Reuters

http://www.reuters.com

September 29, 2003
By Josh Spector

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Columbia Pictures is readying an updated version of its 1971 high-tech heist thriller "The Anderson Tapes," which starred Sean Connery, Christopher Walken and Dyan Cannon.

The story centered on a career thief paroled from prison who resides in a posh apartment building with his girlfriend. With financing from the mob, the thief plans to rob the building, unaware that his every move is being recorded by law enforcement officials hoping to take down the crime kingpins.

"With all the innovations that have been made over the past three decades and the technology of the future, 'The Anderson Tapes' will make for a great modern-day retelling," said Columbia co-president of production Matt Tolmach.

The original "Anderson" film was written by Frank Pierson based on a Lawrence Sanders novel and directed by Sidney Lumet. Pierson, current president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, is executive producing the new "Anderson" project.

The film is being produced by Laurence Mark, whose credits include "Jerry Maguire," "As Good as It Gets" and "Finding Forrester," which starred Connery. He is also producing the upcoming 20th Century Fox sci-fi thriller "I, Robot."

"A high-tech heist movie is what 'The Anderson Tapes' will be, revolving around a crime that in this new version is entirely planned to be committed in full view of the most advanced surveillance equipment," Mark said. "That's the conceit of it -- and, hopefully, the fun of it."

The update is being penned by Laurence Malkin and Chad Thumann, who collaborated on the 2001 thriller "Soul Assassin," which Malkin also directed.