Mike Medavoy announced on Tuesday (11) that Patricia Riggen has come on board to direct The 33, based on the story of the trapped Chilean Miners.

The Mexican-born director made Under The Same Moon (La Misma Luna).

Edward McGurn is producing with Medavoy as is Bernie Williams and production is set for January 2013 for a late autumn release.

·      Production is scheduled to get underway this month in East Africa on the Somalian pirates tale Fishing Without Nets written and directed by Cutter Hodierne in his feature film debut. The feature is based on the short film of the same title and won the Grand Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at Sundance earlier this year. Film Festival. Youth media brand Vice and Think Media Studios are partnering in the first of several projects from Vice in the coming months. WME Global assembled financing and represents worldwide rights.

Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Entertainment and Australian-based film Arenamedia will produce epic revenge thriller The Shipkiller. Australian filmmaker Robert Connolly is attached to direct. Hurd will produce for Valhalla with Connolly producing via Arenamedia. Henry Morrison and Andrew Myer serve as executive producers. Connolly’s WikiLeaks film Underground screens at Toronto.

·      Production has begun on the new thriller Cheap Thrills. Pat Healy stars with Sara Paxton, David Koechner, Ethan Embry and Amanda Fuller. Trent Haaga co-wrote the screenplay with David Chirchirillo and E L Katz makes his feature directorial debut. The story centres on a new father facing eviction who meets a wealthy couple with an attractive proposal. Travis Stevens of Snowfort Pictures will produce alongside Gabriel Cowan and John Suits of New Artists Alliance.