George Clooney, Grant Heslov to Produce Remake of 'Pioneer' (Exclusive)

by Nicky80 Thu 13 Feb 2014, 10:32

Didn't know where to post this. Found on les frenchies

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George Clooney, Grant Heslov to Produce Remake of 'Pioneer' (Exclusive)

Sony is picking up the remake rights to the Norwegian conspiracy thriller.

Sony Pictures is in negotiations to pick up the remake rights of Norwegian thriller Pioneer for an adaptation to be produced by George Clooney andGrant Heslov and their Smokehouse banner.
The duo are coming off the opening of their latest pic, The Monuments Men, which opened Feb. 7 with $22 million. Clooney, who directedMonuments, is not attached to direct at this stage.
Pioneer is a conspiracy thriller set in the early 1980s during Norway’s oil boom and centered on a man who, along with his brother, is laying pipeline in the North Sea, diving deeper than anyone else had before. When a tragic accident strikes, he tries to get to the bottom of it (no pun intended), and realizes he’s in way over his head and that his life is in danger.
The movie was directed by Erik Skjoldbjaerg and released in Norway about the same time it had a special screening at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. It starred Aksel Hennie and also featured Wes Bentley and Stephen Lang.
Sony's Elizabeth Cantillon will oversee the project. The studio and producers will now look to hire a writer to write the English-language remake.

by Katiedot Fri 14 Feb 2014, 05:51

[just moving this to the films section of the forum]

Oooh, this sounds interesting. So much for George's quiet holiday after all the filming he's done this year!

by it's me Fri 14 Feb 2014, 05:58

esatto...

by Mazy Fri 14 Feb 2014, 08:54

Saw this on twitter it's going all viral by now. They are almost ready to sign Sandra B to do a different one that Smokehouse is getting to do. Hopefully not too soon.

by Boshkash Fri 14 Feb 2014, 11:40

They will produce, so not that much work..

by silly girl Fri 14 Feb 2014, 12:09

It seems to be a thing now to redo a recent film for English audiences....strange that GC and GH would do this...interesting though.

Remember his idea of slowing down is instead of working 24/7 he works 19/5..... Wink

by Nicky80 Sat 05 Apr 2014, 17:57

Here is more about it

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Clooney to champion Norwegian divers in film about the North Sea's 'wild west'

Hollywood takes on tale of dangerous dives, risky pipe installation and a decades-long battle for compensation

A dark Nordic mystery played out beneath the icy waves of the North Sea almost 40 years ago is now to find a dramatic resolution in Hollywood. A brave band of Norwegian divers, who put their lives at risk and unwittingly damaged their health by working up to 400m below the surface, may soon receive justice, as George Clooney takes up their cause.
The battle to win compensation for the pioneering divers, who suffered life-changing side effects in order to secure Norway's enormous oil and gas wealth, has found a new champion in Clooney.
The Hollywood star's own production company plans to tell their story in a film that the divers hope will crown a recent victory in the lengthy legal struggle to persuade Norway to repay its debt to them. The extraordinary feats carried out by the 24 men involved are already the subject of a Norwegian thriller, Pioneer, which opens in British cinemas on Friday. Now Smokehouse Pictures, run by Clooney and his producing partner Grant Heslov, are to re-make the film for British and American audiences.
"The plight of the divers is a very well-known story in this country," said Christian Fredrik Martin, producer of the Norwegian film, "and when we first started work on Pioneer, Smokehouse got in touch. They came back to us last year when the film was released in Norway. Clooney and his fellow producers were attracted by the cinematic possibilities of the underwater world, I think, and also because it is the kind of non-fiction story their company has been interested in turning into films in the past."
This year saw the release of Smokehouse Pictures' The Monuments Men, a film directed by Clooney which told the true second world war story of the art historians who set out to save priceless pictures and sculpture from Nazi looting. Clooney and Heslov also wrote 2011's The Ides of March, about a corrupt presidential campaign, and Good Night, and Good Luck, about the McCarthy era communist witch-hunt of the 1950s.
At the end of last year the European court of human rights, in Strasbourg, judged the Norwegian state guilty of not giving the divers enough information about the level of danger they faced in the work they carried out during an oil and gas boom that has since been described as a "wild west" frenzy.
The verdict came after a long battle through the Norwegian courts. In a 2007 case in Oslo, four former North Sea divers successfully sued the state, but the Norwegian government appealed and in 2009 the case came before the supreme court, which ruled that Norway was not liable to pay damages for injuries inflicted by the oil industry. The case went on to Strasbourg, where the divers eventually won last December.
This weekend, however, their union has turned down an individual offer of 1.7m Norwegian krone (£170,825) because it is holding out for a larger sum agreed with the government before the last election.
"The interest of film-makers here and in America has been a great help," Henning Haug, director of the Offshore Divers Union, told the Observerthis weekend. "It has been especially good because the Norwegian film is so realistic. But we are not satisfied yet. We want to win our members full compensation for this national scandal."
The union will not settle for less than 2.1m krone (£211,019) for each diver, he said. "Anything less than that could not be considered decent."
The divers performed crucial missions to secure the installation of pipelines on the seabed, carrying out surveys, collecting samples and attaching and removing wellheads. They regularly worked at 400m below the surface, while the safe limit for dives is now set at 150m. A hospital in Haukeland, in Bergen, subsequently found evidence of brain damage in 240 former North Sea divers in 2010. After spending an average of 14 years working in the North Sea, a relatively high proportion of divers also acquired significant psychological and physical health problems, including lung disease, brain damage and post-traumatic stress disorder, while others complain of loss of concentration, and memory and hearing impairment. During the 1970s, 99 Norwegian divers died at work in the North Sea.
The producers of the new Norwegian thriller, which is directed byInsomnia's Erik Skjoldbjærg, believe they have closely mirrored the facts of the case, while adding a fictional character-led plot to the story. Set during the early 1980s, Pioneer follows two brothers who take part in a test to see if it is possible to lay pipelines on the bed of the North Sea. When the test goes wrong, one brother begins to investigate the greed and corruption that lie behind the search for oil and gas.
Martin told the Observer that he and his fellow Norwegian producers interviewed between 40 and 50 of the surviving divers to research the film and faced obstruction from vested interests as they tried to uncover more detail.
"They were not trying to stop the film directly," he said, "but it is certainly true that our requests for information came back very slowly indeed and when we finally got permission to film in some of the original buildings and locations, the price they set was so high that in the end we had to build our own recreations.
"I had not understood before just how the companies involved were prepared to experiment on these men by putting them in conditions never tried before. It is sad and bizarre that this case has had to go all the way to Strasbourg."

by party animal - not! Sat 05 Apr 2014, 18:10

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by Nicky80 Sat 05 Apr 2014, 18:14

thanks PAN for opening a new thread Thumbs up!

I merged it with this thread. Thanks again

by party animal - not! Sat 05 Apr 2014, 18:19

Brill, Nicky. Tnank you! So is this the Sandy Bullock possibility - against the elements again? - but I'm guessing they couldn't talk about it until the court case was settled.

All makes sense now...........

by Nicky80 Sat 05 Apr 2014, 18:36

Would be great to see Sandra and George again on screen. Wonder when they start working on it. I didn't see anything in the article or I'm blind...

by party animal - not! Sat 05 Apr 2014, 18:47

No, you're not.

It talks about him producing it........but a while ago there were rumours about Sandra Bullock being involved in a Smokehouse production and someone on a red carpet somewhere (!) talked to Grant Heslov, but his wife said something along the lines of 'he's not allowed to talk about it yet'........

by LizzyNY Sat 05 Apr 2014, 19:07

Isn't Sandy Bullock signed to do "Our Brand Is Crisis" for them?

by party animal - not! Sat 05 Apr 2014, 19:29

You're right, Lizzy. Sorry. Except it's not certain yet...

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by party animal - not! Sat 05 Apr 2014, 19:31

Looks like they're doing their usual 'juggling productions' act..........

by party animal - not! Sun 06 Apr 2014, 21:26

Digital spy now have the story:

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Factually based story again - and the European Court of Human Rights got involved..........

by Nicky80 Sun 06 Apr 2014, 21:59

Thanks PAN, here the article and video

George Clooney's Smokehouse Pictures to remake Norwegian film Pioneer

George Clooney's production company Smokehouse Pictures is to remake Norwegian film Pioneer.

The actor and his producing partner Grant Heslov will bring the true story of a band of Norwegian divers to Hollywood, The Guardian reports.

The story follows 24 men who damaged their health diving to 400 metres below the surface to secure Norway's oil and gas fortune 40 years ago.

The men embarked on a long-term battle for compensation after claiming that they were not given the necessary information about the potential risks of the work they were carrying out underwater.

Last year, the European Court of Human Rights found the Norwegian state to be guilty of not providing the divers with necessary warnings, with the 24 men now expected to receive payouts.
"The plight of the divers is a very well-known story in this country," said Christian Fredrik Martin, producer of the Norwegian film. "When we first started work on Pioneer, Smokehouse got in touch.

"They came back to us last year when the film was released in Norway. Clooney and his fellow producers were attracted by the cinematic possibilities of the underwater world, I think, and also because it is the kind of non-fiction story their company has been interested in turning into films in the past."

The Norwegian version of Pioneer was released in August 2013. It was directed by Erik Skjoldbjærg and starred Aksel Hennie, Wes Bentley and Stephen Lang.

Watch a trailer for Pioneer below:

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by Way2Old4Dis Mon 07 Apr 2014, 00:31

Boshkash wrote:They will produce, so not that much work..

Don't ever say that out loud. Movies start and end with the producers.

by Sevens Wed 09 Apr 2014, 05:53

The HeyUGuys Interview: Erik Skjoldbjærg discusses Pioneer
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The HeyUGuys Interview: Erik Skjoldbjærg discusses Pioneer

Now you may not have heard of Norwegian filmmaker Erik Skjoldbjærg, but his 1997 feature film debut Insomnia, was the source material for Christopher Nolan’s eponymous remake starring Robin Williams and Al Pacino. Only recently, Skjoldbjærg’s latest production Pioneer has also been confirmed to have a forthcoming Hollywood re-imagining, with word of George Clooney taking on the role of producer.
“I’d be more than happy for them to do that,” he told us, sitting back comfortably in during our meeting in a London hotel. “I made a film out of it. If they were to say ‘we want to make a remake and shelve your version, put it in a box and try and forget it ever existed’ it would be a different issue. But that’s not the way it works. I’m proud of the fact that Christopher Nolan went and made that remake, and actually did a good job of it. I think the original film benefits.”
Pioneer tells an incredible true story, set at the beginning of the Norwegian oil boom, when deposits were discovered on the seabed. A handful of courageous deep-sea divers then agree to head into unchartered territory, and dive deeper than anyone has before. Skjoldbjærg masterfully captures that feeling of isolation mixed with a breathtaking sense of eternity, and he welcomed comparisons to the Oscar winning Gravity in that regard.
“I’m so happy you said that. When we were looking at films before we started shooting, I looked for underwater films and I was mostly unimpressed. So I started looking at science fiction movies instead, because they do have this infinite depth. So that’s where we looked for inspiration,” he said. “It’s all about scale. I haven’t seen Gravity, but if you want to show this infinity, scale is important. I wanted to give the audience a sense of what would it really feel like to go down 400m, and what you have to go through before you can do it. Because nobody really knew at the time, I guess we still don’t actually.”
There’s a forbidding, disquieting atmosphere to Pioneer, and, in a similar vein to Skjoldbjærg’s previous work – his entry point is hugely unpredictable and volatile. In this instance it belongs to the renowned Norwegian actor Aksel Hennie. “I like the unexpected, and I like tension and not knowing where a film is going. Some of my more successful film have that intensity and maybe it’s something I’m drawn to because it inspires me,” he continued. “I don’t like predictability. It’s what I find interesting in the world. You meet people and you realise, oh, there’s something different to them. That’s what catches my attention. I like films that show you characters and worlds you aren’t expecting. A journey of discovery, which I like.”
Hennie, who starred in popular comedy caper Headhunters, is tipped for a bright future in Hollywood from his director, though he admits feelings back home in Norway can be somewhat conflicted. “He is a great actor, and he is close to the character, in personality. He was diving before this movie and he’s a real risk-taker, he likes to take a chance. That adrenaline rush is very much part of him. But in Hollywood it depends a bit on luck. It’s interesting because on one hand we’re obsessed with somebody gaining success abroad, because we’re a small nation. On the other hand, there is envy.”
Pioneer also features American actors too, given the nations’ involvement in the real life events, and one of which is Wes Bentley. While thrilled to have him on board, Skjoldbjærg admits the waiting game on big, Hollywood actors can be an arduous affair. “Wes had seen Insomnia, so was interested in doing this, despite the fact he’s playing a supporting role,” he said. “But what we did learn, which was nerve-nerve-racking, is the casting agent said ‘you’ve got to wait until the last couple of weeks, and keep your cool’ – because actors with a name in Hollywood will not do a supporting role in a smallish, European films if they stand the chance of getting a lead elsewhere. So we had to wait until three weeks beforehand.”
But how about himself? Would Skjoldbjærg ever feel lured in by the glitz and glamour of Tinsel Town? It seems that the rise in audience numbers may just be enough of a temptation. “As a filmmaker I’m drawn to a bigger market and bigger audience, because it will give me a platform to get my films screened. So definitely yes, English talking films are something I’ be interested in. But I’m also a family man and my family live in Norway, so it’s not a very easy decision. It needs to be very considered if it happens. I’m a filmmaker, but there’s a part of me that misses home. Mixing the two things is never easy, they aren’t compatible in many ways. You’ve got to make it work, but that’s never easy.”
Now seems as good a time as any for Scandinavians to make the move across to America – if they so desire – and Skjoldbjærg is fully aware that the European region is going through something of a golden era, and now it’s all about taking advantage of that fact.
“We are aware of it, and we try and benefit from it. That’s what you do as filmmakers, you try and look for opportunities. We also find some inspiration from other people in our region, success spurs us on. So it’s a good environment for filmmaking in Scandinavia.”
There would certainly be a place for this talented director, able to follow on in the footsteps of the likes of Daniel Espinosa (Safe House) and Niels Arden Oplev (Dead Man Down) – though the Norwegian may go for a more naturalistic approach, as he tells us he finds great inspiration from bringing real life stories to the big screen.
“I love doing stuff which comes from real life. Or is inspired by real life. I love that. It brings an added dimension to a story, even if it’s fictional. I feel like, this could happen, I believe this. That to me is a great benefit and it’s something that film is perfectly suited to doing. I also like researching, feeding my curiosity inspires me.”

by Boshkash Wed 09 Apr 2014, 12:22

Way2Old4Dis wrote:
Boshkash wrote:They will produce, so not that much work..

Don't ever say that out loud. Movies start and end with the producers.

Sorry, your lady ship!! I only meant it wouldn't be as difficult as MM was!! Smile

by party animal - not! Fri 11 Apr 2014, 22:16

More coverage on this:

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George Clooney Turns To 'Pioneer' For Next Potential Oscar Winner

European cinema is rich pickings for Hollywood directors.

American producers are always looking for material to turn into movies, so it's no surprise that they continually remake European hits. Recent examples include of course David Fincher's 2011 remake of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (based on the 2009 Swedish film), as well as smaller movies like Prince Avalanche (2011's Icelandic movie Either Way), the Steve Carell comedy Dinner for Schmucks (France's 1998 romp Le Diner de Cons) and the upcoming thriller Brick Mansions (2004's District 13, also from France).

Now producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov have snapped up the rights to the hit Norwegian thriller Pioneer, which has just opened in the UK. A well-known story in Scandinavia, it's based on true events surrounding Norwegian and American divers whose health was damaged after working 400 metres below the ocean surface to lay an oil pipeline 40 years ago. After a long court battle, the European Court of Human Rights last year ruled that the Norwegian government was guilty of not providing adequate warnings about the risk.
"The plight of the divers is a very well-known story in this country," says the Norwegian film's producer Christian Fredrik Martin, who was in touch with Clooney's company from the time they started work on the film. "They came back to us last year when the film was released in Norway. Clooney and his fellow producers were attracted by the cinematic possibilities of the underwater world, I think, and also because it is the kind of nonfiction story their company has been interested in turning into films in the past."
There's no word yet on whether Clooney might star in or direct the remake.

by silly girl Fri 11 Apr 2014, 23:05

They mention the "court of Human Rights"...wonder if Amal is giving him tips? Sounds like an interesting story....

by party animal - not! Fri 11 Apr 2014, 23:17

Mm, noticed that in the Digital Spy story too...

by Nicky80 Sat 12 Apr 2014, 15:54

Me too PAN, thought the same SG...Maybe if this project gets more serious we will know more if he took some advise/tips from her

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George Clooney, Grant Heslov to Produce Remake of 'Pioneer' (Exclusive)

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