Duo of Producers Plot 11 Flicks

According to Daily Variety, producers Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne are in talks to produce over 11 films for various studios under their Unique Features shingle.

Among the projects under consideration: a political thriller, a sci-fi comedy and an animated film scored by Paul McCartney.

"High in the Clouds," an adaptation of a children's book written by McCartney, marks the first major involvement by the former Beatle in an animated film since 1968's "Yellow Submarine."

In addition to "High in the Clouds," Unique Features will also produce "Alt-Delete," a comedy written about two guys working at a video game publishing company. Warner Bros. has expressed interest in the film.

Warner Bros. is also getting behind "7th Son," a thriller about seven people who are assembled following the assassination of a U.S. president, who realize they are all the same man.

Besides producing adaptation of works from the literary world and the stage, Shaye and Lynne are also branching out into original scripts as well. Such is the case with a to-be-named feature film based on the life of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Bart Scott. The pair teamed up with feature writer Gay Talese, best known for his feature, "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold," and the adaptation of his book, "Honor Thy Father," about the mafioso Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno, who died in January 2008.

"Talese is at least going to join us to write an extended treatment," Shaye said. "Then we'll find a writer to flesh it out."

The films are a marked departure from their former lives as movie moguls. It is the first time that the former co-founders of New Line Cinema are venturing into the production side of the business. With such an array of movies in the pipeline, Shaye and Lynne have their hands full. But they are not daunted by the transition.

"Running a company with 650 people has its own excitement and thrill," Shaye said, "but the reason you're doing it is to create quality content, and it is hard to feel close to that at the top of a big organization."

Included in that organization is at least two production teams--one in New York, the other in L.A. Both are headed by co-workers and colleagues of Shaye and Lynne, including former New Line executive Mark Kaufmann.

While the two producers are saddened by their forced exit from New Line last year, they are optimistic about the spate of films soon to be released by the Warner Brothers imprint, including "The Time Traveler's Wife," on which Lynne and Shaye collaborated.

"The projects that New Line's name is on, and three or four coming up, were all pictures Michael and I were behind and approved," Shaye said. "There is a sense of personal satisfaction in seeing movies work, even if we don't get financial credit for them. It validates your point of view."

"Now we're looking ahead, and not looking back."