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Columbia Pictures is reportedly working on a remake of 1990 supernatural drama Flatliners.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio has tasked Source Code writer Ben Ripley to pen a script for the remake.

Veteran producer Laurence Mark, who produced 2007 crime film The Lookout, is also on board the project.

The original Flatliners was directed by Joel Schumacher and received positive reviews as well as an Academy Award for ‘Best Sound Editing’.

The film starred Julia Roberts and Kiefer Sutherland opposite the likes of Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin and Oliver Platt.

Flatliners tells the story of a group of medical students who induce near-death experiences in themselves to discover whether there is an afterlife.

Scary Movie 5 has hired writers and is hoping to bring back previous cast members in the comedy horror series.

Anthony Anderson (Scary Movie 3, Scary Movie 4), Regina Hall (Scary Movie 1-4) and Kevin Hart (Scary Movie 3, Scary Movie 4) have all been asked to return, according to Bloody Disgusting.

It is unknown whether Anna Faris – who recently won the female lead role in Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator – plans to make an appearance in the spoof sequel, which had originally been planned as a reboot.

The Comebacks writers John Aboud, Michael Colton and Stephen Leff have been hired to write the script.

Their 2007 film starring David Koechner and Carl Weathers spoofed inspirational sport films.

Scary Movie 5 is expected to release on April 20, 2012.

Disney’s The Help managed to climb one spot to top the US box office this weekend.

The Emma Stone-led comedy-drama took $20.4m for its second weekend of release, helping it best the $16.3m taken by former box-office topper Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Robert Rodriguez’s family action sequel Spy Kids: All The Time in the World opened in third place with $12m, followed by action epic Conan the Barbarian which opened to only $10m.

The final new release of the weekend, horror remake Fright Night, rounds out the top five with $8.3m.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (2) The Help – $20,479,000
2. (1) Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $16,300,000
3. (-) Spy Kids: All the Time in the World – $12,020,000
4. (-) Conan the Barbarian – $10,000,000
5. (-) Fright Night – $8,300,000
6. (4) The Smurfs – $8,000,000
7. (3) Final Destination 5 – $7,705,000
8. (5) 30 Minutes or Less – $6,300,000
9. (6) One Day – $5,127,567
10. (8) Crazy, Stupid, Love – $4,950,000

Pixar director Dan Scanlon has teased what fans can expect from the company’s upcoming film Monsters University.

Serving as a prequel to the 2001 film Monsters Inc., Monsters University will follow best friends Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan as they go through a troubled adolescence.

“They look familiar but, like all of us, they’re a little thinner and a little shaggier,” Scanlon told Coming Soon, at this weekend’s D23 Expo. “It was super fun making them look young but still familiar. That was sort of the big design challenge.”

Scanlon also promised that because of advances in technology over the past decade, the new film will feature even more exciting monsters than the original.

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Ridley Scott has signed on to produce and direct a new Blade Runner movie.

The acclaimed filmmaker will partner with Alcon Entertainment, producers of The Blind Side, for the next Blade Runner instalment, Deadline reports.

It is not yet known whether the movie will be a prequel or sequel to 1982’s Blade Runner. The original movie’s star Harrison Ford‘s involvement in this new project also remains unclear.

Ford famously played Blade Runner hero Rick Deckard, a retired police officer tasked with hunting down a group of renegade robots.

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Rise of the Planet of the Apes has held off competition to stay at the top of the US box office.

The film, starring James Franco and Andy Serkis, took in $27.5 million to remain at the top spot for a second week running. The drama has now taken $104.9m in just ten days, after hitting theaters last weekend.

The movie adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s bestseller The Help, starring Emma Stone and Bryce Dallas Howard, opened in second place with $25.5m.

Final Destination 5 achieved $18.4m in its opening weekend, reaching third place. The Smurfs dropped to fourth place with takings of $13.5m.

R-rated comedy 30 Minutes or Less completed the top five, with earnings of $13m.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (1) Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $27,500,000
2. (-) The Help – $25,500,000
3. (-) Final Destination 5 – $18,400,000
4. (2) The Smurfs – $13,500,000
5. (-) 30 Minutes or Less – $13,000,000
6. (3) Cowboys & Aliens – $7,610,000
7. (5) Captain America: The First Avenger – $7,120,000
8. (7) Crazy, Stupid, Love – $6,930,000
9. (6) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – $6,880,000
10. (4) The Change-Up – $6,220,000

Disney has reportedly shut down production on Johnny Depp-led Western The Lone Ranger.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has allegedly been in disputes with Disney over the film’s proposed budget, leading the studio to axe the project.

The Lone Ranger‘s estimated price tag of $200m (£122m) is said to be too much for Disney, who are instead focusing on their upcoming projects John Carter – a sci-fi adventure starring Taylor Kitsch – and Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great And Powerful, Deadline reports.

Director Gore Verbinski was also said to be concerned in light of Disney’s plans to spawn a new franchise from the film.

“Gore doesn’t want to budge for what he thinks a movie like this needs,” a source told The Hollywood Reporter. “The fact that it’s a Western is a definite concern.”

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NBC is reportedly considering a remake of The Munsters.

The project, which comes from Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller, was first in development last year, but NBC decided not to pursue the show.

Executives at the network have now asked Fuller to rework the script, TV Guide says.

The new adaptation of The Munsters is expected to include all of the original characters from the 1960s programme and will keep the series’ humour.

However, it will now be an hour-long show and is thought to be “edgier” and “slightly darker” with more focus on the origins of the characters.

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Rise of the Planet of the Apes surpassed studio estimates to top the US box office this weekend.

The Rupert Wyatt-directed film, which stars James Franco and Andy Serkis, took $54m in its opening weekend following a positive critical reception.

Last week’s joint box-office topper The Smurfs falls one place this weekend, taking $21m, while comic book adaptation Cowboys & Aliens fared slightly worse, taking $15.7m.

R-rated comedy The Change-Up opened to $13.5m, while Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger rounds out the top five with $13m.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (-) Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $54,000,000
2. (1) The Smurfs – $21,000,000
3. (1) Cowboys & Aliens- $15,748,000
4. (-) The Change-Up – $13,500,000
5. (3) Captain America: The First Avenger – $13,000,000
6. (4) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – $12,160,000
7. (5) Crazy, Stupid, Love – $12,100,000
8. (6) Friends with Benefits – $4,700,000
9. (7) Horrible Bosses – $4,620,000
10. (8) Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $3,015,000

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