Kelly McGillis will star in and executive...

Kelly McGillis will star in and executive produce “The Awakening,” Ted Turner’s first feature film. The film, being shot in New Orleans and Florida, is based on Kate Chopin’s 1898 novel about a married woman whose extramarital affair makes her question her life. Ellen Burstyn, Julian Sands, Glenne Headly and Adrian Pasdar also star in the film, directed by Mary Lambert and produced by Carolyn Pfeiffer. Hesper Anderson, who co-wrote the screenplay for “Children of a Lesser God,” adapted the novel.

Meanwhile, “Children of a Lesser God” director Randa Haines and star William Hurt are reuniting on “The Doctor,” Touchstone’s tale about a physician who sees the medical profession from the other side when a tumor is discovered on his vocal cords. The film, shooting in the Santa Clarita Valley and San Francisco, also stars Elizabeth Perkins, Christine Lahti, Bill Macy, Mandy Patinkin and Adam Arkin.

Jerzy Skolimowski, who has lived and worked away from Poland since authorities banned his anti-Stalinist film “Hands Up!” 23 years ago, has returned to his native land to direct “Ferdydurke,” an ironic fantasy about a young author suffering from writer’s block in the months leading up to Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939. The Franco-Polish production stars Crispin Glover, Iain Glen and Robert Stephens. Skolimowski’s script is based on Witold Gombrowicz’s autobiographical novel published in Poland in the early ‘50s.

Kevin Dillon and Peter Berg will star in “A Midnight Clear,” which will be directed by Keith Gordon from his own script, which he adapted from a William Wharton novel. The saga of young American soldiers trying to survive the final months of World War II will be produced by Dale Pollock and Bill Borden for A&M; Films.

Horror notes: This spring Ion Pictures will film “Sleepwalkers” from an original screenplay by Stephen King. The special effects picture, to be shot in L.A., concerns alien beings that invade cats’ bodies. . . . Universal is so pleased with the success of Sam Raimi’s “Darkman,” the studio is planning two more pictures with the young director. First up next year is “Army of Darkness” starring Bruce Campbell and inspired by Raimi’s “Evil Dead” series. . . . Wes Craven has just delivered the script for his next shocker, “The People Under the Stairs,” to Alive Pictures. The film, which shoots next year, will be distributed by Universal.

The Barbarian Brothers, Peter and David Paul, weigh in for their third film, “Twice as Hard,” a tongue-in-cheek action-adventure that marks the directorial debut of John Paragon, a four-time Emmy nominee for directing “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.” Roddy McDowall, Collin Bernsen (Corbin’s brother) and James Doohan (of “Star Trek” fame) also star in the Jack O’Brien-written film getting underway in L.A. this month. The Motion Picture Corp. of America production is being produced by Brad Krevoy and Steven Stabler.