| Release Date: | 2010? |
| Cast: | Robert Downey Jr as Zeke Jackson (unconfirmed) |
| Director: | TBA |
| Screen Writer(s): | Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby |
| Official Site: | TBA |
| Trailers: | None |
| Status: | Script Stage |
| Synopsis/Plot: | The story centers on an Old West battle between the Apache and Western settlers, including a former Union Army gunslinger named Zeke Jackson (Downey), that is interrupted by a spaceship crashing into the prairie near Silver City, Ariz. The story draws a parallel between the American imperialist drive to conquer the "savage" Indians with its advanced technology and the aliens' assault on Earthlings, who must join together to survive the invaders' attack. |
| News and Rumors: |
June 16, 2008: Iron Man's Robert Downey Jr. is in negotiations to star in DreamWorks/Universal's Cowboys & Aliens, a pulpy mix of the sci-fi and Western genres that could serve as a potential 2010 tentpole, says The Hollywood Reporter. Imagine Entertainment partners Brian Grazer and Ron Howard are producing. Platinum Studios chairman and CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg also will produce, along with DreamWorks mainstays Steven Spielberg, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Ervin Rustemagic and Rich Marincic will co-produce. Cowboys & Aliens derives from a graphic novel written by Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley from an original idea by Rosenberg. The story centers on an Old West battle between the Apache and Western settlers, including a former Union Army gunslinger named Zeke Jackson (Downey), that is interrupted by a spaceship crashing into the prairie near Silver City, Ariz. The story draws a parallel between the American imperialist drive to conquer the "savage" Indians with its advanced technology and the aliens' assault on Earthlings, who must join together to survive the invaders' attack. The latest draft of the script was done by Iron Man and Children of Men writers Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus. Source: Superherohype
June 21, 2007: DreamWorks Studios and Universal Pictures have acquired the rights to Platinum Studios’ best-selling graphic novel “Cowboys & Aliens,” it was announced today by Adam Goodman, President of Production for DreamWorks Studios, and Donna Langley, President of Production for Universal Pictures. Academy Award® winners Brian Grazer and Ron Howard will produce for Imagine Entertainment, along with Platinum Studios’ Chairman and CEO, Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Ervin Rustemagic and Rich Marincic of Platinum Studios will co-produce. Created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, “Cowboys and Aliens” was published in 2006 by Platinum Studios. Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby are expected to adapt the science fiction western adventure for the screen. DreamWorks and Universal are co-developing and will co-produce the live-action feature film adaptation. “This property captured our imagination as soon as we became aware of it,” said Adam Goodman. “We kept trying to make it happen and finally all the elements have come together with thanks to Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci, Universal, Imagine, Platinum, and the creative talents who have also joined us.”
Imagine partners Brian Grazer and Ron Howard said, "This is incredibly exciting for us both creatively and professionally. ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ is unique and challenging material, and we can't wait to roll up our sleeves and come up with a truly distinctive film." “This is a cool sci-fi and western mix and we couldn’t be more excited with the support we’re getting from this creative team,” said Scott Mitchell Rosenberg. “Wow! Working with Ron, Brian, and our friends at DreamWorks and Universal is a dream come true.”
May 13, 2004: Escape Artists and comic book powerhouse Platinum Studios are teaming up for some sci-fi escapism with the high-concept tentpole "Cowboys and Aliens" for Columbia Pictures.
"Sahara" writers Joshua Oppenheimer and Thomas Donnelly have come on board to adapt the project, which is set within Platinum's comic book "macroverse" of more than 1,000 characters. Escape Artists' Jason Blumenthal, Todd Black, Steve Tisch and David Alper will produce in association with Platinum's Scott Rosenberg, Ervin Rustemagic and Gregor Noveck. Amy Baer will oversee for the studio.
Created by Platinum Studios founder and chairman Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, "Cowboys and Aliens" is set in the Old West, where cowboys and Indians must put aside their differences to battle an alien invasion.
"This type of material is why the word 'tentpole' was invented," said Blumenthal, who tracked the project for the three years it was at DreamWorks before bringing it into Sony-based Escape Artists about 18 months ago. "Once it was available, I jumped at it. Then Sony recently re-optioned it for us."
Oppenheimer and Donnelly also penned "Dead of Night," a second project set in the Platinum macroverse of characters, produced with Dimension Films. Another project, "Unique," also set in the Platinum macroverse, recently was set up at Touchstone Pictures, with David Goyer directing, Michael Cooney writing and Rosenberg and David Heyman producing. Thompson Evans was involved in a previous draft of the project, with Chris Hauty also doing a rewrite in 2002. Oppenheimer and Donnelly are repped by Joe Gatta at the Gersh Agency.
