PITT BUZZED ABOUT POT PROJECT

NEW YORK (Variety)- Brad Pitt is showing more than token interest in a film
project about marijuana smuggling brothers.

New Line on Friday snapped up the rights to ``Smuggler's Moon,'' the life
story of Kris and Bill Shaffer, in a seven-figure deal. Pitt is intrigued
with the story, but will wait to see a script before he decides whether to
star as one of the brothers.

What New Line bought is a modern day ``Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid''
story about the Shaffers, two brothers who spent 20 years operating a
documentary film company specializing in diving for deep sea treasures. But
unlike the majority of documentarians who make no money, these guys were
wealthy beyond imagination. That's because the company was a front for the
tons of marijuana they smuggled into the United States. Eventually, they
were caught and served six years in Lompoc Federal Penitentiary. Paroled
last December, the brothers, are now part of the legitimate movie business
with this deal.

The deal marks the continuing efforts of New Line to get back in business
with Pitt, the actor who with Morgan Freeman turned the gritty David
Fincher-directed ``Seven'' into one of the studio's top grossing films.
Pitt has a preexisting attachment to one New Line project, the screen
adaptation to the General Custer book ``Marching to Valhalla'' by ``Dances
With Wolves'' screenwriter Michael Blake. It's unclear whether Pitt will
actually star in that film.

Despite recent box office misfires in ``Seven Years in Tibet'' and ``The
Devil's Own,'' Pitt's stock is as high as ever because of advance word on
his upcoming ``Meet Joe Black,'' directed by Martin Brest. Pitt is
currently starring with Edward Norton in the
Fincher-directed ``The Fight Club.''

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)