After Jolie signed in December, she spent weeks searching for the right writers for the job, and wanted only top-flight talent.  William Nicholson and Richard LaGravenese worked on previous drafts pre-Jolie.

Louis Zamperini was a Los Angeles high school track star who raced in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. In 1943, his Air Force plane crashed in the Pacific. He survived without food and water for 47 days, enduring shark attacks, aerial attacks and hunger before washing ashore on a Japanese island behind enemy lines, where he was held as a prisoner of war for two years and tortured by his captors.

Jolie is producing with Matthew Baer and Erwin Stoff. Walden Media will co-finance.

Among the top screenwriters in town, the Coens have been nominated five times for Academy Awards in the writing category, winning for No Country for Old Men and Fargo. The brothers usually direct and produce what they write, but they take on assignments in rare cases.

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This will be in partnership with Walmart, Proctor & Gamble, Walden Media and Arc Entertainment, the cable network will unveil Walden Family Theater as a destination for family-friendly films.

According to an article in The Hollywood Reporter, there will be six new films airing on Fridays throughout the year, in addition to a slew of favorites from Hallmark Channel’s library. Walmart will sell DVDs of the new movies the Tuesday after they air.

Walden Family Theater will debut March 15 with the world premiere of the Walden/Arc-produced film Return to Nim’s Island starring Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. Walmart will sell the DVD on March 19. (The film is scheduled to hit movie theaters April 4 in Australia.)

Return to Nim’s Island is the sequel to Walden Media’s 2008 feature and picks up a few years later with 14-year-old Nim more determined than ever to protect her island and its wildlife.

The second title in the franchise will be Space Warriors, starring Dermot Mulroney, Danny Glover, Josh Lucas, Mira Sorvino and Thomas Horn. The movie, about space-camp trainees who take action when danger hits the International Space Station, will premiere in May.

Additional titles and airdates will be announced shortly.

“We at Hallmark Channel could not have asked for better collaborators for Walden Family Theater than Walmart and P&G, as leading sponsors, and Walden and ARC as producers — these are all brands that share in our passion for and commitment to family entertainment,” said Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Crown Media Family Networks. “This collaboration is a 360-degree effort that allows us a unique opportunity to further revive the practice of families regularly gathering to enjoy television entertainment as a shared experience.”

Added Micheal Flaherty, co-founder of Walden Media: “Walden Family Theater is a great step forward for us to continue the Walden mission. These great films we are presenting on The Hallmark Channel and/or making with ARC reinforces our vision to provide families a chance to recapture imagination and rekindle curiosity through entertainment. These films will stand side by side with some of our proudest features like our Narnia movies, Holes, Bridge to Terabithia, Amazing Grace, and Journey to the Center Of The Earth.”

The sequel to 2008′s Nim’s Island will air on March 15, on the Hallmark Channel.

It will be broadcast at 6pm, with a repeat broadcast immediately following at 8pm.

It will then be released on DVD on March 19th in Walmart stores.

The sequel stars Bindi Irwin as Nim, alongside Toby Wallace, Matthew Lillard and John Waters.

Angelina Jolie

The film is an adaptation of the 2010 book by Laura Hillenbrand (Seabiscuit: An American Legend) and tells the story of Olympic athlete and Air Force officer Louis Zamperini, who survived a plane crash during World War II and clung to life on a raft for 47 days. He was captured by the Japanese and served hard time in a POW camp.

Hillenbrand’s book spent 108 on the New York Times best-seller list, including 14 weeks at No. 1.

“I read Laura Hillenbrand’s brilliant book, and I was so moved by Louie Zamperini’s heroic story, I immediately began to fight for the opportunity to make this film,” Jolie said in a statement.  “Louie is a true hero and a man of immense humanity, faith and courage. I am deeply honored to have the chance to tell his inspiring story.”

The news was announced by Universal Pictures chairman Adam Fogelson and co-chairman Donna Langley and Walden Media CEO Michael Bostick.

“In her life and in her work, Angelina has embraced stories and causes involving great struggle and triumph over tremendous odds and the basic human condition,” said Fogelson and Langley in a joint statement. “She has a real ability to illustrate the strength in human spirit which will be essential in telling Lou’s story of survival and great heroism.”

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Variety reports that director Phillip Noyce (Salt, Patriot Games) is now in early talks to helm the adaptation for The Weinstein Company, Walden Media, and star Jeff Bridges.

The book concerns a utopian society where all memories of the past reside with a sage figure known as “The Giver.”  When a 12-year-old boy is selected to be the new Giver, he learns of the hypocrisies and hidden truths of his world.  Bridges nabbed the rights to the book 20 years ago with the intention of developing it as a starring vehicle for his father, Lloyd, but now he intends to produce and star.

If I had to guess, I would say that the film could be ready for release for Christmas in 2013, but more likely it’ll be Christmas in 2014.

“There’s no one in the world better suited than Bindi Irwin, she was born to play Nim,’’ Mazur said.

“She’s an animal person, an outdoors person, she’s fearless, the right age, she’s beautiful, she’s everything we could have hoped for for Nim, she is a dream come true. She’s a real natural actress….I hope she continues with acting because she has a lot of potential.

“I can’t imagine another 14-year-old that has the worldwide stature that Bindi does.”

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The 14-year-old said a highlight had been riding the two Sea World sea lions, who share the acting duties, and joked the sea lions “are better trained than me’’.

“Riding underneath the water has been the most incredible experience of my life,’’ she said.

Bindi revealed the last time she came “up-close and personal’’ with sea lions was when she made a documentary with her father Steve Irwin, who was killed by a stingray in 2006.

“I hope to make him (my dad) proud, that’s what I’m striving for,’’ Bindi says.  “When you lose someone whose life was so extraordinary like my dad’s, you have two options: You can curl up in a dark corner…or rise above it and dust yourself off and continue with their work. He will always be with me.’’

Bindi said she wanted to continue with acting especially when there was an environmental message involved. In Nim’s Island 2, inspired by Victorian writer Wendy Orr’s novel Nim at Sea, poachers arrive on the island and kidnap several animals including Selkie. Nim, with the help of new friend Edmund (Toby Wallace of Neighbour’s fame) launches a rescue mission.

“Nim is trying to protect her island and I can relate to that because we are fighting to protect the beautiful pristine area of Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve in North Queensland which the mining companies are interested in,’’ Bindi said.

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“I knew the story was near and dear to him,” Fickman says of Crystal, who based the concept on his own life. “I am a parent, and one of the things that really appealed to me was how universal the story was and how, when generations get together for holidays, there is always comedy.”

Part of that humor comes from the clash of child-rearing styles between the grandparents and their now-adult children. Says Fickman: “Growing up, my mom turned to the Dr. Spock book. Now, I have a friend who just had a baby and gets advice from Twitter. We are raising kids off of 140 characters.”

Fickman started from scratch with Crystal, but it turns out he and Midler go way back.

“Andy was an intern when I had a production company,” she recalls. “He has gone on to bigger and better things, a lot of pictures with kids in them.” During the shoot, Midler says, “he called me Boss, which I think is hilarious, kind of great and adorable. It was a happy set.”

Not so fast, Bette. “I actually was an executive,” says Fickman as he clarifies his job description at Midler’s All Girl Productions. “I was vice president of development. We had a deal with Disney and did Hocus Pocus and the Gypsy movie for TV. We produced Man of the House.” Further evidence of his status: “I was in a corner office and had an assistant. That is a pretty good internship.”

It is true, however, that Fickman could not help but use the B-word to refer to Midler while making Parental Guidance. “She was my boss every day on the set,” he says. “It was such an honor for me to extend our relationship in that manner.” Although the director does concede that Midler occasionally would step in and call “cut” herself when a scene would go on a little too long.

No matter. It was worth it to watch the two comedy masters finally work their magic together. “It’s like putting two greats in the ring,” Fickman says. “The cast and crew marveled at how quickly they found their voices as a couple. You would have thought they were Burns and Allen.”

Of course, what good are grandparents without grandkids? Fickman says the filmmakers found three standouts who could hold their own: Bailee Madison, 12 (Bridge to Terabithia, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark), and two relative newcomers, Joshua Rush, 10, a veteran of numerous TV ads and voice roles, and Kyle Harrison Breitkopf, 7.

Bailee, who plays an intense violinist coping with a new school, “truly was a big sister both in the movie and on the set.” Joshua, whose character has a speech impediment, ” carries a lot of dramatic weight.” Then there is redheaded Kyle, who had a knack for ad-libs: “He was like the Little Rascals come to life.”

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The film also stars US actor Matthew Lillard (The Descendants, Scooby Doo), who plays marine scientist Jack, the father of Nim (Bindi Irwin), as well as Aussie actors John Waters (Looking Through the Glass Onion, Offspring), Toby Wallace (Surviving Georgia, Neighbours), Nathan Derrick (Rush, Bed of Roses), Sebastian Gregory (Neighbours, Accidents Happen) and Jack Pearson (Winners & Losers).

The original Nim’s Island grossed $US48 million in North America and almost $6.2 million at the Australian box office. While it was shot in Queensland, it did not qualify as an Australian production, unlike the sequel which is now underway.

The sequel will be distributed in Australia by Pinnacle Films, which has specialized in limited theatrical releases, while international distribution is being handled by Walden Media.

Nim’s Island 2 is being directed by Brendan Maher (Sisters Of War, Spartacus), produced by Chris Brown (Daybreakers, The Proposition), Paula Mazur (Nim’s Island, Corrina Corrina) and Tom Hoffie (Unfinished Sky, Blurred). The film has been written by Cathy Randall (Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger) and Ray Boseley (Round The Twist).

Producer Paula Mazur said: “Nim’s Island 2 follows our hero Nim into another great action-adventure story that will appeal to cinemagoers of all ages, set in one of the world’s most beautiful locations.”

Nim’s Island 2 is being produced in Queensland at Village Roadshow Studios. The shoot wraps in late-August.

Author Wendy Orr said: “Seeing my book come to life with the first Nim’s Island film was one of the most thrilling and emotional events of my life. Now I’ve just returned from the set of Nim’s Island 2 feeling extraordinarily lucky to have had my book Nim at Sea spark the process again, this time with a great Australian cast and crew – and my animal-loving island girl perfectly embodied by Bindi Irwin.”

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