LOS ANGELES, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Lakeshore Entertainment and Paramount Classics have begun principal photography on the Lakeshore Entertainment/Alphaville production ``The Gift,'' a southern thriller starring Academy Award-nominee and Golden Globe-winner Cate Blanchett (``Elizabeth,'' ``The Talented Mr. Ripley'') as a small-town psychic who becomes embroiled in a local murder. Sam Raimi (``For Love of the Game,'' ``A Simple Plan'') directs from a screenplay by Billy Bob Thornton (``Slingblade,'' ``One False Move'') and Tom Epperson (``One False Move,'' ``A Family Thing''). Also starring are Keanu Reeves (``The Matrix,'' ``Speed''); Katie Holmes (``Go,'' ``Disturbing Behavior''); Giovanni Ribisi (``Saving Private Ryan,'' ``Boiler Room''); Academy Award-nominee Greg Kinnear (``As Good As It Gets,'' the upcoming ``What Planet Are You From'') and Golden Globe-winner and Oscar nominee Hilary Swank (``Boys Don't Cry'').

The film is produced by Jim Jacks (``A Simple Plan,'' ``The Mummy'') and Tom Rosenberg (``Runaway Bride,'' the upcoming ``The Next Best Thing''), with Gary Lucchesi (``Runaway Bride,'' the upcoming ``The Next Best Thing''), Gregory Goodman (``Three Kings,'' ``Kalifornia''), Sean Daniel (``The Mummy'' the upcoming ``Numbers'') and Ted Taunebaum (``Runaway Bride,'' the upcoming ``The Next Best Thing'') serving as executive producers. Richard Wright (``Runaway Bride,'' the upcoming ``The Next Best Thing'') serves as co-producer. Director of photography is Jamie Anderson, A.S.C. (``Gross Point Blank,'' ``Odd Couple II''); production designer is Neil Spisak (``Face Off,'' ``Heat''); Julie Weiss (``American Beauty,'' ``A Simple Plan'') serves as costume designer; Arthur Coburn (``For Love of the Game,'' ``A Simple Plan'') and Bob Murawski (``Hard Target,'' ``Army of Darkness'') serve as editors.

Goodhearted Annie Wilson (Blanchett) is a recently widowed mother of three young boys in the tiny town of Brixton, Georgia, who bears ``the gift'' of psychic vision. Scorned by the narrow-minded town citizens, Annie struggles to support herself and her sons by giving psychic readings to eccentric locals, including Valerie (Swank), the wife of town bully, Donnie (Reeves) and car mechanic, Buddy (Ribisi). When Annie is drawn into the police investigation of a high-profile local murder, she finds herself in increasing danger and is left to unravel the town's dark secrets. Her ``gift'' is her only hope to save herself and her family.

``We are very excited to have such a stellar cast, led by Cate Blanchett,'' said Tom Rosenberg, CEO of Lakeshore Entertainment, ``and Sam Raimi is one of today's most inspired filmmakers.''

``Billy Bob Thorton and Tom Epperson's inventive screenplay delivers the goods. Sam Raimi and his entire team have attracted some of the very best young talent currently working in Hollywood,'' said Paramount Classics co-presidents Ruth Vitale and David Dinerstein. ``We are thrilled to be in business with them.''

The film also stars Kim Dickens (``Mercury Rising,'' the upcoming ``Hollowman''), J. K. Simmons (``The Cider House Rules,'' the upcoming ``Texas Rangers''), Gary Cole (``Office Space,'' ``A Simple Plan''), Michael Jeter (``The Green Mile,'' ``Patch Adams'') and Chelcie Ross (``Primary Colors,'' ``A Simple Plan''). Newcomers include Lynnsee Provence, Hunter McGilvray and David Brannon.

``The Gift'' is currently shooting on location in Savannah, Georgia and is scheduled for release in fall 2000.

Paramount Classics is the autonomous specialized division of Paramount Pictures. Upcoming films include Rod Lurie's ``Deterrence,'' Sofia Coppola's ``The Virgin Suicides,'' Alain Berliner's ``Passion of Mind,'' ``Sunshine,'' Patrice Leconte's ``The Girl On The Bridge,'' ``Company Man,'' ``The Gift,'' and ``My First Mister.'' The company's website is www.paramountclassics.com.

SOURCE: Paramount Classics

Filming began last week in Georgia on director Sam Raimi's new psychological drama The Gift. Keanu Reeves plays a wife-beater and Hilary Swank, fresh from her Golden Globe win for best actress in Boys Don't Cry, plays his wife. Giovani Ribisi, who plays a troubled mechanic, says Reeves "looks truly scary and menacing. He's got this long hair and beard and he can make his gaze look so creepy. Keanu is going to surprise a lot of people. "He plays a very convincing redneck." The film about the effect of physical and emotional abuse was co-written by Billy Bob Thornton.

NEW YORK (Variety) - Fresh from winning the Golden Globe for ``Boys Don't Cry,'' Hilary Swank is nearing a deal to join Keanu Reeves and Cate Blanchett in ``The Gift'' for director Sam Raimi.

Swank would play a woman, physically abused by her husband (Reeves), who turns to a psychic (Blanchett) for counsel. Greg Kinnear has replaced Ron Eldard as a school principal who consults the psychic after his wife-to-be (Katie Holmes) disappears.

The Paramount Classics film, budgeted at under $10 million, will costar Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Jeter (''The Green Mile''), Gary Cole, J.K. Simmons (''Oz'') and Chelcie Ross (''A Simple Plan''). Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson wrote the script.

Kinnear, who landed the role after Eldard dropped out for creative reasons, recently completed ``What Planet Are You From,'' the Mike Nichols-directed comedy with Garry Shandling and Annette Bening, and the Neil LaBute-directed ``Nurse Betty,'' with Renee Zellweger, Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock.

Separately, Swank on Tuesday was named ShoWest 2000's female star of tomorrow. The National Assn. of Theater Owners will present Swank with her honor March 9 during its four-day ShoWest confab in Las Vegas.

Besides Sunday's Golden Globe win for best actress in a drama, the 25-year-old Swank has nabbed thesp nods from the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn., the Boston Society of Film Critics and the Broadcast Film Critics Assn.

Swank's portrayal of real-life Brandon Teena also earned her 1999's breakout performance award from the National Board of Review and a best actress nomination from the Intl. Press Academy.

Before ``Boys,'' Swank was best known for her roles on TV's ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' and the 1994 picture ``The Next Karate Kid'' She got her start in the 1992 film ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer.''

The film is The Gift, which will mark a return to low-budget filmmaking for Evil Dead director Sam Raimi after this year's mainstream outing For Love of the Game. The pic is budgeted at under $10 million and stars Cate Blanchett, Katie Holmes, Giovanni Ribisi, and Ron Eldard (ER). Billy Bob Thornton, who starred in Raimi's neo-noir A Simple Plan, co-wrote the script with One False Move's Tom Epperson.

Blanchett stars as a woman with "the gift" of clairvoyance who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a small Southern town. Reeves will play a violent redneck who becomes the prime murder suspect and who threatens Blanchett's life after she counsels his battered wife. Quite a change of pace from the stars' respective turns as savior-hacker Neo and Queen Elizabeth.

Ribisi, who'd rather be remembered for Saving Private Ryan than the ill-fated Mod Squad, will play a troubled youth with a past who becomes "an important ally" to Blanchett.

Reeves will do The Gift, which starts shooting Feb. 7, before tackling the remake of the romantic drama Sweet November at Warner Bros.

Keanu will get his now-usual salary to star in November, to play a tycoon (!) who falls in love with a dying woman. Note to screenwriters: Better make him an e-tycoon, they're much younger than your average CEO, you know.

Then, it's (hurrah) on to the Matrix sequels, with a mammoth back-to-back 250-day shoot.

NEW YORK (Variety) - Keanu Reeves has committed to the supporting role of a vicious, wife-beating murder suspect in ''The Gift,'' a low-budget drama with a high-profile cast.

Giovanni Ribisi (''Saving Private Ryan'') has also been set for the film, which stars Cate Blanchett, Katie Holmes and Ron Eldard. Sam Raimi (''For Love of the Game'') will direct the Paramount Classics project, which is budgeted at under $10 million.

Reeves' commitment is akin to Tom Cruise joining the ensemble of New Line's ``Magnolia,'' in that he took a pay cut to work with a noted director (Paul Thomas Anderson) and play a part far from his usual heroic mode. Reeves, who usually gets a $15 million advance against 15% of the gross, will work for scale.

The drama, written by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson (''One False Move''), concerns a clairvoyant woman from a small Southern town who becomes enmeshed in a murder investigation. Reeves will play a redneck who becomes the prime suspect in that murder and who threatens the psychic's life after she counsels his battered wife. Ribisi, also known for his recurring role as Phoebe's dim brother in ``Friends,'' will play a troubled youth with a scarred past who turns to the clairvoyant for support and proves an important ally to her.

Shooting will begin Feb. 7, giving Reeves time to make that film before stepping into ``Circle of Friends'' director Pat O'Connor's remake of ``Sweet November'' at Warner Bros.

Reeves will be paid his usual salary to star in ''November,'' his first romance since 1995's ``A Walk in the Clouds,'' portraying a tycoon who falls in love with a dying woman who wants no part of a long commitment.

He will most likely follow ``Sweet November'' by stepping back into action hero mode and an ambitious 250-day shoot of back-to-back ``Matrix'' sequels with Larry and Andy Wachowski. Reeves will be paid a $30 million advance against 15% of the combined gross for the two ``Matrix'' films.

Reeves Takes Pay Cut for 'Gift'(January 3, 2000)
From Variety
(http://www.variety.com/extra/film/article.asp?articleID=1117760393)


By Michael Fleming

NEW YORK - Keanu Reeves has committed to the supporting role of a vicious, wife-beating murder suspect in “The Gift,” the Sam Raimi-directed drama from Lakeshore Entertainment that’s slated for release by Paramount Classics.

Giovanni Ribisi has also been set for the film, which stars Cate Blanchett, Katie Holmes and Ron Eldard. With the addition of Reeves and Ribisi and several roles yet to be finalized, “The Gift” is shaping up as a pic with an exceptionally strong cast given its budget of less than $10 million.

Reeves’ commitment is akin to Tom Cruise joining the ensemble of New Line’s “Magnolia,” in that he took a pay cut to work with a noted director and play a part far from his usual heroic mode. Reeves jumped at the chance to work with Raimi and, without the burden of carrying the movie, play a part far different than any he’s tried before. Reeves, who usually gets $15 million against 15% of the gross, will work for scale.

The drama, scripted by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson, concerns a clairvoyant woman from a small Southern town who becomes enmeshed in a murder investigation. Reeves will play a redneck who becomes the prime suspect in that murder and who threatens the psychic’s life after she counsels his battered wife. Ribisi, who’ll next be seen in New Line’s upcoming drama “The Boiler Room,” will play a troubled youth with a scarred past who turns to the clairvoyant for support and proves an important ally to her as well.

Alphaville’s Jim Jacks, Lakeshore’s Tom Rosenberg and Rob Tapert, Raimi’s partner in Renaissance Pictures, are producing “The Gift.” Exec producers are Gary Lucchesi and Sean Daniel. Lensing will begin Feb. 7, giving Reeves time to make that film before stepping into the Warner Bros./Bel Air remake of “Sweet November,” to be directed by Pat O’Connor (“Circle of Friends”).

Reeves will be paid his usual salary to star in “November,” his first romance since “A Walk in the Clouds,” portraying a tycoon who falls in love with a dying woman who wants no part of a long commitment.

Though he may squeeze in yet another film before, Reeves will most likely follow “Sweet November” by stepping back into action hero mode and an ambitious 250-day shoot of back-to-back “Matrix” sequels with Larry and Andy Wachowski for Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures and producer Joel Silver. Reeves will be paid a combined $30 million against 15% for the two “Matrix” films. Reeves is repped by 3 Arts and CAA; Ribisi by William Morris

Variety