Tom Selleck finally saddles up in September...

Tom Selleck finally saddles up in September for Pathe Entertainment’s “Quigley Down Under,” an Australian Western circa 1860. The John Hill screenplay casts Selleck as an American cowboy ostensibly hired to rid the outback of dingoes (wild dogs), but actually brought there to reduce the Aboriginal population. Naturally, he balks. Simon Wincer directs, Megan Rose produces. . . .

Judy Davis stars as the notorious 19th-Century French author George Sand in Sovereign Pictures’ “Impromptu,” filming in France this fall. The project marks the screen directing debut of James Lapine and was written by Sarah Kernochan. Stuart Oken and Daniel Cherkow produce. . . .

Gene Hackman is a no-nonsense, old-line liberal lawyer fighting a major auto company in 20th Century Fox’s “Class Action,” shooting in November. The surprise in the Caroline Shelby-Christopher Ames script is that his opposing counsel is none other than his yuppie, materialistic daughter. The Interscope production is directed by Michael Apted. . . . Gena Rowlands and Richard Crenna head a modern ranching family in Larry McMurtry’s original script “Montana,” filming on location next month. William Graham directs the drama, produced by Roger Gimble and Fred Roos. . . .

Contemporary Miami is the backdrop of Pathe’s “Little Havana,” a sizzling interracial romance that will film in October. Australian Gillian Armstrong directs the Cynthia Cidre screenplay and negotiations are under way for Michelle Pfeiffer and Ruben Blades to play two principal roles. Wallis Nicita and Lauren Lloyd produce. . . .

Jared Rushton (“Big,” “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”) will star in the dramatic “Hatchet” for Concorde next month. The Julie Corman production centers on a young boy lost in the woods after a plane crash with only the title implement to fend off wild beasts and the elements. Gary Paulsen’s script is being directed by Mark Griffiths. . . . “thirtysomething’s” Peter Horton plays a former volleyball ace who coaches C. Thomas Howell to a national championship in Tri-Star’s “Side Out,” filming later this month. Peter Israelson directs a cast that includes Chris Rydell, son of director Mark Rydell. . . .

Mark Forstater, in association with F Productions, films “The Touch” in October in Poland. The bizarre yarn casts Colin Firth as a young musicologist visiting a long inactive composer, setting off a flurry of artistic and romantic activity. Eric Porter (“Upstairs, Downstairs”) plays the old maestro and Stephane Audran his wife in the script by Snoo Wilson and Mark Wardlow. Krysztof Zanussi directs. . . .