Universal picks up SAVAGES and drops IN THE HEIGHTS

Movie Savages Universal Studios about 15 years agoby

Universal Pictures has announced it has picked up the rights for one film and dropped another. The studio purchased domestic distribution rights to Oliver Stone's Savages, based on the Don Winslow novel. The book is about "two friends from Laguna Beach share the same girlfriend and a thriving business growing and distributing the best-quality pot on the planet. When they resist being muscled by a Mexican drug cartel, the girl is kidnapped and the ransom is every cent they've made for the last five years. They agree to pay but hatch an alternate plan to get her back, get revenge, and then get lost."

The script was co-written by Stone and Shane Salerno. Stone hopes to start shooting in June with offers out to Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch to play the dealers and to Benicio Del Toro to play a cartel enforcer.

In other news, Universal has scrapped plans of an adaptation of the musical In the Heights. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who composed and wrote the musical as well as starred in it, was set to star in and produce the feature. The musical "explored three days in New York City's Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights and featured hip-hop, salsa, merengue and soul music. It was nominated for 13 Tonys, winning the award for best musical."

Kenny Ortega was set to direct and Quiara Alegria Hudes, the play's original writer, was on board to write the script. Variety reports that with a budget of $37 million, the studio was unable to attract top talent for roles in the film.