Crime Travels: Mark Wahlberg will star in a remake of the Icelandic thriller Reykjavik-Rotterdam, with Aaron Guzikowski writing the script. The original revolves around a freight-ship worker, fired for smuggling alcohol between the two title cities, who is persuaded by his best friend to take on one last crime job. The movie is Iceland’s submission for the Oscars, but that’s irrelevant now, as it’s already earned the highest honor of all — a Mark Wahlberg remake. [Variety]
Friendship: Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films and Lionsgate have optioned Devin Friedman’s 2008 GQ humor piece “Will You Be My Black Friend?” which is about exactly what it sounds like. Chris Rock is pegged to star. What a heartwarming story of Devin Friedman finally getting some black friends. [Variety]
The Fantasy Lives: Fantasy Island is getting a TV-reality remake: The early-eighties ABC staple will now be a Mark Burnett–produced hour-long competition show, with twelve contestants living in a resort and fighting to win a job at the hotel. It’s unclear what activities they will be put under to prove their worth (best reception-desk manners?), but each week one person will earn immunity and another will be voted home. The tenuous connection with the original is that they’re competing to be the next Mr. or Ms. Roarke, the dude in the original who owned the island. Not the guy who said, “The plane, the plane.” The other guy. [HR]
Araki Goes to School: Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin, Smiley Face) has filled the cast of his new feature, Kabloom, about a group of college kids going through various sexual awakenings, with a bunch of relative unknowns, including Roxane Mesquida, Thomas Dekker, Kelly Lynch, and Rooney Mara. [HR]
We Form Like … : UTA has taken on World Events Productions as clients, and will give its biggest property, Voltron, a major push: The agency will find a writer for the recently announced feature adaptation, and will push for an animated cable-TV series as well as video-game and toy deals. Apparently, UTA is excited because, unlike nearly every other toy property in development, Voltron — a giant warrior created when five robot lions piloted by humans come together — actually has a backstory that could be turned into a movie plot. Our only question: Is GZA available to play the head? [HR]
