carabele | Entries tagged with mfu movie

Been reported elsewhere but Bradley Cooper has decided against playing the role of Napoleon Solo in the upcoming MFU movie.

Info here: http://www.damienmorley.co.uk/bradley-cooper-will-not-be-steven-soderbergh%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98man-from-u-n-c-l-e-%E2%80%99/

And here: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/bradley-cooper-wont-be-the-man-from-u-n-c-l-e?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed

Actually I'm relieved, since I didn't think him right for the part. But seems Soderbergh is having a helluva time casting though apparently he really wants to stick to the spring 2012 shooting schedule start.

Current Mood: relieved

Here's the latest rumor on that:

MAGIC MIKE will be Soderbergh’s first of two films in 2012, with his focus now being put on THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., which is gearing up to begin shooting in late February for a rumoured December release.

Current Mood: settling-in

Seems Steven Soderbergh has lost his preferred casting choice for Illya Kuryakin in his proposed new MFU movie.

Joel Kinnaman instead has been cast as Lancelot in the upcoming WB ARTHUR & LANCELOT movie. Apparently Soderbergh had made it known to the WB execs he wanted Kinnaman for the role of Illya in MFU after meeting with the actor. But WB decided to offer Kinnaman the role of Lancelot instead.

Story link here: http://hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/soderbergh-loses-his-kuryakin-whatculture-says/

Current Mood: grumpy

...and thought it a real snoozer. There was no excitement at all in the movie and you never felt anything for the cardboard characters. (As my brother said, you didn't even recall their names, just referenced them by the actors' names. That's certainly not a good thing.) The movie wasn't terrible; it just wasn't really good either. It was one of those movies where you leave the theatre shrugging your shoulders with an unimpressed "Eh" on your lips.

Since this was a collaboration of Scott Z. Burns (writer) and Steven Soderbergh (director), who are also the two men collaborating in the same roles for the proposed MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. movie, let's say I'm a bit wary about that project again. It could well turn out to be one of Soderbergh's didactic type pieces with no verve or spirit, if CONTAGION is any fare by which to judge.

Certainly CONTAGION, which is the only big budget blockbuster the two have collaborated on that I know of (their other movie collaborations were all much smaller films), doesn't offer a lot of assurance about either man's ability to really do such well. I'm just not convinced that blockbuster action/adventure movies are really Soderbergh's forte.

Current Mood: worried

Scriptwriter Scott Z. Burns did an interview earlier this week about the opening Soderbergh film CONTAGION. During the interview he was asked a couple of questions about the slated MFU movie. Here are those questions and his answers:

Having worked with Steven for as long as you have, what do you make of all this talk about his retirement from filmmaking?

I hope he doesn’t retire. Look, Steven has made a lot of really great movies, and I think like any artist, he wants to push himself to continue to try and do new things. And I think he’ll retire when he can’t find a good reason to go make another movie. I know we’re going to do Man From U.N.C.L.E., and I hope by the time we’re done doing Man From U.N.C.L.E., we’ll have an idea for something to do after that. I really hope he doesn’t retire; I really think he has a lot to contribute to American cinema. I’d be sad to see him go.

What can we expect from The Man From U.N.C.L.E.? Will it be a straightforward take on the material?

Yes. It’s gonna be period. So it will be set in the ‘60s. Some of it has, I hope, the wit and wryness of the series. It was a really brave series in its day, because it was a Russian and an American working together, and they didn’t have a government. They were working for U.N.C.L.E., and I think Steven and I both loved the idea that there was this unaffiliated organization trying to make the world better. That sounds awesome to me.

Current Mood: curious

George Clooney will not be playing Napoleon Solo if the new MFU move ever gets made. (Frankly I still doubt that it will.)

See link: http://www.cinemablend.com/new/George-Clooney-No-Longer-Attached-To-The-Man-From-U-N-C-L-E-26476.html

And apparently it's going to be much more "real world", which presumedly means Cold War politics in the mix (since still is supposedly set in 1960s). That could be a good thing, but I hope the whole idea of U.N.C.L.E. as an international and non-partisan organization isn't compromised.

Though in some ways, from what the writer posted in another interview (http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Soderbergh-s-The-Man-From-U-N-C-L-E-Will-Be-Based-On-True-Events-Plans-To-Start-In-Spring-26460.html), it kind of sounds like Soderbergh is trying to create one of his "grand message" movies. And that isn't what MFU is either.

I have to admit I will be disappointed if there is no THRUSH at all in the movie and it becomes strictly a Eastern Communist vs. Western Allies type story, ala U.N.C.L.E. turning into a secret enforcement arm of NATO.

Current Mood: encouraged_but_leery

I think everyone by this time knows I don't think that the supposed new MFU movie will ever be made.

Still, in the interest of equal voice or whatever, I thought it only fair to post this link to a recent article I found which mentions it: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/surprise_steven_soderbergh_to_shoot_stripper_pic_magic_mike_starring/

It does seem though that Soderbergh is "delaying" his supposed retirement... again. Personally I do think it's just a method to get folks talking about him and thus his movies, as some of the comments to the article noted.

Anyhow, there was a statement in another article which made it apparent Clooney is not signed to play Solo (at least not yet anyway) even if this movie ever comes to pass.

Frankly I think if it was going to start shooting in February, there would already be more pre-production buzz from official sources. That there isn't says to me it's all still no more than "pie-in-the-sky".

Current Mood: blah

You know I honestly don't think that the proposed new MFU movie will be made in any kind of "soon" timeframe. But watching THE TUDORS the other day, it came to me that Henry Cavill would be a good Napoleon Solo.

He's got a good look for it (minus scruffy beard and mustache) and even has a cleft chin. [chuckle]

And he's a good actor, with a kind of easy-going quality (with a tormented underpinning) to his acting that suits the role. AND he is in the right ballpark age-wise (unlike another actor who will go unmentioned), being in his late twenties.

He's British, but he can do an American accent, so... How about it Warner Brothers? [chuckle]

Current Mood: hopeful

Was reading the release about Daniel Day Lewis signing to play Lincoln in the upcoming Spielberg pic and went back to look at some older releases speculating on who would play John Wilkes Booth. George Clooney was in the running for the role and there were quite a few comments noting he was too old for it.

I just had to giggle. And reading that there are only two years difference in age between Johnny Depp (also in the running for the role apparently) and Clooney really made me blink. Clooney looks a decade older than Depp, so what does that say?

Clooney really isn't a truly good actor in my opinion either, so kind of a double whammy.

Current Mood: giggly

...and go back to fanfic writing.

I have a DTC story to get done and I kinda/sorta promised

glennagirl as well that I would write a story about Napoleon in Survival School.

Both projects are underway but far from finished. (Damn, I am such a slow writer! But then again I have so little time to really write.)

So screw the silly movie! I need to get back to what I can control and let Hollywood roast in its own fires.

Current Mood: okay

...it still looks like to me that this new proposal for a MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. movie is more speculation and hype than anything else.

Both Soderbergh and Clooney have projects lined up for the next few years and there is yet no script treatment for this proposed film.

I'm thinking that WB might want to take advantage of the MAD MEN factor, e.g., the renewed interest in the 1960s. And thus I wonder if WB is promoting all the hype for the movie (with no definites honestly anywhere in sight) for exactly this reason.

Yet, if they wait too long (and with all that I mentioned above, too long it might be) to actually get the film project "up and running", that factor may and probably will be yesterday's news.

If that happened, would serious commitment to continue forward remain? [shrug]

Current Mood: contemplative

...elucidating why Clooney would be the wrong choice as Solo. A polite, reasonable email just noting that 1) Clooney is too old to play a top-flight enforcement agent in the prime of his career, 2) that, if they are looking for franchise possibilities, Clooney's age (as well as his numerous other projects) becomes even more of an issue, and 3) that Clooney won't attract the younger audience they are probably thinking to target. (I mean THE AMERICAN, with Clooney as a spy, didn't exactly wow audiences, and some critics called it "the dreariest spy thriller ever made".)

I'll likely keep emailing them that because it makes me feel better to do it, to get my point across where it counts.

I know it will mean nothing except to me, but at least it does make me feel a bit less powerless regarding this unsuitable bit of proposed casting.

Current Mood: determined

...pretty badly.

Yeah, it will probably all blow over. But no denying that the divide is widening over this damn proposed pic.

I really hope it never comes into existence and I used to be more intrigued by the idea of a new MFU movie. But I can't deny my feelings about this proposed movie are very, very negative right now.

Current Mood: depressed

As enthused as I was to hear aboud Soderbergh taking over the directing helm for the possible MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. movie and ecstatic that the current mindset is to keep it in the 1960s Cold War era, I am really loathing the idea of George Clooney as Napoleon Solo.

Dammit! he's too old! I just don't want him in the part. He would have been great in the role 15 years ago, but not now!

The only hope I am holding out is that, if Warner's is looking at franchise possibilities on this, they will want a younger actor in the role as well. (And possibly also one who isn't as likely to have as many other movie commitments as Clooney and thus would be willing to sign on for more than a one picture deal, which I don't think Clooney would be.)

I'm really getting disheartened about the the whole project thinking of them turning Napoleon into a man in midde-age (no offense to Clooney, who looks great but isn't a young stud anymore).

All my enthusiasm has seeped out as if from a popped balloon at this prospect. [sigh]

Current Mood: crushed

This article does offer hope as to the direction of the proposed MFU movie: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2010/06/man-from-uncle-remake-dobkin-liman.html

It's nice to read that the script that was written and is apparently liked by the studio is said to be an "action thriller with some comedic touches, but not the other way around". That offers some real promise. As does the search for type of director wanted by the studio for the project.

Current Mood: hopeful

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Carabele's Journal

(FanFiction Pen Name LaH)

Cooper won't be playing Solo...

Apparently the MFU movie is being planned for a December 2012 release

Soderbergh loses his Kuryakin...

Finally saw CONTAGION this weekend...

More from Burns on the slated MFU movie...

Yay, Yay, Yay! No Clooney as Solo...

The supposed new MFU movie...

Hmmm... he could play Solo...

Okay, I had to giggle...

Time to get out of this funk...

Despite all the hub-bub...

Just sent off my first email to the WB...

This proposed movie is splintering the fandom...

No Clooney as Solo...

More new MFU movie news...

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