Robert Downey Jr's "Perry Mason" Film Gets Writer

[JamesG]

Robert Downey Jr. Teams With Warner Bros. for Perry Mason Film
By Christopher Rosen
Posted Oct 5th 2011


Robert Downey Jr. apparently loves playing detectives.

Variety reports that the Sherlock Holmes star will partner with Warner Bros. to bring beloved P.I. Perry Mason to the big screen.



Like the source books by Erie Stanley Gardner, Perry Mason would be set in 1930s Los Angeles and not the '50s and '60s like the famed television series with Raymond Burr.

At the moment RDJ is simply producing, but the project is being developed with the potential for him to star.

http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/10/05/robert-downey-jr-perry-mason/

[Zoneboy]

Link (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118043957)

Warner Bros. and Team Downey are teaming to relaunch the "Perry Mason" franchise as a feature film, with Robert Downey Jr. eyeing the title defense attorney role as a potential starring vehicle.
Like the original series of books by Erle Stanley Gardner, "Perry Mason" will be set in the rough and tumble world of early 1930s Los Angeles, and feature fan favorites such as Mason's secretary, Della Street, private investigator Paul Drake, and Mason's longtime courtroom nemesis, Hamilton Burger.

Team Downey principals Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey will produce with Robert Cort, while David Gambino, Eric Hetzel and Joe Horacek will exec produce with Susan Feiles and Chris Darling.

The producers are currently looking for a writer, whose script will be based on an original story by Robert Downey Jr. and Gambino.

WB exec Jon Berg will oversee the project for the studio.

Cort and his Robert Cort Prods. exec Hetzel teamed with Darling and Feiles of Action Entertainment to bring the idea for the feature relaunch of "Perry Mason" to Team Downey.

Estate attorney Horacek negotiated the rights deal on behalf of Paisano Prods.

Gardner's 82 "Perry Mason" novels and dozens of short stories have been published in 37 languages worldwide. With book sales exceeding 425 million, Gardner, who mentored both Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett early in the careers, surpassed them both in sales, even combined. At the height of his popularity, Gardner sold an average of 26,000 "Perry Mason" books per day.

A "Perry Mason" radio series began in 1937, running 3,257 episodes, and there were 34 two-hour telepics and six feature films beginning in the 1930s from Warners. But the character is perhaps best known as the protag of the popular TV show starring Raymond Burr, which ran on CBS from 1957 to 1966 and featured memorable theme music composed by Fred Steiner. The series still plays everyday in 87 languages around the world.

Robert Downey Jr., who next stars in "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," is currently reprising his role as Iron Man in Marvel's "The Avengers." He is repped by CAA.

[JamesG]

Robert Downey Jr.'s Perry Mason Reboot Lands Hot Writer (Exclusive)
2/17/2012
by Borys Kit


Marc Guggenheim is in negotiations to write the big-screen adventures of Perry Mason, set up at Warner Bros. as a potential starring vehicle for Robert Downey Jr.

Downey also is producing with his wife and partner Susan Downey and their banner Team Downey, along with Robert Cort.

Guggenheim is writing a script based off an original story by Downey and Team Downey president David Gambino, bringing the character back to Los Angeles of the 1930s.





Guggenheim will likely call upon his previous career as an attorney when tackling the script. The scribe practiced in Boston before embarking on a writing career.

His early scripts centered around law and attorneys as he worked on shows such as "The Practice" and "Law & Order". He also co-created the legal dramedy "Eli Stone".





Guggenheim is also a comic book writer, having worked for Marvel and DC Comics.

He co-wrote the Green Lantern movie and is exec producing and co-writing "Arrow", CW’s take on DC’s Green Arrow hero.

He is repped by WME and Ziffren Brittenham.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/robert-downey-jr-perry-mason-reboot-marc-guggenheim-292400