The word from both Universal and StudioCanal is that WW II actioner "Dambusters", is now officially in feature development for producer Peter "King Kong" Jackson, Jan Blenkin and Carolynne Cunningham through Jackson's WingNut Films production company.Jackson associate Christian Rivers, animation director on Jackson's "King Kong" will make his directing debut on "Dambusters", based on the 1943 Allied air raid on three Axis dams essential to the enemy's steel industry. The story was subsequently developed into a novel by author Paul "The Great Escape" Brickhill and produced as a 1955 feature.
Production will begin summer 2007, targeting a 2008 release, working with a budget in the range of $30 million-$40 million. David Frost and Ken Kamins exec produce with Uiversal distributing worldwide and StudioCanal handling France.
Premise of the story follows a group of airmen pulled from the ranks of the Royal Air Force for a top-secret mission to fly deep behind enemy lines.
Jackson's Weta Digital/Weta Workshop will provide CG effects.
