With talent strikes imminent (up to three major guilds; actors, directors and writers, could go on strike early in the the summer of 2008), the studios and the talent themselves are trying to much product in the pipeline as possible, so as to prepare for a possible long winter.
The following dates are planned start dates for films made by Columbia. I’ll have follow-up pieces for the other studios. The general idea is that all actual production work has to be finished by somewhere around May of next year. Post-production work would be allowed to be continued during the strike(s).
Columbia
AGAINST ALL ENEMIES Feb Director Robert Redford’s indictment of the Bush Administration’s lead up to the Iraq War, his second anti-Iraq War movie in a row.
ANGELS AND DEMONS 18-Feb The sequel to The DiVinci Code.
BOND 22 7-Jan-08 The second Daniel Craig Bond.
BROTHERS 27-Nov Tobey Maguire is sent to fight in Afghanistan, his neer-do-well brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) taking care of Maguire’s wife (Natalie Portman). Remake of a Danish movie.
JULIE AND JULIA March Adapted from a book by that name, about a woman dedicated to making every single Julia Child recipe. To be directed by Nora Roberts.
NICK AND NORAH’S INFINATE PLAYLIST 22-Oct Teen punk rocker romance, adapted from what sounds like a fairly filthy YA novel.
SEVEN POUNDS Late Feb A man (Will Smith) falls in love while trying to kill himself.
STEP BROTHERS (No start date yet) Will Ferrel and John C. Reilly are coddled guys who become step-brothers. Comedy, presumably, ensues.
THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 19-Feb Typically pointless remake of a simply great ’70s action / heist film. Denzil Washington steps in for Walter Matthau (do you see the problem right there?) Directed by Tony Scott. Oh, yeah, now it sounds better
YEAR ONE 14-Jan Couldn’t find any plot details, which apparently are being kept secret, but…stars Jack Black and Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Superbad), produced by flavor of the month Judd Apatow, and directed by SCTV‘s Harold Ramis. Sounds good.
Ken’s Thoughts: Not much for me there. I didn’t see DiVinci Code, so whatever. Don’t need to be preached at about the war. Would rather see the real Pelham in a theater, or just watch it again on DVD. The two comedies probably are the most interesting, in a minor way, although I am wierdly intrigued by what kind of movie they intend to make from the Julie and Julia book. Strange to have one film called Brothers, and another Step Brothers. And Seven Pounds? Comedy or drama?
