Thu, 04/01/2010 – 21:44 — Jeff Sneider

EXCLUSIVE

TheWrap has exclusively learned that “Entourage” star Kevin Connolly will direct the comedy “Adrenaline” from a script by up-and-coming screenwriter Justin Ware.

Story follows a buttoned-up corporate guy who gets sucked into his crazy assistant’s scheme of seducing women by staging heroic acts. He finds he has his work cut out for him when he sets his sights on his beautiful co-worker who is immune to his seductive charm.

The project will begin casting soon, though Connolly is not expected to star. He next appears on the bigscreen as Sports Illustrated reporter Bill Nack in Randall Wallace’s “Secretariat.”

Kirkland Tibbels of Hollywood Farms will produce “Adrenaline” alongside Matthew Lillard and Queen Nefertari’s Cynthia Stafford and Jeff Kalligheri. Actor-producer Lanre Idewu will serve as consulting producer.

Connolly previously directed the star-laden short film “Whatever We Do” from a script by Nick Cassavetes. The actor made his feature directorial debut with 2007’s “Gardener of Eden,” which Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company Appian Way produced.

Ware, who is represented by Gersh, recently sold a pitch for the comedy “Wake Up Call” to Fox Atomic, with Alfred Gough and Miles Millar producing. He previously wrote “The Pool Boys,” which starred Lillard, Efren Ramirez and “Twilight” actress Rachelle Lefevre, and also rewrote Rich Amburg’s script for the Nickelodeon TV movie “Best Player.” Ware often performs at Hollywood’s Improv Olympic West with his improv comedy troupe Dr. God.

Queen Nefertari, which works from a $30 million film fund represented by Gersh’s Jay Cohen, is readying production on the Butcher Bros.’ psychological horror film “Black Sunset.” The company behind the indie drama “Polish Bar” is also developing the Hyde Park drama “Risen” and the Media 8 thriller “Undying.”

Psychological horror film set up at Queen Nefertari

By Jay A. Fernandez

The Hollywood Reporter, Jan 22, 2010, 08:51pm PT

PARK CITY — Cynthia Stafford and her Queen Nefertari Prods. are cozying up to the Butcher Bros.

The pulpy low-budget auteurs — actual names: Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores — have written and will direct the psychological horror feature “Black Sunset” for Queen Nefertari, which will package and finance. Altieri and Flores are about to let loose their latest horror exploitation effort, “The Violent Kind,” at the Sundance Film Festival, which will premiere the film Monday as part of the genre-focused Park City at Midnight section.

“Sunset” will follow seven friends on a surf trip to Mexico that turns into something that these jaunts often tend to in horror films: a gory, betrayal-filled nightmare. In “Violent Kind,” second-generation outlaw bikers retire to a secluded cabin to party only to end up on a drug-and-death bender.

Jeremy Platt and Andy Gould will produce “Black Sunset,” which is scheduled to start production in the summer. Stafford and Queen Nefertari execs Lanre Idewu and Jeff Kalligheri will be executive producers on the project.

“The project immediately piqued my interest as soon as we read the screenplay,” said Stafford, Queen Nefertari CEO. “Our goal is to build a strong slate of commercially viable feature films written and directed by smart filmmakers, and we look forward to embarking on this journey with two of the most talked about directors at Sundance.”

The Butchers, repped by Gersh and Spectacle Entertainment Group, also wrote and directed the 2006 After Dark Films release “The Hamiltons.”

Queen Nefertari, which works from a $30 million film fund repped by Gersh’s Jay Cohen, has several other projects in development: the Hollywood Farms comedy “Adrenaline,” the Hyde Park drama “Risen” and the Media 8 supernatural thriller “Undying.” The company produced the indie films “Polish Bar” and “The Gathering.”

Trainor, McCurdy to star in original Nick Telepic

By Jon Weisman

Variety, Tue., Oct. 20, 2009, 6:36pm PT

Parlaying the built-in following of its Saturday night youth skein “iCarly,” Nick has cast series co-stars Jerry Trainor and Jennette McCurdy in an original telepic for the cabler, “Best Player.”

Trainor and McCurdy will play two online game addicts who encounter each other on and off the computer. Production begins Saturday in Vancouver for a 2010 premiere.

Damon Santostefano is directing a script originated by Rich Amburg and rewritten by Justin Ware. Sandy Climan and Christine Foy are exec producing with Jessica Horowitz, Lauren Levine and Nick exec veep of original programming and development Marjorie Cohn.

For 2009, “iCarly” is the top-ranked show on television in the 9-14, 2-11 and 6-11 demos on Saturday nights.

Gersh expands into production

Agency moves to new Beverly Hills digs

By Michael Fleming

Variety, July 13 2009

The 60-year-old Gersh Agency has continued its recent expansion effort by securing $30 million to fund pic production and has settled on its first co-financed project.

The agency has moved to new Beverly Hills digs, taking 35,000 square feet of space at 9465 Wilshire Blvd.

After hiring producer Jay Cohen in April to head up its film financing and packaging division, Gersh has secured $30 million in film coin to finance or co-finance two to four indie features per year.

The funding comes from private investments from Queen Nefertari Prods. CEO Cynthia Stafford and producer Jeff Kalligheri. They will be producers on the funded projects; thesp- producer Lanre’ Idewu will be consulting producer.

The first project to be coined under the fund is ADRENALINE a comedy scripted by Justin Ware about a buttoned-up corporate guy who gets sucked into his crazy assistant’s scheme of seducing women by staging heroic acts. The film is produced by Kirkland Tibbels of Hollywood Farms Production Co., Matthew Lillard and Kerry Barden .

Ware is a Gersh-repped writer, but the agency said the fund will not be exclusive to its clients.

Principals Bob and David Gersh and managing partner Leslie Siebert continue to steer growth, recently setting up a Theatrical Tour Booking division housed in its Gotham headquarters and run by former WMA agent Roland Scahill. The agency also recently promoted Abram Nalibotsky to partner, named Alex Yarosh to head its talent department, hired Endeavor alum Daisy Wu and promoted six assistants to become agents.

“These changes are significant and important investments which further grow the resources of our agency,” said Bob and David Gersh in a statement. “The new larger office space and opening of new divisions are strategic business moves that strengthen and expand our capabilities.”