Dog starts Fire

Toronto – New Regency Productions is in both Toronto and Calgary shooting the family comedy Firehouse Dog – starring Josh Hutcherson (Zathura), Bruce Greenwood (Being Julia) and an Irish setter. The story follows an A-list canine star who gets lost and taken in at a rundown firehouse. Todd Holland (Wonderfalls) directs under producers Michael Colleary (Face/Off), Mike Werb (Face/Off) and Michael Maschio (Wonderfalls). The pooch comes from Boone’s Animals for Hollywood.

Victor Hammer (Welcome to Mooseport) is DOP, and Scott Wallace (The X-Files) will edit. Firehouse Dog is due to wrap mid-month and should see theaters sometime next year. Sean Davidson

Hot Damme

Vancouver -The Sony Pictures release The Hard Corps will move to Romania after it completes its Vancouver shoot later this month. Directed by Sheldon Lettich (The Order) and written by Lettich and George Saunders (Bloodsport 4), the action pic is about a boxer who assembles a team of ex-military toughs to guard his family. Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as the guard alongside Vivica A. Fox (The Salon). David Bixler (Slipstream), David Ralph (Black Dawn) and Vicki Sotheran (Greenmail) are producing. The film will get a theatrical run in 2006. Dustin Dinoff

Into the Breach

Toronto – Toronto Film Studios is hosting the spy thriller Breach until February, putting up director Billy Ray and stars Ryan Phillippe and Chris Cooper. Cooper stars as disgraced FBI agent Robert Hanssen in the true story of how, after 15 years of selling secrets to the Russians, he was nabbed by a fellow G-man, played by Phillippe. Hanssen’s activities are thought to be the worst breach ever of U.S. security. The Universal picture is in Toronto until February and is expected in theaters sometime in 2006. Sean Davidson

Williams is the Man

Toronto ­- The Barry Levinson comedy Man of the Year has set up at Cinespace Film Studios in Toronto – with Robin Williams in the lead as a late-night talk-show host who makes an unexpectedly successful run at the White House. The Morgan Creek production is in town for eight weeks, until February, and is due on screens by 2006. Williams also has R.V., shot in B.C. under Barry Sonnenfeld, due out next year.