Cameron Crowe to Direct Emma Stone; Get Ready for Bad Santa 2: Biz Break

Also in Tuesday morning's round-up of news briefs, G.I. Joe 2 director looks to new project based on Mattel toys; Iran may boycott the Venice Film Festival over sanctions; and Emmet/Furla Films and Envision Entertainment set significant funds for future projects.

Emmet/Furla Films & Envision Entertainment Up Film Fund by $275M
Last September, the two groups established a $250 million revolving equity and debt fund to finance a slate of "high-end, star-driven commercial feature films in collaboration with a variety of production & distribution partners." The result have been 8 films in production including the upcoming End of Watch, Lay the Favorite, Alex Cross and Broken City.

Around the 'net…

Cameron Crowe to Direct Emma Stone in Romantic Drama
Scott Rudin will produce the still untitled romantic drama, which will be Cameron Crowe's next project. The leading man is still pending and Crowe will direct from an original script he wrote. Shooting is slated for the fall, THR reports.

Steve Pink to Direct Bad Santa Sequel
Pink is in talks to write and direct Bad Santa 2, the sequel of the 2003 comedy that is being spearheaded by Dimension Films, Deadline reports.

G.I. Joe 2 Director Eyes Masters of the Universe
Director Jon M. Chu is in negotiations to direct Sony's Masters of the Universe, a adaptation of the '80s era Mattel toys. This would be a follow-up to another toy adaptation Chu is working on, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Deadline reports.

Iran May Boycott Venice Film Festival
Oil sanctions imposed by the European Union on Iran is cited by the country's Cultural Ministry for the move. Kianoosh Ayari's The Paternal House was set to screen in the festival's Horizons sidebar. The film includes depictions of every day challenges faced by Iranian women and the ministry demanded cuts be made before he could obtain a screening visa, Deadline reports.