Barry Levinson to direct 'Brother Jack'

Barry Levinson is in final negotiations to direct "Brother Jack," a film focusing on human rights activist Jack Healey. Harley Peyton penned the script, which Kelly Masterson is rewriting, according to THR.

Healey has made a life out of facing issues regaring human rights, and he currently heads the Human Rights Action Center in Washington, D.C. Back in the days, he used to be a Catholic priest.

Levinson recently directed television's "You Don't Know Jack." Other credits of his include "What Just Happened," "Wag the Dog," "Rain Man," "Bandits," "Liberty Heights" and "Man of the Year."

Barry Levinson set to direct 'Babi Yar' adaptation

Barry Levinson is set to direct a big-screen adaptation of Anatoly Kuznetsov's WWII classic "Babi Yar."

Here's how Variety describes the project:

"Novel is the author's harrowing account of witnessing mass executions of Jews, gypsies, Poles and prisoners of war during the German occupation of Kiev. The title refers to a ravine called Babi Yar where the atrocities took place."

"Yar" will be produced on a $35 million budget, and shooting is expected to start in Ukraine and Romania in April.

Levinson's credits unclude "Good Morning, Vietnam," "Rain Man," and more recently "Man of the Year." He last helmed "What Just Happened."

The most recent WWII films to open in theaters include "Defiance," "Valkyrie," "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" and "The Counterfeiters."

Check out the ‘What Just Happened?’ trailer

Barry Levinson’s upcoming comedy “What Just Happened?” premiered at Cannes last May, but critics didn’t exactly give the film the warm welcome everyone expected. As far as the story is concerned, the flick stars Robert De Niro as a Hollywood producer who struggles with his personal life and his work. Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci, John Turturro and Catherine Keener co-star.

Above you can check out the first trailer for the movie, which is scheduled to open Oct. 3, 2008. Although the basic story line sure sounds interesting, the footage here didn’t really win me over. I know critics always react a lot meaner to new flicks at Cannes (don’t ask me why), but what I’ve read so far about “What Just Happened?” doesn’t sound all too exciting. Feel free to comment on the trailer just below.