Now Fincher and Pitt working together isn’t a surprise; the “Se7en” filmmaker gives Pitt first dibs on all his projects (he turned down “The Killer” for example), but directing a film based on the screenplay of Tarantino, who always directs his own material, is not only an unexpected shocker, it’s a cinematic first.
READ MORE: Quentin Tarantino Scraps ’The Movie Critic’; Brad Pitt Would Have Reprised Cliff Booth Role From ‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood’
What’s more, the project is being set up at Netflix, where Fincher has a first-look deal and aims to shoot quickly this summer.
From what I understand, this is the screenplay that Tarantino’s “The Movie Critic” evolved into when the writer/director couldn’t put the pen down and kept exploring the adventures of Cliff Booth.
Tarantino must have loved the script and didn’t want it to languish in a drawer because sources close to the filmmakers tell us he approached Fincher, and Netflix has quietly put together the deal, which will probably end up being around a $200 million budget to shoot in California this July—yep, it’s being fast-tracked and happening fast, meaning we’ll get additional casting soon.
‘Bono: Stories of Surrender’ Doc About U2 Singer’s One-Man Show Headed to Apple TV+
The movie directed by Andrew Dominik (The Assassination of Jesse James) is described in a press release as, “a vivid reimagining of Bono’s critically-acclaimed one-man stage show, Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief…, as he pulls back the curtain on a remarkable life and the family, friends, and faith that have challenged and sustained him, revealing personal stories about his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rockstar. Along with never-before-seen, exclusive footage from the Beacon Theatre shows, the film features Bono performing many of the iconic U2 songs that have shaped his life and legacy.”
Heart of the Beast: J.K. Simmons joins forces with Brad Pitt
After generating much buzz with his hard-hitting action flick The Beekeeper, David Ayer is partnering with Brad Pitt for Paramount‘s Heart of the Beast. Ayer’s latest project finds the director re-teaming with J.K. Simmons, who starred alongside Christian Bale in Ayer’s action thriller Harsh Times. Pitt and Simmons have also worked together in 2001’s The Mexican and the Coen Brothers’ comedy Burn After Reading. Unlike the Coens’ satirical crime thriller, Heart of the Beast finds Brad Pitt and J.K. Simmons traveling to the Alaskan wilderness for a chilling survival tale from Cameron Alexander.
According to Deadline‘s description, Heart of the Beast “follows a former Army Special Forces Soldier and his retired combat dog who battle for survival after a plane crash deep in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness.”
Alexander will executive produce and write the screenplay, which Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton will produce through Wild Chickens Productions. Ayer will produce via his Crave Films banner alongside Temple Hill Entertainment and Brad Pitt’s Plan B studio.
• x018 On set: Queenstown – New Zealand.
Plan B’s Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner on Their Filmmaker-First Approach
Nobody’s doing it quite like Plan B Entertainment’s Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. This year, the company’s co-heads (who oversee Plan B with Brad Pitt) brought RaMell Ross’ epic Colson Whitehead adaptation “Nickel Boys” to Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ross with Joslyn Barnes) Oscar nominations after Amazon released the 1960s-set, formally daring civil rights drama in theaters last fall. They join this week’s episode of IndieWire’s “Screen Talk” podcast with co-host Anne Thompson to talk honoring the “acrobatics and the courage and the bravery and the gymnastics” of Whitehead’s text, Ross’ innovative first-person camera work with cinematographer Jomo Fray, and the anxiety-inducing challenge of the film’s ending.
