In addition to taking a lead role, Reynolds would produce and is at work on a new script, writing alongside Enzo Mileti and Scott Wilson, whose joint screenwriting resume includes season 4 of ‘Fargo.’
And on the directing front, editor Shane Reid (who was one of two editors on ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’) is stepping up to make his shot-calling debut.
(L to R): Jeff Bridges and Clint Eastwood in 1974’s ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot’.
The original 1974 ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot’ starred Clint Eastwood as a bank robber disguised as a preacher and on the run from his old gang, who erroneously believe he double-crossed them.
When he meets up with Lightfoot, a low-level street thief played by Jeff Bridges, the two come up with a plan to team with the old gang for a new bank job. Nothing goes as intended.
The movie was the directorial debut of Michael Cimino, who would later go on to win a best directing Oscar for his 1978 Vietnam War drama ‘The Deer Hunter.’ Cimino also wrote the script for ‘Thunderbollt.’ Bridges earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor for his performance.
And stop us if we’re wrong, but we’re thinking… could this be the movie that reunites Reynolds with his pal and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ co-star Hugh Jackman? Actually, don’t stop us. We like the idea too much.
What else is Ryan Reynolds up to?
Ryan Reynolds attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.
Despite saying he’s taking a break after all the effort he poured into the last Deadpool movie, Reynolds has seemingly been as busy as ever, just more behind the scenes. That is when he’s not appearing in Mint Mobile commercials every other TV ad break.
Just this week, he signed on to star as the villain in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of ‘Eloise,’ based on the children’s book series written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight, which he and his Maximum Effort colleagues are producing. He is also a producer on ‘John Candy: I Like Me,’ the documentary on the late great comedic actor that premiered at this year’s Toronto Film Festival and is now streaming on Amazon.
Besides those, there are his rumored plans for a Deadpool/X-Men crossover and various other potential movies.
When might the new ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot’ be on screens?
With the movie still in a relatively early development phase, Amazon MGM has yet to commit to an actual release date. But it sounds like there is some positive forward movement.
Ryan Reynolds in ‘Smokin’ Aces’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
If ‘Juror #2,’ the 40th film directed by Clint Eastwood, is indeed the 94-year-old screen legend’s final offering, it doesn’t play like the work of someone with one foot out the soundstage door. While it doesn’t make an airtight case for itself, ‘Juror #2’ is an absorbing courtroom thriller and moral melodrama, in which two men with everything to lose in a homicide case feel the screws tightening around them – but only one knows the truth.
While Eastwood has had his ups and downs with his last few films – ‘Cry Macho’ was thin at best, while ‘Richard Jewell’ was terrific and ‘The Mule’ was somewhere in between – ‘Juror #2’ is in many ways the filmmaker at his best, with sturdy, no-nonsense direction, rich cinematography (from Yves Bélanger), and a nuanced story brought to life by a stacked cast. But the script by Jonathan Abrams admittedly has some pretty large holes in it as well, and labors to gloss them over with varying degrees of success. That it still manages to be a gripping, old-fashioned courtroom potboiler is a testament to a crafty filmmaker who still knows how to tell a story efficiently.
“We’re only as sick as our secrets,” says a sponsor at the AA meeting attended by Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult), a journalist, recovering alcoholic and soon-to-be-dad who’s hoping to get out of jury duty in his mid-sized Georgia town so that he can be ready to help his wife Allison (Zoey Deutch) when their baby arrives. But Justin ends up being selected for what seems to be a cut-and-dried case: reformed drug dealer James Michael Sythe (Gabriel Basso) is accused of murdering his girlfriend Kendall (Francesca Eastwood) in a rage after she storms out of a bar on a rainy night after they have a fight.
Except that it turns out Justin himself has a whopper of a secret; without giving away too much, he realizes not long into the trial that he is connected to the case in a deeply troubling manner. How he ascertains this – and how his connection comes about in the first place – is the first spot where Jonathan Abrams’ screenplay strains credibility, especially as other key figures like prosecutor Faith Killebrew (Toni Collette) and public defender Eric Resnick (Chris Messina) seem to miss what is staring them right in the face.
But even with the script’s implausibilities (others of which come to the fore later as well), many more aspects of the film keep the viewer hooked and the drama moving forward. Drawing on elements of ‘Rashomon’ and, of course, ’12 Angry Men,’ Justin takes on the role of lone holdout, gradually chipping away at some of the other jurors’ initial impulse to immediately convict. One of those other jurors is Harold (J.K. Simmons), who has a secret of his own but also a burgeoning sense that not all is right with the case. He decides to look deeper on his own – although that leads to another of those pesky plot holes.
Nevertheless, the movie is never less than compelling, as Eastwood’s unobtrusive filmmaking and mostly uncluttered way with narrative keep the suspense and tension high. The film also touches on a number of issues, including the nature of truth, the requirements and morality of law enforcement, and the very concept of justice itself (“sometimes the truth isn’t justice,” intones someone near the end), although it never quite gives them their full day in court. This is a melodrama after all. And although the jury’s out on whether the ending works – it plays out in stages, almost a montage, instead of a cathartic climactic scene — the final open-ended image is a haunting one.
Nicholas Hoult – who’s set for major roles in ‘Nosferatu’ later this year and ‘Superman’ next summer – has been building an impressive body of work since we first saw him in ‘About a Boy.’ As a leading man here, he’s nothing short of terrific, believably portraying a young man, haunted by his own demons, who’s been putting his life in order and is now ready to do anything to protect what he’s built. He and Zoey Deutch have a nice, natural rhythm together as a married couple, and Deutch’s turn from chipper mom-to-be to a woman slowly realizing that the ground could abruptly slide out from under her is organically handled.
It’s a credit to wonderful actors like J.K. Simmons, Toni Collette, and Chris Messina that they can take some thinly-drawn characters and make them breathe. Simmons fares the best, as a man with a true moral compass, but he also sort of vanishes from the story long before it ends. Collette and Messina both draw sympathetic portraits of friends who are also opponents and understand each other’s motivations, although their lives seem confined to the courthouse and the local bar (a subplot about Collette running for district attorney seems tacked on as well). As for the rest of the jurors, only Cedric Yarbrough makes a lasting impression as Marcus. And Kiefer Sutherland is wasted as a lawyer whose only purpose is to provide two scenes’ worth of exposition for Hoult.
The greatest crime about ‘Juror #2’ is the way it’s coming out: Warner Bros. Pictures plans to open the film on no more than 50 screens, after initially earmarking it for a streaming debut on Max. It seems like an ignominious way to play off Clint Eastwood, whose career and accomplishments with the studio – both in terms of awards and box office – stretch back for decades. But it’s a different world now.
What makes it just as inexplicable is that ‘Juror #2,’ despite its flaws, is a fine film. Unlike some other veteran filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese, who have recently attempted grand statements with very uneven success, Eastwood’s unfussy, straightforward movies mostly tend to hit their mark and deliver the kind of high-end, well-made adult drama that once would have packed auditoriums. It’s a shame that studio marketing departments seem no longer capable of presenting these sturdy, entertaining films to a public that might still enjoy them. If ‘Juror #2’ does end up being Clint Eastwood’s sign-off, then he’s guilty as hell of retiring in style.
‘Juror #2’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Juror #2’?
A husband and father-to-be (Nicholas Hoult) is selected to be on the jury for a high-profile homicide trial, only to realize that he has a tremendous – and potentially dangerous – conflict of interest. Now he must decide on the right course of action before it’s too late and justice is not served.
Clint Eastwood in ‘A Fistful of Dollars’. Photo: Constantin Film.
Preview:
‘A Fistful of Dollars’ is being targeted for a remake.
The 1964 movie effectively kicked off the Spaghetti Western genre.
No writer or cast is attached to the new movie yet.
Targeting a classic movie for a remake can often seem like the third rail of filmmaking –– unless you end up with a nailed-on new work of art, you’re usually swamped with negative reactions.
Yet that concern apparently isn’t stopping Euro Gang Entertainment, the company founded by veteran producers Gianni Nunnari and Simon Horsman, who, it’s worth noting, did manage to convince Martin Scorsese to turn acclaimed Hong Kong crime thriller ‘Infernal Affairs’ into ‘The Departed’, winning four Oscars along the way).
Clint Eastwood in ‘A Fistful of Dollars’. Photo: Constantin Film.
Wandering gunfighter Joe (Eastwood) arrives in the Mexican village of San Miguel in the midst of a power struggle among sheriff John Baxter (Wolfgang Lukschy) and the three Rojo brothers.
When a regiment of Mexican soldiers bearing gold is waylaid by the Rojo brothers, Joe is hired by Esteban (Sieghardt Rupp) to join the gang, but he plays one side against the other.
The movie is itself a remake –– of ‘Yojimbo’, which led to a lawsuit from Japanese production company Toho –– but was successful enough that it spawned a trilogy, including ‘For a Few Dollars More’ and ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly’.
Right now, the producers have not revealed details of a creative team for the movie, which means we don’t know who is writing, directing or leading the cast.
Has Anyone Else Tried to Tackle ‘A Fistful of Dollars’?
Clint Eastwood in ‘A Fistful of Dollars’. Photo: Constantin Film.
Mark Gordon’s company announced an attempt to turn the story into a TV series back in 2020, with ‘Game of Thrones’ writer Bryan Cogman in talks to write the script.
Nothing came of that effort and the rights clearly lapsed, which explains the new movie plan.
‘A Fistful of Dollars’ Remake: The Producers Talk
Clint Eastwood in ‘A Fistful of Dollars’. Photo: Constantin Film.
“I am delighted to partner with Gianni again having just worked with him on ‘Those About to Die’, and with Simon on the remake of this classic film, which created a whole new sub-genre in film spawning over 500 European westerns.”
This was the release from Nunnari and Horsman:
“Enzo is one of the most experienced producers in the film business, and we are fortunate to call him our partner on this incredible project.
Clint Eastwood in ‘A Fistful of Dollars’. Photo: Constantin Film.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Aaron Eckhart about his work on ‘Chief of Station,’ his first reaction to the screenplay, his love for the genre, his character, the fight sequences, and working with Olga Kurylenko and Alex Pettyfer, as well as looking back at the making of ‘Sully’ and working with Tom Hanks and Clint Eastwood.
(L to R) Olga Kurylenko and Aaron Eckhart in ‘Chief of Station’. Photo: Vertical Entertainment.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay, and in general, when you are reading scripts and choosing projects, what are you looking for?
Aaron Eckhart: Well, it’s interesting. I like the cold war era spy movie. I grew up watching it and it’s always intrigued me. Of course, being in Europe, we filmed this in Hungary, and we used the streets, and we used the architecture and that feeling. I really liked those movies. I like the idea of coordinated events of people moving as one to accomplish a goal and that’s what really the spy game is, isn’t it? It’s sleight of hand and coordination and it’s a house full of mirrors, and I really liked that. I’ve always liked it. I grew up on it, and it’s fun to participate in it.
MF: What are some of your favorite films in the spy thriller genre?
AE: Well, of course there’s ‘Three Days of the Condor,’ which is the iconic film where the powerful guy behind the curtain is on the other end of the phone giving instructions or telling you in the middle of this city of millions of people on a pay phone that he’s got eyes on you. There’s just something that’s so intriguing about that, and especially with today’s technology. Every spy film I can think of is about how they can implant something, how they can monitor you in some way, and what’s more topical than that right now in terms of cameras, drones, the internet, lasers and radar. All this stuff where they can literally see into your mind and even implant things now. So, the idea of this surveillance state and the idea that they know what you’re thinking always is fascinating, especially as they implant chips and that. So, I’ve always been fascinated by that, the idea of it, what’s true and what’s not true, what is the future? What does it look like? I think it’s good fertile ground for filmmaking.
(L to R) Aaron Eckhart and Olga Kurylenko in ‘Chief of Station’. Photo: Vertical Entertainment.
MF: In the movie, your character suffers a great loss. Can you talk about who he was before that event, and who he becomes after?
AE: He loses his wife to a bomb and it’s his fault. It’s the fault of his occupation and her involvement in it. Of course, she’s in it as well but I become the casualty. Before, you’re talking about a man who’s living his life, his occupation, everything, and then you’re talking about deep loss. I mean, there’s not really anything I can say more than that. It’s just, you’re a hollow man. You’re now winding down the days and nothing really feels or tastes the same and that’s where he is at right now. He’s avenging his loss as well and having to deal with the real world as well as the inner world of this darkness that he has.
MF: Can you talk about that guilt and how it affects his relationship with his son?
AE: I mean, his son, it’s interesting being a father. I’m not a father, so I couldn’t say, but I could only imagine the idea of a boy losing his mother to a tragic and terrible event, and then having to find his way through life, especially when you have a dad who is away and is not really in touch with his own feelings. His boy drifts off and gets into places maybe where he shouldn’t be, and he goes through his own dark times. They must reconnect and reform a relationship on a different level now. They’ve gone from father-son to more friends and contemporaries, and they must exist on this level now. It’s an interesting dynamic because in a lot of ways, the father feels like a fraud. He let his son down. He’s responsible for his mother’s death in a way, and he’s got a lot of guilt associated with that.
(L to R) Aaron Eckhart and Alex Pettyfer in ‘Chief of Station’. Photo: Vertical Entertainment.
MF: There is a great scene in the movie where you fight one of the bad guys on a boat. Can you talk about shooting that sequence?
AE: First, filming in Hungary and Budapest was just amazing and we were on the river there and we were on a riverboat. It is in the middle of the river, and it’s going up and down. It was just fantastic with this beautiful architecture, European history, and we had a great fight coordinator. (I was fighting) the fight coordinator (in that scene) and he was just a great guy. Basically, we worked out that fight that morning. We got to work and he’s like, “Okay, this is what’s going to happen.” We just rehearsed the fight and worked on it throughout the day because we did have a couple other scenes before that. It’s amazing when you have somebody who’s a fighter that you’re working with because you have total trust that he’s going to do the right thing and that you’re going to do the right thing. We just worked out this fight and he beats the crap out of me and I beat the crap out of him, and it was a great day.
MF: What was it like working with Olga Kurylenko and Alex Pettyfer?
AE: Well, Alex is great. I love him. He’s a great actor and a great guy. I had a lot of fun with him. I did not know him before, but I just really warmed up to him and we had a good time together. I really appreciate him as a person and as an actor. Very impressive. Olga, of course, was awesome. I worked with her before (‘Erased’). Again, she’s very humble and very giving. She’s willing to do anything for the director and for the scene, which I really appreciated, and is a total professional as well and makes it look good all the time. So really between just those two, it made the days easy and fun. Alex and I had our own fight scene that was punishing. Again, he’s a fighter and can throw a punch and knows how to take a punch, and he’s very giving. You never know how those things are going to turn out because you might go home with some bruises. But we had a good time.
(L to R) Tom Hanks and Aaron Eckhart in director Clint Eastwood’s ‘Sully’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
MF: Finally, I love ‘Sully’ and think it’s one of Clint Eastwood’s best movies. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when Tom Hanks’ character pulls you into a hallway during the trial sequence and tells your character how proud he is of what you’ve both accomplished and that “We did our job.” Can you talk about shooting that scene with Tom and Clint?
AE: I’m happy to hear that because it’s a small scene and it’s not a very monumental scene, but it’s leading into the auditorium, which is the big monologue. A couple of things. I loved making that movie. I love Clint. I love Tom. I loved working with them. I love how subtle Tom is and how much trust Clint gives the actors. In fact, I remember one time when we were sitting around that big table having a discussion, I can’t remember which scene it was, but Tom was in it, I was in it, and some other people. Between a take or something, I can’t remember, I said something to Clint about doing it the first time or something like that. Clint goes, “That’s why I cast good actors.” The trust level was off the charts. He just let us do whatever we wanted. He never questioned us, never. It was just amazing. Then Tom was the leader. He took charge and coordinated everything either verbally or non-verbally and we all followed. That scene is a perfect example of that, it epitomizes that, where you have the senior guy coming out, taking charge, and going into the auditorium. A little bit of humor in that scene as well, but “a job well done and we’re going to be okay” and that’s what a leader does.
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What is the plot of ‘Chief of Station’?
After learning that the death of his wife was not an accident, a former CIA officer and Station Chief (Aaron Eckhart) is forced back into the espionage underworld, teaming up with an adversary (Olga Kurylenko) to unravel a conspiracy that challenges everything he thought he knew.
(Left) J.K. Simmons in Prime Video’s ‘Big Sky.’ Photo: Chuck Hodes. Copyright: Amazon Studios. (Right) Clint Eastwood in ‘The Mule.’ Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
Preview:
J.K. Simmons is part of the cast of Clint Eastwood’s latest film.
He’ll be a juror in the legal thriller.
The film has yet to lock down a release date.
Given how fast he works –– even at the age of 93 –– Clint Eastwood is already finished shooting his new movie, ‘Juror #2’. The movie had to shut down production when the actors’ strike hit but geared back up again in early November and is now in the editing stage.
(L to R) Director Clint Eastwood and Andy Garcia on the set of ‘The Mule.’ Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
Written by Jonathan Abrams, ‘Juror #2’ will follow a member of the jury of a murder trial who suspects he may have had some part in the victim’s death –– in fact, possibly killed them himself in a vehicular accident –– and is caught in a moral conundrum of whether to use his secret to sway the jury away and protect himself or turn himself in to the justice system he is participating in.
Nicholas Hoult is playing the lead role of the juror, Justin Kemp, with Toni Collette as the district attorney on the case.
Eastwood had reportedly been weighing several scripts and in recent months zeroed in on this film as his likely final project.
(L to R) J.K. Simmons as Walter Boggs and Frank Grillo as Pauly Russo in the action/thriller, ‘One Day as a Lion,’ a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.
The actor, who won an Oscar for ‘Whiplash’, might be most recognizable to genre fans as J. Jonah Jameson, the grumpy Daily Bugle editor he played across Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy (and who has popped up since in Jon Watts’ take on the story as an alt-universe variant of Jameson who fronts a web news series).
In addition to those projects, he’s playing a swole Santa in the Dwayne Johnson/Chris Evans holiday film ‘Red One’, though that won’t be released until next year’s Christmas season.
When will ‘Juror #2’ be in theaters?
As of right now, ‘Juror #2’ is still awaiting a release date. There is a chance that Warner Bros. will look to release the movie close to awards season next year, touting it as Eastwood’s final film.
Clint Eastwood in Wolfgang Peterson’s ‘In the Line of Fire.’
According to Giant Freakin’ Robot, the respected actor/director is aiming to make legal thriller ‘Juror #2’ as his next film after 2021’s Western-flavored ‘Cry Macho’. He starred in that film, but it appears he’s ready to just direct this one for regular studio home Warner Bros. (though we could still see him popping up as a grumpy judge).
A confirmation from Deadline, though, cautions that the movie has yet to receive an official, final greenlight, but is close enough that Eastwood is planning the schedule for it, especially now that potential schedule clashes with his chosen stars have been figured out.
After the less-than-enthusiastic response to ‘Macho’, he’ll be aiming to make sure that this next endeavor is a big win. By the time he starts the cameras rolling, Eastwood will be 93 (the film is scheduled to start in June), so this could be his final film, at least as director. Which is not to cast aspersions on the legend’s health, more that he’s looking to gear down as director. We’re not going to count him out, though –– would you want to tell Clint Eastwood it’s time to retire?
Clint Eastwood in ‘The Mule.’ Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
What’s the story of the new movie?
Written by Jonathan Abrams, ‘Juror #2’ will follow a member of the jury of a murder trial who suspects he may have had some part in the victim’s death –– in fact, possibly killed them himself in a vehicular accident –– and is caught in a moral conundrum of whether to use his secret to sway the jury away and protect himself or turn himself in to the justice system he is participating in. Hoult will be playing the lead role of the juror, with Collette as the district attorney on the case.
Oscar-winner Eastwood had reportedly been weighing several scripts and in recent months zeroed in on this film and began having talks with A-list talent to star, finally landing on Hoult and Collette.
The two actors are typically busy, with Hoult sticking with vampire territory, and currently at work on Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’ alongside Bill Skarsgård and Lily-Rose Depp. He’ll also be back for a third season of Hulu’s comedy drama series ‘The Great’, has a voice in next year’s animated ‘Garfield’ movie and is attached to Justin Kurzel’s next movie, ‘The Order’.
At 91 years old, Clint Eastwood is still directing movies, and his latest film ‘Cry Macho‘ will open on September 17. Few actors have been as successful as Eastwood when it comes to making the transition from acting to directing. We ranked Eastwood’s best movies as a director.
It’s not quite as highly regarded as the most iconic of Eastwood’s many Western movies (in part because of the controversial rape scene early on), but “High Plains Drifter” served as an early sign that Eastwood had as much promise behind the camera as in front of it. It’s also a Western that pushes the boundaries of the genre. It’s as much a ghost story and a revenge thriller as anything else.
While Eastwood once again cast himself as a gruff cowboy in “Bronco Billy,” this movie is — tonally — a complete departure from his usual fare. It’s an unexpectedly charming look at a traveling circus and its main attraction, a trick-shooting cowboy trying to hold it all together. “Bronco Billy” is a nice reminder that Eastwood can be a great comedian when he puts his mind to it.
Even a guy like Eastwood feels the urge to try his hand at a romantic drama now and then. While a bit sappy in the way so many of these films are, “Bridges of Madison County” is a top-notch adaptation of the novel that benefits greatly from the chemistry only Eastwood and Meryl Streep can provide.
Eastwood has a well-honed reputation for playing some of the toughest, crabbiest heroes in Hollywood. “Gran Torino” stands out because it turns that reputation on its head. Eastwood plays one of his most memorable characters here, an old rabble-rouser and Korean War veteran drawn into a neighborhood conflict involving Hmong American gang members. It’s easy to picture a lot going wrong given the movie’s racially charged elements, but instead the result is arguably Eastwood’s best film of the 21st Century.
“Mystic River” is one of those films we can’t help but wonder if Oscar voters went a little overboard in honoring at the time. Still, it’s a worthy addition to the Eastwood canon by any measure. The performances are uniformly terrific, and the film offers a sobering look at the lingering impact a terrible crime can have on a group of lifelong friends.
For the most part, audiences were pretty well burnt out on Westerns in the 1980’s. But there’s always room for another good Western directed by and starring Eastwood. With its religious undertones and its commentary on America’s consumer-driven mania of the mid-’80s, this is a Western with a lot of meat on its bones.
A lot of “Jersey Boys” fans were underwhelmed by Eastwood’s take on the popular stage musical. Luckily, he found far more success with this biopic about jazz legend Charlie “Bird” Parker. Sure, it plays a little fast and loose with history, but it’s a fascinating (and underrated) glimpse into the life of a true artist, an artist played with gusto by the excellent Forest Whitaker.
Every year, it gets a little harder for boxing movies to make their mark. It’s one genre that has been done to death over the years. Yet that didn’t stop Eastwood from crafting what many regarded as the best movie of 2004 with “Million Dollar Baby.” The dynamic between Eastwood’s gruff trainer and Hilary Swank‘s ambitious boxer is a highlight, and more than enough to make up for the somewhat unsatisfying ending.
Perhaps Eastwood’s most underrated film, “A Perfect World” stars Kevin Costner as an escaped fugitive who befriends a young boy and Eastwood as the Texas Ranger hellbent on bringing them in. Basically, Eastwood’s take on “Les Miserables.” Costner’s terrific performance — and Eastwood’s deft hand behind the camera — work to deliver a truly compelling drama on par will Mallick’s “Badlands.”
This companion piece to 2006’s “Flags of Our Fathers” opted to explore the infamous Battle of Iwo Jima from the Japanese perspective for a change. In the process, it wound up far surpassing its companion. Everything here, from the acting to directing to cinematography, is top-notch Eastwood. This film also proves that Eastwood can succeed just as well even when directing a script that’s mostly non-English.
The Western genre was past in prime by the time the ’70s rolled around, but Eastwood proved he had plenty more to say by strapping on his boots and six-shooters. “The Outlaw Josey Wales” is a true Western for the Vietnam era, despite being set during the Civil War. It’s a staunchly anti-war film that reflects on America’s deeply troubled past and the importance of family.
You’d think after a career that includes timeless classics like “The Man With No Name Trilogy,” “The Outlaw Josey Wales” and “Hang ‘Em High,” Eastwood would have nothing left to contribute to the Western genre. Instead, he saved his best effort for “Unforgiven.” This haunting tale of an ex-bandit dragged back into the hard life easily ranks among the best Westerns of all time. It abandons the romance and adventure of classic Westerns for a more frank, even bleak look at life on the frontier. “Unforgiven” truly earned its Best Picture Oscar that year.
The latest true-life tale from Oscar winner Clint Eastwood is shaping up to be quite the starry project, with two more big names joining the ensemble.
Variety has the scoop that both Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde have signed on for roles in “Richard Jewell” (previously titled “The Ballad of Richard Jewell”), based on the story of the titular security guard who discovered a bomb at Atlanta’s Centennial Park during the 1996 Olympics, and had his life destroyed as a result of a botched investigation. The film is adapted from writer Marie Brenner’s Vanity Fair article chronicling the case, with a script by Billy Ray (“The Hunger Games,” “Captain Phillips”).
Paul Walter Hauser (“Late Night,” “I, Tonya”) is playing Jewell, with Kathy Bates set to play his mother, and Sam Rockwell playing his attorney. According to Variety, Hamm will portray an FBI agent who investigated the attempted bombing, while Wilde will play Kathy Scruggs, a real-life local reporter who covered the case from the beginning.
Jewell’s story is a tragic one. Initially praised for discovering the bomb and saving hundreds of lives, authorities then pointed the finger at the security guard, accusing him of planting the device so that he could discover it himself, and look like a hero. Law enforcement leaked his alleged involvement to the press, and he was painted as a villain by the media and the public.
Jewell was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing, but his reputation and health never recovered. He died a few years later, at age 44.
Jonah Hill and Leonardo DiCaprio — who had initially signed on to play Jewell and his attorney, respectively, before exiting the project due to scheduling conflicts — will serve as producers. No word yet on a production start date.
Clint Eastwood is tackling another true story for his next movie. Warner Bros. Studios just acquired the rights for him to direct “The Ballad of Richard Jewell.”
The Oscar-winning director was in talks to take on the project several years ago when it was set up at Fox. Now it’s back in his ballpark at Warner Bros., where he’s made the majority of his films.
Richard Jewell was a security guard who was first celebrated by the media as a hero for finding a bomb at the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta — before being vilified as the suspect who had actually planted the bomb. He was later cleared of the charges and sued several media outlets for libel.
Jonah Hill and Leonardo Dicaprio had originally been attached to star in the film, but have since moved on to other projects. They will both stay on as producers.
Billy Ray (“Overlord”) is writing the script, which will be based on a Marie Brenner article in Vanity Fair.
The upcoming biopic “The Ballad of Richard Jewell” has piqued Clint Eastwood‘s interest.
The actor-slash-director may helm the project. He has been in talks to direct after previously showing signs of interest, Deadline reports. The film’s script is written by Billy Ray (“Overlord”), based on a Vanity Fair article.
Jewell’s story is a sad one. He was a security guard during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta when he found a suspicious backpack on the grounds and helped evacuate people. Despite initially being billed a hero, he faced public scorn when it was reported that police considered him a suspect. Ultimately, his name was cleared and the real perpetrator found, but he never recovered from the experience.
Eastwood is a four-time Academy Award winner, twice taking home Oscars for Best Director (for “Unforgiven” in 1993 and “Million Dollar Baby” in 2005). His most recent film was “The Mule,” which he both directed and starred in. His other recent credits include “The 15:17 to Paris” and “Sully.”
If Eastwood does direct the project, he’ll put together the cast, per Deadline. Jonah Hill was previously attached to play the title character; he remains one of the producers alongside Kevin Misher and Appian Way’s Leonardo Dicaprio and Jennifer Davisson. Misher Film’s Andy Berman is also involved, and Fox’s Mike Ireland is overseeing.
