Summit Entertainment takes a risk with Katherine Heigl's 'Adaline'

Katherine Heigl is going in a romantic fantasy direction for her next film.

Credit: AP Photo/Pete Kramer

You have to give Summit Entertainment credit.  They certainly take chances.  From releasing Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer" in the middle of his extradition case to financing Jodie Foster's "The Beaver" with Mel Gibson (even before his current tabloid troubles), the mini-major hasn't avoided risky endeavors.  Now, the studio that made its name on "Twilight" is showing it still has faith on the box office potential of Katherine Heigl by picking up domestic rights to her new romantic drama "Adaline."

Directed by Andy Tennant, the fantasy will find Heigl paying a woman who stops aging after the turn of the century and then finds love after years of isolation.  At this time it's unclear who will play the object of her affection.

Heigl is on something of a losing streak after her last two romantic comedies, "Killers" and "Life As We Know It," severely underperformed at the box office.  Lionsgate will release her next action comedy, "One for the Money," next July.

Tennant has "Ever After," "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Hitch" to his credit, but his last two films were the turds "The Bounty Hunter" and "Fool's Gold."  He needs a creative comeback as much as Heigl needs a solid hit.

Summit plans on releasing "Adaline" sometime in the first quarter of 2012.  Production is expected to begin this March.