Reliance Big Entertainment reveals A-list productions

RBE chairman Amit Khanna said the company is providing around $10-15m in development financing to 20 approved projects under its so-called “creative partnerships” which were announced at Cannes last year.

These include action title Voodoo Child from Nicolas Cage’s Saturn Films, comedy O’Gunn from Jim Carrey’s JC 23 Entertainment and the Dan Eldon Project from Julia Roberts’ Red Om Films.

Based on a Liquid Comics property, Voodoo Child is being scripted by John Collee and has Cage lined up to star. Carrey is planning to star in O’Gunn, which is being scripted by Ed Cannistraci and Fred Seton. Dan Eldon Project tells the story of the renowned British photo-journalist who was killed in Africa.

RBE also announced that it is giving seed money to three projects from Chris Colombus’ 1492 Pictures – Things They Left Behind, based on the Stephen King short story about 9/11 survivors; an adaptation of Thurston Clarke’s book The Last Campaign, and David Dorfman’s script It’s A Miserable Life.

Meanwhile, Brett Ratner’s Rat Entertainment is receiving finance to develop Youngblood, based on Rob Liefeld’s graphic novel; Infinity which is also being scripted by Collee, and James Toback’s John Delorean Project.

“These creative partnerships call for Reliance to co-finance production with the US studios where existing first-look deals are in place,” said RBE chairman Amit Khanna. “From the conversations to date, we know that the respective studios welcome our development silos and subsequent co-financing ability.”

He added that as the projects originated with the talent, the stars are “prepared to stretch that extra mile” to get the projects made.

RBE also has deals with including Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment, Tom Hanks’ Playtone Productions, George Clooney’s Smokehouse Productions and Jay Roach’s Everyman Pictures. RBE retains Indian rights to the projects under the deals.