Spall in talks for 'I Give It a Year'

Spall "Prometheus" thesp Rafe Spall is in talks to topline writer-director Dan Mazer's romantic comedy "I Give It a Year," which is a co-production between Working Title Films and financier Studiocanal.Story follows a mismatched couple as they struggle to survive their first year of marriage.Krys Thykier will produce with Working Title's Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Production is skedded to start this spring in London.Studiocanal is expected to take on international sales rights as well as distribution across Blighty, Gaul and Germany.Spall, who recently played William Shakespeare in Roland Emmerich's "Anonymous," recently reteamed with his "A Good Year" helmer Ridley Scott on the sci-fi epic "Prometheus," which 20th Century Fox opens June 8. Brit thesp previously appeared alongside Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in both "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz."Spall is repped by UTA, Management 360 and Troika, while UTA also reps Mazer with United Agents. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

Summit int'l chief David Garrett to exit

Monthly after Summit merged with Lionsgate, Summit co-founder and leader of worldwide David Garrett is likely to ankle the business, according to sources with understanding in the situation.Causes of Garrett's resignation were not immediately apparent, but experts told Variety the professional increased being emotional when speaking concerning the merger the other day while attending the Berlin Film Festival. It's unclear when Garrett will formally depart the business.Term of Garrett's move has come about as Lionsgate begins the integration of Summit staffers into its film methods, spurring movement among professionals from both sides. The other day, Summit's Erik Feig was named production prexy of Lionsgate Movie Group, because the former occupant of the publish, Alli Shearmur, is predicted to segue with a creating deal.Garrett, Patrick Wachsberger and Bob Hayward formally launched Summit in 1993 just like a production, distribution and customers operation. Their profile elevated lately since it acquired while using "Twilight" franchise and fielded a best-picture Oscar champion with "The Hurt Locker." As recently as this past week, sources established that Summit's and Lionsgate's sales methods continues as they are for your relaxation of 2012, with both methods -- Summit's headed by Garrett and Lionsgate's by Helen Lee Kim -- verifying to Patrick Wachsberger.(Diana Lodderhose brought with this article.) Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com