Freeze Frame

Universal Pictures has frozen all funding on advance development projects for the rest of the year says Variety.



Translation: The studio's film slate is "locked" for 2010 and 2011 and any project in development that has not already been fast-tracked or green lit has essentially been halted for the next four months.

Budget limitations factored into the cost cutting measure.

An insider tells the trade "The studio doesn't need to spend money on future projects right now because it essentially knows which pictures are going to get made over the next two years."