9.17.07: The Brave One fosters $14M

Foster's Brave One is rich too at the box office, Pinkett-Smith steps into the director's chair to be Human, Zaillian feels Suns' heat, and more

Box office is home of the Brave

Jodie Foster pulled out the big guns for The Brave One this weekend, but the revenge thriller came in first with a whimper, not a bang with $14 million, less than the $20 million many predicted for the film. Meanwhile, the gunslingers of the western 3:10 to Yuma held their own in second place with $9.2 million ($28.5 million overall), followed closely by the long delayed Billy Bob Thornton comedy Mr. Woodcock, which pecked its way into third place with $9.1 million. In fourth place, the Korean-produced import Dragon Wars took in $5.4 million while the comedy Superbad continued going strong in its fifth week with another $5.2 million in its coffers ($111.3 million overall). More at Yahoo.

Pinkett-Smith to make directorial debut on The Human Contract

Jada Pinkett-Smith has written and will direct her first film, the drama The Human Contract, about a businessman whose chance encounter with a freewheeling stranger leads him to live a more bohemian life. Pinkett-Smith’s husband Will is producing the film through his production company, Overbrook Entertainment and filming will start in November. More at Film Jerk.

A Thousand Splendid Suns beam down on Zaillian

All the King’s Men writer/director will next tackle an adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, which follows the friendship of two Muslim women who are wedded to the same husband, for Sony. Scott Rudin is producing the $15 million drama. More at Coming Soon.

Kelly gets his hands Dirty for Darko Entertainment

Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly has started his own production company, Darko Entertainment, and will next produce Dirty Girl, the first film from Abe Sylvia. The company will also produce Kelly’s next feature, the Cameron Diaz starrer The Box. More at Variety.