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Exclusive: Rob Cohen and Jason Blum Planning Found Footage Action Film

Source: Silas Lesnick

October 6, 2012

His Alex Cross slated to hit theaters later this month with Tyler Perry in the lead, director Rob Cohen spoke today with ComingSoon.net about the James Patterson adaptation and about some of the upcoming projects that he has in development. We'll have the full interview closer to Alex Cross' release date, but here's what Cohen had to say about his proposed remake of Monster Squad, his previously announced Isaac Newton detective story and a new "found footage" take on the action genre.

"[The original] is one of the best things I've ever produced and I wanted to direct [the remake]," says Cohen of Monster Squad which he explains is currently a stalled project. "…It's sitting at Paramount. It's a great script. I've been kicking them. Michael Bay has been kicking them. They don't roll over… I don't understand it. I'm hoping that one day we just get a call that they've finally seen the light of day."

As to when the project might move forward, Cohen is optimistic.

"It happens all the time," he says. "They get onto something and they go, 'The biggest audience we can get is young males between 12 and 16. What do you have that's for young males between 12 and 16?' Somebody says, ''Monster Squad'! Let's do it! Let's do 'Monster Squad'!' It's that crazy."

As for his first post-Alex Cross project, Cohen says that he's very open to taking on new challenges.

"I have something as different from me as a found footage film from Jason Blum, who did 'Paranormal [Activity]'," he says, calling the untitled film a "microbudget project". "I said to him, 'Let's do a multimedia found footage action film.' We evolved this story and the script just came in. I think it's really very good."

Also in development is a period thriller about the little-known but true-to-life detective exploits of Isaac Newton.

"I'm developing for Gene Kirkwood, the guy who produced 'Rocky,' this story about Isaac Newton," says Cohen, "but a story that no one knows. Isaac Newton was a detective at the latter part of his life. He worked for the royal mint as warden of the mint and master of the royal mint. His job was to track down counterfeiters. So I've got this great physicist tracking down the worst counterfeiter ever, this guy William Chaloner. It's all real and we're using physics and things to motivate the action."

Check back soon for more from Cohen and the cast of Alex Cross, hitting theaters October 19.

(Photo Credit: Nikki Nelson / WENN)

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