Peter Douglas Remaking Frankenheimer's 'Seven Days In May', 'Seconds', 'Grand Prix'

Peter Douglas is going retro with his Montecito based indie Vincent Pictures and focusing only on remakes and sequels of such interesting 1960s film fare as director John Frankenheimer’s. Not surprisingly, most of the rights already secured are from films that his father Kirk Douglas produced or starred in, with Peter self-financing the acquisitions and intending to form partnerships with established filmmakers who have existing distribution, production, and financing deals. But many of these movies were iconic, so the pressure will be on to ensure these modern reinterpretations live up to their reputations.

The list includes Seven Days In May, the gripping 1964 political thriller from Frankenheimer who directed one of Kirk’s best performances, Seconds, the 1966 cult classic elevated because Frankenheimer coaxed Rock Hudson’s best dramatic work, and Grand Prix, which featured Frankenheimer’s fab racing footage, became one of the 10 highest grossing films of 1966, and won Academy Awards for Best Sound Effects, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound.

Brian Dreyfuss of Featured Artists Agency is repping Vincent Pictures slate’s first two projects, Seconds and Seven Days In May. Rights also have been acquired for The Vikings (which Peter acted in) and The Final Countdown (which Peter produced). Peter, like his half-brother Michael Douglas, has been producing for nearly three decades, with credits ranging from Whip It, Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut last year, to the Fletch films from the 1980s. Peter and his Dad, who turns a robust 94 on December 9th, are collaborators not only on the remakes from Kirk’s Bryna Company films but also on the Douglas Foundation, which Peter heads for the family. That foundation backs the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, Harry’s Haven at the Motion Picture Home in Woodland Hills, the Anne Douglas Center for Women at the Los Angeles Mission, and the 401 playgrounds in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and much more.