Genre: Action.
Studio:
Paramount Pictures.
Production Company:
Blue Tulip Entertainment.
Project Phase: Development Hell.
Who's In It:
Unknown.
Who's Making It:
Jan De Bont (Director, Executive Producer); George Nolfi, John Patrick Shanley
(Screenwriters); Mace Neufeld (Producer).
Premise: Pathfinders are a secret group of military operatives with special skills. When one of their number is captured and thrown in a faraway country's harsh prison, the Pathfinder develops a relationship with a cellmate. Over the years both prisoners endure torture and all kinds of abuse and a strong bond of friendship develops between the pair.
Only when the protagonsist escapes does he realize that his cellmate was a plant. This master of duplicity now knows all the Pathfinder knows; over the years spent in prison he was told about the secret Pathfinder group and its members. Back in the United States the remaining Pathfinders start to be assassinated by the covert agent from the prison, who also has nuclear weapons in his arsenal.
Release Date: Unknown.
Rumors: None.
Scoop Feedback:
[Page draft submitted by Pathfinder 'Deadpool'.]
March, 1998... Daily Variety has reported that this project has finally been ressurected. When Paramount bought it as a spec script in 1985, Pathfinder had attracted the attention of some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. The film once had Christian Duguay (The Assignment) ready to direct, with Arnold Schwarzenegger serious about teaming with Sean Connery. Michael Douglas and Mel Gibson also considered the project before moving on to other things. Shanley is currently re-writing Nolfi's script, adding more depth to the relationship between the two Pathfinders. His script is due within two months; at that point De Bont will begin casting for the two leads. [Scoop provided by 'Deadpool'.]
May 5, 1998... We've been told that the script has intentionally been watered down at the behest of the Powers That Be. The budget was soaring into the $120 million district, but Paramount brass are apparently capping it off at $85 mil. "The script has been diluted to feature a limited amount of action sequences and more character exposition," our scooper informs us. "The tone of the film has shifted from balls-out action, as well, to more of a thriller in the vein of The Game. We've also been told Jan de Bont will not be directing this one, kiddies. [Anonymous.]
July 23, 1998... "Jan Da Bont is back, the budget is set at $85 million, Mace Neufeld is producing and from what`s been bouncing around it looks like script has taken another turn," our scooper writes in. Recent reports had indicated that this project was going through 'the swamp', meaning, it was getting bogged down in development and looking more and more unlikely to happen. That has apparently changed our scooper reports, and De Bont wants to get momentum back on the project. Our scooper also revealed that in a new draft "The `plant in the cell is now, supposedly, an ex-pathfinder himself." [Dave Leavitt.]
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