Company Town

* Books: Warner Books plans to develop some novel ideas with New World Entertainment Chairman Brandon Tartikoff. The former Paramount Pictures chairman and NBC Entertainment chief signed a unique deal to develop at least three novels for Warner Books over the next two years that have film or TV potential. First up will be R.L. Stine’s “Superstition,” the author’s first adult hardcover horror work. All of the publications will say “A Brandon Tartikoff Book” and will be published initially in hardcover, followed by paperback versions. The deal was brokered by Robert Gottlieb, an executive vice president at the William Morris Agency. In a statement Tartikoff described his goal as “to nurture high-concept, top-quality material that can begin life as hardcover literary works and then be developed into compelling properties for film, television and the emerging new media.” Tartikoff recently developed the conception for “Trophies,” a novel expected to be published by Warner Books in late 1995. Producer Joel Silver is expected to develop it as a feature film for Warner Bros.