devilshalo

Web wonk to try producing at Revolution
Knowles in negotiations after pitching 'Ghost Town'

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Through his Web site Ain't It Cool News, Harry Knowles has become a self-appointed arbiter of what is cool onscreen. Revolution Studios is betting that he can not only judge the viability of work by others but can hatch cool films himself.

In a deal that's unusual because Knowles writes about the industry, Revolution is negotiating a deal that will make Knowles the producer of "Ghost Town," an original comedy he pitched. The pic is the first step on what will likely be a multiple-film arrangement with the studio.

Knowles, who has operated his site for over seven years from modest confines in Austin, Texas, will house his fledgling producing operation there as well. He will continue to preside over a Web page that delivers gossip usually supplied by insiders as well as early results of test screenings that often drive studio execs and filmmakers crazy.

The film deal is being brokered by Endeavor, and Knowles said the overture came from Revolution partner Todd Garner.

"Todd surprised by asking if I'd be interested in producing and did I have any ideas," Knowles said. "This was out of left field, but I figured it'd be best to say yes and then think of them.

"Two weeks ago, Todd and Derek Dauchy came back to town, and I had a list of 50 projects. They liked this original concept I'd come up with. I threw out the name of a writer they thought would be perfect, and we are negotiating with him."

Though his only involvement in the business came on a Comedy Central pilot based on his site, Knowles regularly corresponds with enough filmmakers to have confidence he can find his way in the producing game.

Knowles is bracing for the inevitable charge that he has become part of the Hollywood system he regularly lacerates. Each item on the site invites reader comment, and Harry's army is an ornery bunch. He expects them to be most critical of his new role.

"They're going to hate it," he predicted. "When a writing deal was announced for Drew McWeeny, who writes on the site as Moriarty, people were congratulatory. When anything good happens to me, there is a collective outburst of unfettered jealousy and anger."

Despite the brickbats, Knowles said the site will not temper opinions of Revolution product just because he is making a deal there.

"While all of this has been coming together, I just ran a major negative review of their film 'Radio,' and a lukewarm review of 'Peter Pan,'" Knowles said.

Rogue588

just

he should work for FOX with his fair & balanced reviews..

Jackskeleton

Harry was in Monkey Bones, we all know how great of a choice that was...


AICN has to be one of the worst sites around. half the rumors are pulled out of their ass and the other half are overshadowed by the massive amount of "It's gonna suck"/"This will be the coolest thing EVER!" comments.

das Monkey

• Quoth Harry •<HR SIZE=1>When anything good happens to me, there is a collective outburst of unfettered jealousy and anger.<HR SIZE=1>

That's gotta be it, Harry.

das

P.S. Is AICN still the slowest, ugliest site on the planet? I never go there anymore.

Jules Winfield

I don't know, I like his enthusiasm about movies in general. I don't hate him like everyone else on the web seems to. Hopefully he'll be able to make a good movie. I don't have the highest nor lowest amount in confidence in him though. Just sorta eh.

PixyJunket

Oh God. No.

PS: I don't hate Harry, cause I don't know who he his but his website sure sucks donkey balls (and the people who post there even more).

Tom Campbell

Well, let's hope that his movie pitches are better written than his movie reviews.

Anybody else think that this was sold based more on his name than on the quality of the pitch?

Groucho

Knowles is well-known for exchanging good reviews for various studio perks. This is no different.

devilshalo

I guess when you put out Hollywood Homicide and Gigli... Harry can't be any worse?

PixyJunket

..don't forget MASTER OF DISGUISE. Wow.

devilshalo

Turtle, turtle!

oclavlib316

I think the bigger story here is that he had a lot of people pounding on his website yesterday trying to find out what the major announcement would be. No matter what it ended up being, it was bound to be a disappointment. There was no call to string people along with such a vague yet promising statement. One would have thought he had the scoop on the second coming of Christ or something.

And as for the announcement...I'll add a shrug for good measure.

*shrug*

PalmerJoss

I will laugh my ass off if when the movie comes out it absolutely sucks and is reviled like Gigli. Although, Revolution could always get our favorite critic David Manning to give it a positive spin.

fumanstan

I agree completely. I think the Harry/Aint It Cool bashing is stupid too. Reminds me of people taking sides on tech web pages like Tom's/HardOCP. But hey, that's the internet for ya

ArchibaldTuttle

I think its great, the guy loves movies, and now is getting an oppurtunity to make one, everyone should be so lucky, it will probably suck, but who knows, I will probably watch it, I guess I feel the same way jules does

Spooky

I hear the position he's getting is that of "Creative Producer"...which I've never heard of before...although I'm assuming it's like "Creative Consultant" on a TV show...which basically means Harry will just be around to answer questions the director or screenplay writer may have about GHOST TOWN, but will have very little creative control over the final product.

Fielding Mellish

So, has the world's biggest Harry-wannabe Chris Gore written his scathing article about this development, yet?

If not, bet dollars to donuts it'll be up by midnight tonight.

Sunday Morning

Keep in mind Revoltion is the studio that is also responsible for these fine films (Also keep in mind this is a list out of the 39 TOTAL film & tv projects that they have produced & released/will release up until 2004):


america's sweethearts
anger management
the animal
daddy day care
darkness falls
gigli
hollywood homicide
lil' pimp (2004)
maid in manhattan
the master of disguise
mona lisa smile
the new guy
the one
peter pan (2003)
radio
stealing harvard
tears of the sun
tomcats
xxx


Actually the only 2 films that are good, arguably, that they have released are punch drunk love & black hawk down.

Not a good sign.