created by Rebecca Feldman, Jay Reiss, Sarah Saltzberg, and Dan Fogler, Spelling Bee is a musical that follows a spelling bee taking place at the fictional Putnam Valley Middle School. Its main characters include the six quirky adolescents competing in the Bee, and the three equally quirky grown-ups running it. Performed both on and off Broadway, the musical has picked up a number of major awards throughout the years, including Tonys for Best Book and Best Featured Actor.

The musical comedy’s music and lyrics were penned by William Finn, with a book by Rachel Sheinkin and from an initial concept by Feldman, and additional material by Reiss.

It wasn’t clear,...

Today in 2005, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre, where it ran for 1136 performances. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a one act musical comedy conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally-quirky grown-ups. The 2005 Broadway production, directed by James Lapine, was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two, including Best Book. The show has spawned various other productions in the U.S., including a national tour with performances in Canada, and Australian productions.

With cheers, tears, and special surprises we're looking at you Celia Keenan-Bolger, nine original cast members of the hit Broadway musical, The 25Th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Jose Llana, Jay Reiss, and Sarah Saltzbergplus Jenni Barber - reunited for a special one-night-only 10 Year Anniversary benefit concert last night, July 6.

The nine original cast members of the hit Broadway musical, The 25Th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Jenni Barber, Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Jose Llana, Jay Reiss, and Sarah Saltzberg - will reunite for a special one-night-only 10 Year Anniversary benefit concert on Monday, July 6 at 730pm at Town Hall 123 West 43rd Street. BroadwayWorld caught up with the companyin rehearsal - see what they had to say about the nostalgia, the concert and more...

The nine original cast members of the hit Broadway musical, The 25Th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Jose Llana, Jay Reiss, and Sarah Saltzberg - will reunite for a special one-night-only 10 Year Anniversary benefit concert on Monday, July 6 at 730pm at Town Hall 123 West 43rd Street. BroadwayWorld has just learned that Celia Keenan-Bolger, who was originally slated to participate, will no longer take part in the event. A show rep told usDue to the demands of being mom to a newborn, Celia Keenan-Bolgerhas had to withdraw from the upcomingSpelling Beereunion concert. The role of Olive Ostrovsky will be played by Jenni Barber, who took over the role on Broadway.

The nine original cast members of the hit Broadway musical, The 25Th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Jose Llana, Jay Reiss, and Sarah Saltzberg - will reunite for a special one-night-only 10 Year Anniversary benefit concert on Monday, July 6 at 730pm at Town Hall 123 West 43rd Street. Benefit tickets, priced 50, 100, 150, 250, and 500 are available at Ticketmaster.com.

Today in 2005, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre, where it ran for 1136 performances. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a one act musical comedy conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally-quirky grown-ups. The 2005 Broadway production, directed by James Lapine, was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two, including Best Book. The show has spawned various other productions in the U.S., including a national tour with performances in Canada, and Australian productions.

Today in 2005, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre, where it ran for 1136 performances. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a one act musical comedy conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally-quirky grown-ups. The 2005 Broadway production, directed by James Lapine, was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two, including Best Book. The show has spawned various other productions in the U.S., including a national tour with performances in Canada, and Australian productions.

Exclusive: Writer Jay Reiss has signed with Wme for representation. Reiss, who had been at CAA, co-wrote the award-winning Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and the dark Julian Farino-directed comedy The Oranges. His movie scripts certainly seem to draw stars. He most recently completed The Complete History Of My Sexual Failures for Universal, a comedy to star former Saturday Night Live (boy is he missed) castmember Jason Sudeikis. Reiss is currently writing Family Therapy at Universal for Jason Bateman, Crazy You at New Line for Will Ferrell, and The League Of Extraordinary Princesses at Fox Animation. The writer continues to be repped by Mosaic and Bloom Hergott.

Today in 2005, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre, where it ran for 1136 performances. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a one act musical comedy conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally-quirky grown-ups. The 2005 Broadway production, directed by James Lapine, was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two, including Best Book. The show has spawned various other productions in the U.S., including a national tour with performances in Canada, and Australian productions.

Doubt

Comedian Steve Coogan has scored a starring role in ABC's David Shore drama pilot "Doubt" which also stars Rockmond Dunbar, Greg Grunberg and Kacey Rohl.

The story centers on Vincent (Coogan), a former cop who's now a cunning but charming low-rent lawyer who uses his street smarts to work the system for his clients while battling his own demons and wooing his ex-wife. [Source: The Live Feed]

Family Therapy

Jason Bateman will produce and potentially star in Jay Reiss' comedy pitch "Family Therapy".

The story follows a dysfunctional but loving family that hires a therapist to fix their problems on the eve of an impending wedding. [Source: Deadline]

The Fault in Our Stars

Though previously rumored, Shailene Woodley has now been officially offered the leading role in Josh Boone's "The Fault in Our Stars" adaptation.

Based on the John Green novel, the story follows a teenage girl, stricken with cancer, who falls for...

Get ready for another comedy! We’ve just learned that Jason Bateman is set to produce and potentially star in the upcoming Universal pic titled Family Therapy. One wedding, one therapist, one dysfunctional family and – Identity Thief star! Well, when you put it that way – this doesn’t sound bat at all… At this moment we know that the whole thing is written by Jay Reiss (man who stands behind the hit Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), and the movie will revolve around: …a dysfunctional but loving family that hires a therapist to fix their problems on the eve of an... Related posts: Jon Favreau Joins Jason Bateman in Identity Thief Identity Thief Starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy Gets Release Date Jason Bateman’s Directorial Debut is Bad Words Comedy Two Character Posters For Identity Thief, Starring Jason Bateman And Melissa McCarthy! Mike Judge and...

Jason Bateman knows a thing or two about dysfunctional families. In addition to being best known for his work on the hit series Arrested Development, where he played a son from a rich family who has to try and keep them all together, his next project will be Shawn Levy's This Is Where I Leave You, the story of an estranged group of siblings brought back together after the death of their patriarch. But apparently he's not sick of the concept just yet. Universal has purchased a new comedy pitch titled Family Therapy that they plan to develop with Bateman's label Aggregate Films. According to Deadline, which first reported the acquisition, the plot involves "a dysfunctional but loving family" that tries to solve all of their serious issues by going to a therapist right before a big wedding. Jay Reiss, who co-wrote the 2011 comedy The Oranges, will be handling...

Exclusive: Universal Pictures has acquired Family Therapy, a comic pitch that will be written by Jay Reiss about a dysfunctional but loving family that hires a therapist to fix their problems on the eve of an impending wedding. The studio bought the pitch for Aggregate Films. That U-based shingle, run by Jason Bateman and Jim Garavente, just teamed with Stuber Productions to produce the Universal hit Identity Thief, in which Bateman starred with Melissa McCarthy. Reiss scripted A Complete History Of My Sexual Failures for Universal, so he’s no stranger to scripting dysfunction. He also scripted the Hugh Laurie comedy The Oranges, as well as the Tony-winning musical The Twenty Fifth Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He also is scripting League Of Princes for Fox Animation. Universal-based Aggregate is producing Bateman’s directorial debut Bad Words, and Game Night (with Davis Entertainment) for New Line. The producers also got...

Jason Bateman and his Aggregate Films are set to produce a comedy called Family Therapy at Universal Pictures, Deadline reports. Bateman will produce alongside Jim Garavente and will potentially star as well. The screenplay for the comedy drama arrives from Jay Reiss, best known for his work on the hit broadway musical "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." It follows a husband and father who brings in a therapist to help his family work out their issues just before a wedding. Bateman recently starred opposite Melissa McCarthy in Identity Thief . He can next be seen in theaters in Disconnect and reprising his role as Michael Bluth when new episodes of "Arrested Development" arrive on Netflix this May. (Photo Credit: Apega / WENN.com)...

DreamWorks Animation's fantasy caper causes sun to set on Twilight, ahead of The Hobbit's expected journey to first place

The winner

For most movies, a successful opening weekend is vital for hanging on to play dates and show times. With Christmas flicks, it's more of a steady jog than a sprint, and cinema bookers understand that playability will be strong right through to 24 December, and particularly solid after schools break up for the holiday. DreamWorks Animation's Rise of the Guardians hardly turned heads when it landed in third place last week, behind Skyfall and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.

Now it's top of the heap, thanks to a slender decline of just 19%. Three-day takings of £1.60m push the 10-day tally to £4.06m. Fellow festive offering Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! fell an almost identical amount (20%) and has totalled £4.38m after 17 days. It now remains to be seen how...

I’m not sure a better cast has ever gone more ickily astray than in this most misbegotten of dramedies. At least, I think there are meant to be comedic elements in this oh-so-wrong tale of infidelity, infelicity, and impropriety... I’m just not sure I see it myself. David Walling (Hugh Laurie: Arthur Christmas) and Terry Ostroff (Oliver Platt: X-Men: First Class) are best friends whose lives are so intimately intertwined that they’ve lived across the street from each other in West Orange, New Jersey, for more than 20 years. Their wives -- respectively, Paige (Catherine Keener: Trust) and Carol (Allison Janney: The Help) -- are now also best friends; their kids grew up together; they spend holidays together. Such as this Thanksgiving, when 20something ne’er-do-well Ostroff daughter Nina (Leighton Meester: Country Strong) returns home after years away, and after personal disaster strikes, tail between her legs --...

The Oranges sees the very promising and rather unlikely pairing of Hugh Laurie (House) and Leighton Meester (Gossip Girls) in the leading roles.

We caught the excellent first trailer back in the summer, and with an all-star cast led by Laurie and Meester, it’s naturally been one to look forward to this year.

The film was released in the Us back in October, and will be released in UK theatres this Friday, and we’ve been given an exclusive new clip from the film to share.

“David and Paige Ostroff (Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener) and Terry and Cathy Walling (Oliver Platt, Allison Janney) are best friends and neighbors living on Orange Drive in suburban New Jersey. Their comfortable existence goes awry when prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Leighton Meester), newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Sam Rosen), returns home for Thanksgiving after a five-year absence. Rather than developing an...

It was a pleasure to talk to Hugh Laurie aka Dr. House for his new suburban dramedy, .The Oranges.. In the film directed by Julian Farino from a script by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss, Laurie stars as David, the head of the Walling family, who falls in love with Nina (Leighton Meester), the prodigal daughter of their longtime friend, the Ostroff family. .The Oranges. features a fantastic ensemble cast including Adam Brody, Catherine Keener, Allison Janney, and Oliver Platt.

In this fun but short (we had to cut it short because of mic problems) interview, we talked about:

*** What got Laurie interested in making .The Oranges?.

*** How did he get into his character David?

Have fun!

Hugh Laurie is fun to watch in suburban satire The Oranges but Leighton Meester stumbles badly Ah, suburbia, ground zero for countless comedies ready to poke fun at affluent dysfunction. It’s no wonder British filmmaker Julian Farino and screenwriters Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss drop anchor on tree-lined New Jersey streets for their indie comedy The Oranges. The slapstick possibilities involving suburban families are endless: sexless marriages, fitness-obsessed husbands and disinterested kids. With clever storytelling, suburbia is anything but a dull stomping ground. Think Sam Mendes’ American Beauty, Todd Solondz’s Happiness or Todd Field’s Little Children. Unfortunately, while The Oranges hits the target in terms of locale and an infidelity storyline, it comes up short in the number of solid laughs. For a film with so much promise, mediocrity is a terrible letdown.

Hugh Laurie is fun to watch in suburban satire The Oranges but Leighton Meester stumbles badly Ah, suburbia, ground zero for countless comedies ready to poke fun at affluent dysfunction. It’s no wonder British filmmaker Julian Farino and screenwriters Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss drop anchor on tree-lined New Jersey streets for their indie comedy The Oranges. The slapstick possibilities involving suburban families are endless: sexless marriages, fitness-obsessed husbands and disinterested kids. With clever storytelling, suburbia is anything but a dull stomping ground. Think Sam Mendes’ American Beauty, Todd Solondz’s Happiness or Todd Field’s Little Children. Unfortunately, while The Oranges hits the target in terms of locale and an infidelity storyline, it comes up short in the number of solid laughs. For a film with so much promise, mediocrity is a terrible letdown.

The Oranges

Directed by Julian Farino

Written by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss

USA, 2011

Voiceover narration isn’t automatically a crutch in modern storytelling, but too many writers use it so they don’t have to do actual work. For every clever use of this literary trick—such as the narration in Sunset Boulevard or The Shawshank Redemption—there are movies and TV shows with no idea of how to enhance already existing stories or character arcs with voiceover. Instead, the people working on those films and shows use narration to move stories forward quickly and artlessly. The Oranges, a would-be biting suburban satire, employs voiceover in such a way that sometimes intentionally references American Beauty, but only serves as a reminder of why that caustic and often incisive black comedy worked so well, and why this film fails so frequently.

If nothing else, The Oranges could’ve been worse...

Featuring an ensemble cast, suburban setting, and humorous holiday shenanigans, “The Oranges” seemed initially to be heading toward “Christmas With The Kranks” territory as it approached its Tiff premiere last year. However, since the project's 2008 Black List inclusion by writers Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer, a steady buzz has grown into the film's well-received screenings and recent first trailer, and now comes an opportunity to see Allison Janney cut loose in the film's red-band offering. Coming off directing mostly “Entourage” episodes, director Julian Farino looks to have transferred successfully to film by skewing stranger than your average holiday fare. While not delving to the depths of “Bad Santa,” the comedy nonetheless offers up its own take on marital infidelity, as Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener, Oliver Platt, and Janney play congenial couples who react to Laurie's sudden affair with Platt's daughter...

There’s a new red band trailer for the R-rated indie comedy The Oranges, which stars Hugh Laurie, Leighton Meester, Allison Janney, Adam Brody, Alia Shawkat, Catherine Keener, and Oliver Platt.

Hit the jump and watch the new trailer.

The upcoming film is directed by Julian Farino and written by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss.

Here’s the synopsis for the film

David and Paige Walling (Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener) and Terry and Cathy Ostroff (Oliver Platt, Allison Janney) are best friends and neighbors living on Orange Drive in suburban New Jersey. Their comfortable existence goes awry when prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Leighton Meester), newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Sam Rosen), returns home for Thanksgiving after a five-year absence. Rather than developing an interest in the successful son of her neighbors, Toby Walling (Adam Brody), which would please both families, it’s her parents’ best friend David who captures Nina’s attention.

Check out poster 2 for The Oranges, starring Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener, Oliver Platt, Allison Janney, Alia Shawkat, Adam Brody and Leighton Meester. The Ato Pictures release helmed by Julian Farino from the script by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss, opens October 5th, 2012. David and Paige Walling (Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener) and Terry and Cathy Ostroff (Oliver Platt, Allison Janney) are best friends and neighbors living on Orange Drive in suburban New Jersey. Their comfortable existence goes awry when prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Leighton Meester), newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Sam Rosen), returns home for Thanksgiving after a five-year absence. Rather than developing an interest in the successful son of her neighbors, Toby Walling (Adam Brody), which would please both families, it’s her parents’ best friend David who captures Nina’s attention.

Check out poster 2 for The Oranges, starring Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener, Oliver Platt, Allison Janney, Alia Shawkat, Adam Brody and Leighton Meester. The Ato Pictures release helmed by Julian Farino from the script by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss, opens October 5th, 2012. David and Paige Walling (Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener) and Terry and Cathy Ostroff (Oliver Platt, Allison Janney) are best friends and neighbors living on Orange Drive in suburban New Jersey. Their comfortable existence goes awry when prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Leighton Meester), newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Sam Rosen), returns home for Thanksgiving after a five-year absence. Rather than developing an interest in the successful son of her neighbors, Toby Walling (Adam Brody), which would please both families, it’s her parents’ best friend David who captures Nina’s attention.

Last week, we brought you the first poster for The Oranges, with the unlikely and very promising pairing of Hugh Laurie (House) and Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) in the leads, and now we can do you one better with the film’s trailer debut.

And it’s brilliant. Starring alongside Laurie and Meester will be Alia Shawkat, Adam Brody, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt, and Catherine Keener, filling out an already brilliant cast.

“David and Paige Ostroff (Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener) and Terry and Cathy Walling (Oliver Platt, Allison Janney) are best friends and neighbors living on Orange Drive in suburban New Jersey. Their comfortable existence goes awry when prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Leighton Meester), newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Sam Rosen), returns home for Thanksgiving after a five-year absence. Rather than developing an interest in the successful son of her neighbors, Toby Walling (Adam Brody), which would please both families,...

I saw The Oranges at the Toronto Film Festival last year and quite liked it. The script from Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer made the Black List back in 2008 and the version I saw was fresh... fresh in the sense that director Julian Farino ("Entourage") told the told the audience before it screened that he'd only finished editing the film two days ago. That said, it has likely undergone a few edits since Ato Pictures picked it up and set an October 5 release date. Starring Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener, Leighton Meester, Adam Brody, Alia Shawkat, Allison Janney and Oliver Platt, this suburbia comedy centers on two West Orange, New Jersey families. The Ostroff's (Platt, Janney and Meester) and the Walling's (Laurie, Keener, Shawkat and Brody). Best friends and across-the-street neighbors for as long as they can remember, things take a bit of a turn when Walling patriarch (Laurie) falls for...

The Oranges sees the unlikely and promising casting of Hugh Laurie (House) and Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) opposite each other in the leads, with impressive support from Adam Brody, Alia Shawkat, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt, and Catherine Keener.

The romantic comedy/drama debuted back in September last year at the Toronto International Film Festival, and now the first poster has made its way online ahead of its release later this year.

“David and Paige Ostroff (Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener) and Terry and Cathy Walling (Oliver Platt, Allison Janney) are best friends and neighbors living on Orange Drive in suburban New Jersey. Their comfortable existence goes awry when prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Leighton Meester), newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Sam Rosen), returns home for Thanksgiving after a five-year absence. Rather than developing an interest in the successful son of her neighbors, Toby Walling (Adam Brody),which would please both families,...

Today in 2005, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre, where it ran for 1136 performances. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a one act musical comedy conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally-quirky grown-ups. The 2005 Broadway production, directed by James Lapine, was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two, including Best Book. The show has spawned various other productions in the U.S., including a national tour with performances in Canada, and Australian productions.

The notion of suburban malaise is nothing new, and it's been well-mined in plenty of novels and movies and TV shows already.  Wisely, "The Oranges" is not trying to blow the lid off the notion that marriages sometimes crumble or that suburbia frequently hides secrets behind its white picket fences.  Instead, the script by Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer is a no-apologies comedy, and it gives the large ensemble cast some juicy material to play, allowing them to really run wild.  Director Julian Farino, making his feature debut, has a great sense of character and timing, and the result is a...

Oliver Plat, Allison Janney, Leighton Meester, Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener, Alia Shawkat and Adam Brody in The Oranges

Photo: Olympus Pictures The Oranges is a film that's been on my radar for some time. In 2008 Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer's script sat just behind The Beaver, in second place on the ever-popular Black List, a list of the best unproduced screenplays in Hollywood. The script even got a mention before the film rolled at its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last night as director Julian Farino ("Entourage") nervously told the packed house he hoped it lived up to everyone's expectations while also telling us he only finished editing two days ago.

Farino can rest easy, he's made a very funny film and assembled just the right cast to bring it to the big screen. It is a bit obvious he only completed editing recently as it...

#8. The Oranges The Gist: Written by Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer, the Ostroff and Walling families are best friends and neighbors, living across the street from each other on Orange Drive. Prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Meester) returns home for Thanksgiving dinner after a five-year absence, newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Rosen). Rather than developing an interest in the successful son of her neighbors, Toby Walling (Brody), which would please both families, it’s her parents’ best friend David Walling (Laurie) that captures Nina’s attention. Director: Julian Farino (Television work: Sex and the City, Entourage, Big Love, The Office)Sales Agent: CAASelling Point/Suited For: The number 2 on 2008's Best Unproduced Blacklist screenplays behind The Beaver and before fellow 2011 invited Tiff items: Butter (#3), 50/50 (#9) and The Descendants (#17), in some regards this ensemble headed by Hugh Laurie might remind some of the workings of an American Beauty. This infidelity in...

Klaus Badelt is the composer of the upcoming indie dark comedy The Oranges. The movie is directed by Julian Farino (Entourage) and stars High Laurie, Leighton Meester, Catherine Keener, Adam Brody, Alia Shawkat, Allison Janney and Oliver Platt. The film centers on a man who begins an affair with the daughter of the family who lives across the street. Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss wrote the project’s screenplay. Anthony Bregman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Leslie Urdang & Dean Vanech (Rabbit Hole, Beginners) are producing. Badelt previously worked with Bregman on last year’s comedy The Extra Man starring Kevin Kline. The Oranges is set to premiere at this year’s Toronto Film Festival. No distribution deal has been announced yet.

As previously reported, Badelt also has the drama Seven Days in Utopia opening this month in the Us and the French thriller Rebellion coming out in France this fall.

Organisers of the Tribeca Film Festival have announced this year's line-up of 60 short films, 22 of which are world premieres.

The international festival was founded in 2002 by Robert De Niro, producer Jane Rosenthal and real-estate investor Craig Hatkoff to help revitalise Manhattan's Tribeca neighbourhood following the 9/11 terrorist attack.

The 2011 event - presented by founding sponsor American Express - will run from April 20 to May 1. The 60 shorts represent 21 countries, including the UK, and feature stars from around the globe.

In a new development this year, the recipient of the Tff Best Narrative Short award will qualify for consideration in the Short Films category of the Oscars without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with Academy rules.

The short film program, drawn from 2,862 submissions, will be presented in eight thematic programs, which are detailed below.

There is a broad spectrum of styles and storytelling, from zombies taking over Manhattan to the humanitarian effort in Haiti.

The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday announced its lineup of 60 short films, 22 of which are world premieres.

A new wrinkle at this year’s festival is the recipient of the Tff Best Narrative Short award will qualify for consideration in the Short Films category of the annual Academy Awards without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.

Drawn from 2,862 submissions, the short-film program represents 21 countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Haiti, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States.

The following is a listing of the selected short films in the eight programs in which they will be presented, with descriptions provided by the festival.

2011 Tribeca Film Festival Short Film Program

Off the Grid (Documentary)

Sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll are a few of the topics explored in these thought-provoking short documentaries.

The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday announced its lineup of 60 short films, 22 of which are world premieres.

A new wrinkle at this year’s festival is the recipient of the Tff Best Narrative Short award will qualify for consideration in the Short Films category of the annual Academy Awards without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.

Drawn from 2,862 submissions, the short-film program represents 21 countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Haiti, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States.

The following is a listing of the selected short films in the eight programs in which they will be presented, with descriptions provided by the festival.

2011 Tribeca Film Festival Short Film Program

Off the Grid (Documentary)

Sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll are a few of the topics explored in these thought-provoking short documentaries.

#55. The Oranges Director: Julian FarinoWriter(s): Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss Producers: Anthony Bregman, Leslie Urdang and Dean VanechDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: The Ostroff and Walling families are best friends and neighbors, living across the street from each other on Orange Drive. Prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Meester) returns home for Thanksgiving dinner after a five-year absence, newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Rosen). Rather than developing an interest in the successful son of her neighbors, Toby Walling (Brody), which would please both families, it’s her parents’ best friend David Walling (Laurie) that captures Nina’s attention. ....(more) Cast: Leighton Meester, Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener, Alia Shawkat, Adam Brody, Allison Janney and Oliver Platt List Worthy Reasons...: From the same family of films as Nothing is Private and American Beauty, my thinking is that plenty of folks will dig the tone of yet another BlackList screenplay I've got on this list.

Somewhat of a rarity that all three top vote-getters were put into production fairly quickly - and that 2011 will also be the year of release on the top trio of 2008. If there are any correlations to make it's that they're all comedies, relatively easier to mount and produce and grab an ensemble cast for short spurts. Will a comedy be the best ranked Black List item for 2010? We'll find out next week. 5. The Low Dweller (Votes: 40) Writer: Brad Ingelsby Status: Unknown When adding high-grade, A-lister talent to topline a given project, the nature of this business is that "priorities" easily shift -- it can take years to sort through what is next in line as is the case for Leo DiCaprio. He has his name on this one combined with his production house Appian Way, Relativity, Scott Free Productions, Energy Entertainment. This is about “a man trying to assimilate into...

#35. The Oranges - Julian Farino Positioned right after top vote getter The Beaver in the annual Black List (2008), Julian Farino's The Oranges should be another big ticket sales item in the Premieres category. Pic stars Leighton Meester, Hugh Laurie, Adam Brody, Catherine Keener, Alia Shawkat, Oliver Platt, Allison Janney, Tim Guinee and Sam Rosen. Written by Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer, the Ostroff and Walling families are best friends and neighbors, living across the street from each other on Orange Drive. Prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Meester) returns home for Thanksgiving dinner after a five-year absence, newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Rosen). Rather than developing an interest in the successful son of her neighbors, Toby Walling (Brody), which would please both families, it’s her parents’ best friend David Walling (Laurie) that captures Nina’s attention. When the romantic attraction between Nina and David becomes too great to ignore,...

HollywoodNews.com: Anthony Bregman of Likely Story and Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub of Big Beach announced that Paul Rudd has signed on to star in “My Idiot Brother,” a comedy about family and the sacrifices it takes to deal with them. Based on a screenplay by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall, “My Idiot Brother” will be directed by Jesse Peretz. Production is slated to begin in July in New York. Bregman, Saraf and Turtletaub will produce for their respective companies. Caroline Jaczko, Stefanie Azpiazu and Aleen Keshishian will executive produce. Rudd and Peretz have worked together previously on “The Château.” Rudd will next be seen starring in Jay Roach’s “Dinner for Schmucks” opposite Steve Carell and James Brooks’ “How Do You Know” opposite Reese Witherspoon. He will also be producing (alongside Judd Apatow, Wain, and Ken Marino) and starring in David Wain’s “Wanderlust” opposite Jennifer Aniston.

Ned (Rudd) is an idealist.

Allison Janney, Oliver Platt, Alia Shawkat, Adam Brody and Sam Rosen are all set to join "The Oranges" for director Julian Farino. They join Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener and Leighton Meester indie dark comedy written by Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer. The movie follows a man (Laurie) who starts an affair with the daughter (played by Meester) of the family who lives across the street. Likely Story' Anthony Bregman and Leslie Urdang and Dean Vanech of Olympus Pictures are producing the Olympus ("Adam," "Rabbit Hole") financed film. FIlming is taking place in New York. Janney has completed work on Kenneth Longergan's "Margaret" starring Anna Paquin and Matt Damon. Shawkat was last seen in "The Runaways" and is in post-production for "The Lie" with Kelli Garner and Jess Weixler. Platt was in Roland Emmerich's "2012" distaster flick followed by "Please Give" with Catherine Keener and Amanda Peet.

Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer's The Oranges sat atop last years "Black List" of best unproduced screenplays, but now the curtain has been lifted and the film is being made, with a complete cast and a director to boot. The movie is said to be a dark comedy about suburban romance, and the full roster includes Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener, Leighton Meester, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt, Alia Shawkat, Adam Brody and Sam Rosen. The film is currently being shot in New York by director Julian...

Anthony Bregman of Likely Story and Leslie Urdang and Dean Vanech of Olympus Pictures announced today that casting is complete on the upcoming dark comedy The Oranges . Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener, Leighton Meester, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt, Alia Shawkat, Adam Brody and Sam Rosen are set to star in the film, currently being shot in New York. The Oranges will be directed by Julian Farino, with a script written by Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer. The Oranges was atop of The Black List 2008. Bregman, Urdang and Vanech will produce for their respective companies. Olympus Pictures will finance the film. In the film, the Ostroff and Walling families are best friends and neighbors, living across the street from each other on Orange Drive. Prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Meester)...

by Perri Nemiroff

The cast of “The Oranges” is growing a whole lot juicier. Just after word got out that "House" star Hugh Laurie could make the dark comedy his much-anticipated first lead role in a film, The Hollywood Reporter announces that a slew of top-notch actors are interested in joining him. Adam Brody, Alia Shawkat, Catherine Keener and Allison Janney are all in negotiations to sign onto TV director Julian Farino’s debut in the features department.

The script by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss, which you may remember as the piece holding the #2 spot on the 2008 black list, has Laurie starring as man who gets romantic with the daughter of a family friend. That young lady was speculated to be played by either Leighton Meester or Mila Kunis, but according to the THR report, Meester has won out.

The unconventional relationship causes family drama, particularly with Laurie’s...

Adam Brody, Alia Shawkat, Catherine Keener and Allison Janney are in talks to join the cast of the drama "The Oranges." According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hugh Laurie and Leighton Meester were recently cast in the film. Shooting begins March 30 in New York with Julian Farino directing from a script by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss. Anthony Bregman, Glen Basner and Leslie Urdang are producing. The film centers on a man (Laurie) who has an affair with the daughter (Meester) of a family friend. As a result, the lives of their families are thrown into chaos. Brody and Shawkat will play Laurie's children, while Keener plays their mother. Janney plays Meester's mother. Brody can be currently seen in...

Depp and Girlfriend Make American Lover: Johnny Depp and his girlfriend of 12 years, Vanessa Paradis, are rumored to be appearing together in the new movie My American Lover for director Lasse Hallstrom. Depp was quoted saying, "Vanessa plays the French feminist Simone de Beauvoir and I play her lover Nelson Algren who is real macho." Production is expected to get underway in 2011 according to the news, but don't hold your breath. [Bang Showbiz via The Playlist]

Brody, Shawkat and Janney also Peel Oranges: On the heels of Friday's announcement, Adam Brody, Alia Shawkat and Allison Janney are set to join the cast of The Oranges for director Julian Farino. The trio join already cast Leighton Meester, Catherine Keener and Hugh Laurie in the dramedy written by Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer, centers on a man's romantic relationship with the daughter of a family friend, which turns their lives upside down. Shooting is expected to...

You may have heard that Hugh Laurie, our favorite jerky TV doctor, is gearing up for a new May-December dramedy called The Oranges. Now he's got a killer cast along for the ride. The Hollywood Reporter posts that joining Laurie and Leighton Meester in the upcoming flick are Adam Brody, Alia Shawkat, Catherine Keener, and Allison Janney.

Written by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss (to be directed by Julian Farino of Entourage), the story focuses on an older man (Laurie) who gets romantic with the daughter of a family friend (Meester). Obviously, chasing much younger tail "turns their lives, and the lives of their families, upside down." Brody is coming on to play Laurie's son who also has a thing for Meester -- until he founds out that Dad has beat him to the punch, Shawkat will play his sister, and Keener their mother (wife or ex-wife of Laurie?). Janney,...

Depp and Paradis to Star in American Lover

Bang Showbiz is reporting that Johnny Depp and girlfriend Vanessa Paradis will both star in the film My American Lover.

“It’s in preparation. It’s called My American Lover. Vanessa plays the French feminist Simone de Beauvoir and I play her lover Nelson Algren who is real macho.”

The Playlist has a few more details on the film, which will be directed by Lasse Hallstrom. The site speculated that the earliest the film would shoot would be spring 2011. I believe and will stand corrected if not so, that this is the first time the real life couple will appear in a movie together as co-stars.

Amber Heard Will Drive Angry

Amber Heard has joined Nicolas Cage in the Patrick Lussier-directed 3D action movie, Drive Angry, a seemingly over the top take on Edge of Darkness and Taken.

Heard is stepping...