website tracking
Search The Big Picture


« Matt Damon in the New Poster for 'The Informant!' | Main | Less Than Fantastic 'Mr. Fox' Trailer »
Thursday
30Jul2009

Spielberg, Howard Spy New Spy Movies

DateThursday, July 30, 2009 at 4:51PM
Two Oscar-winning directors have circled two spy movies for two different purposes at two studios. Ron Howard will direct Robert Ludlum's Ron HowardThe Parsifal Mosaic, which could potentially be a huge get for Universal.

Much like the Bourne series, which we were just talking about earlier today, this Ludlum property conceivably allows the studio to create future stories with the hero, Michael Havelock, that aren't based on Ludlum books. The novel in question is set around superpower tensions and nuclear proliferation during The Cold War, and I have always resisted the notion that once the Soviet Union collapsed, interest in the Cold War would subside. That's like saying nobody would listen to the Beatles after they broke up. So I don't expect that part of it to change. Franchise possibility? Yeah, I think so.

The other director in the news is Spielberg, only he apparently won't be directing. There was a report in Variety that he was itching to get back behind the camera and one project that captured his attention was a movie based on Matt Helm, the veteran spy of over two dozen novels by Donald Hamilton. Like Parsifal, his missions take place in The Cold War, but the current script is set in the present. Bleh. Why?

Slashfilm says Spielberg won't direct it, because he is bound to work for Disney on whatever his next directorial project is and Matt Helm is a Paramount product through-and-through. That seems sound to me. I'm sure Paramount would love to have him direct, but I'm more sure they don't want to pay more money on top of the tens of millions he's sure to get just for the privilege. Franchise potential? Many times over.

So get ready for more spy games, kids. Sounds fun.

One question I do have for Spielberg is, what the hell happened to Lincoln? Perfect movie for Disney, you've owned the rights to Doris Kearns Goodwin's book for years. You've got writers. You've got Liam Neeson waiting in the wings. Make that movie already.

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment1 Comment |

Reader Comments (1)

YES YES Lincoln....what happened sir?

Liam Neeson if done "right" Best Actor Award and Im calling that RIGHT NOW!!

But the film has to get made....

Maybe Neeson decided its too much work being that his wife tragically died recently Natasha Richardson, and he couldnt do it "fully" so they put it off ...???

Or maybe it is a writer thing? I mean that would have to be an EPIC script, like no other....

Or maybe b/c Leonardo Dicaprio is supposedly doing a film in the future about Theodore Roosevelt and Spielberg doesnt want it to conflict with his shine....
- (this i highly doubt but i threw it out there)

I wonder who will star in these fellas movies....

Im guessing no names... anybody else have any ideas??? Who would be good?

Thursday, July 30, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterSEAN

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>