EXCLUSIVE– Chris Columbus’ 1492 Pictures and CJ Entertainment and Media are launching action-adventure fantasy “Temple Stay” as the first co-production under their development deal.
Principal photography will start early next year with JK Youn directing. Youn’s previous film, “Tidal Wave” (Haeundae), racked up strong box office last summer to become South Korea’s fourth-highest grossing film.
Dan and Kevin Hageman (“Hotel Transylvania”) will write the screenplay based on Youn’s original idea. CJ and 1492 Pictures will produce “Temple Stay” with Youn’s JK Film banner.
Project was developed after CJ execs introduced Columbus to Youn during the filmmaker’s recent visit to South Korea with his producing partner Michael Barnathan.
“I immediately sparked to JK’s idea for ‘Temple Stay,’ ” Columbus said.
“Temple Stay” centers on an American family trapped in a magical Korean temple. Project will have influences from “Indiana Jones,” “Night at the Museum,” and “Alice in Wonderland” and contain creatures and characters based in Korean mythology.
“The East-meets-West combination of ancient Asian culture and Hollywood action-adventure will resonate worldwide due to the universality of the family story, the humor and the heart,” Youn said.
CJ Entertainment inked a three-year deal with 1492 in November 2009. CJ gets the rights to distrib pics in South Korea, Japan and China.
1492 recently produced Fox’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” and the upcoming “The Help.”
CJ’s allied with Paramount for its Korean distribution, with Bona for its Chinese production and distribution and with T-Joy to build a new studio in Japan.
