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[CygnusXS]

What's Zack Snyder doing? He would be perf... oh, oh right. Nevermind.

 

[Ceres]

What's Zack Snyder doing? He would be perf... oh, oh right. Nevermind.

Not that I had any interest in this before Aronofsky was announced but thank god Snyder is tied up with Superman. If this is purely a custodial thing, maybe Fox will actually get a decent replacement.

 

[y2dvd]

I don't get it. Why hire a director if you are just gonna tell him what to do the whole way?

 

[Puddles]

I don't get it. Why hire a director if you are just gonna tell him what to do the whole way?

Exactly. This kind of thing is ridiculous. What exactly do some producers who never made it creatively think they're going to do better than a director of his caliber?

 

[Snake]

Crossing my fingers for Brett Ratner

Spoiler

to get bogged down in another Rush Hour movie or something.

 

[Blader]

EW reports that Fox may possibly (and uncharacteristically) put the movie on hold now

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

How many drug addicts do you know? Anyway, it's been too long since I've seen the film for me to comment on specific examples of characterization that I liked, but the mother was quite a good character, I thought, and pretty much all of the scenes between her and Jared Leto are heart-breaking. I felt the writing was good enough to give me a good sense of the other characters. The movie covers a pretty sizable span of time, and I think the storytelling style works very well with that in mind.

What does the span of time covered have to do with whether or not it's well-conveyed? I can't argue with "heart-breaking," I guess, since it was your subjective emotional reaction to it, but there's little intelligence behind the way that it's conveyed because the characters are so shallowly limned. It's a drug addiction movie that indulges pretty much all off the stereotypes associated with drug addicts and which doesn't take the time to limn the characters very deeply outside of having an addiction and having a dream. They are never made to be fully-formed individuals, never given a sense of three-dimensionality, and the movie ultimately says very little about the idea of addiction or the idea of dreams that hasn't been said before and better. Contrast the characters in this movie with the characters in, say, Trainspotting, and one can see a rather huge difference in the way that they're developed, with Trainspotting taking the time to really let us get to know who these people are outside of the fact that they're addicted (and having some FUN with it too, not to mention better filmmaking and music). To answer your first question: I've been close to drug addiction before, but that bears little on the development of the characters in this movie. I'm not disputing whether or not they were correct portrayals of addiction itself, for that matters little if they're not otherwise developed.

How are we beaten over the head over and over? The bad things don't happen until the "Winter" section of the movie, at which point every character is sucked into their irreversible downward spiral. It's not like life is constantly shitting on each of these characters throughout the entire film. You can say that it's unrealistic that bad things would happen to these characters all at the same time, but fiction often makes sacrifices like that.

The movie beats you over the head continually with its rather shallow conception of drug addiction and then goes WAY over-the-top with the final denouement to the point where it's just silly, not sad. Not to mention the fact that it beats some of the symbolism over your head as well, particularly the shot of Marion on the pier, with Jared Leto falling off the pier at the end being probably THE most obvious resolution to that bit of symbolism possible. I'd also argue that the acting is really over-the-top pretty much all the way throughout the movie, which is another way of beating the audience over the head. It's just... predictable, really. There's never any sense of surprise, of play. It's acceptable that the ending, at least conceptually, is predictable; the title of the movie basically tells you that none of the characters are going to get what they want. That doesn't excuse the set-up and development also chugging along predictably, as well.

You've never heard of drug-addicted women entering the sex trade to feed their addictions?

My beef is not with whether or not it could happen. My beef is that "ASS TO ASS" is a ridiculously melodramatic way of portraying her entering the sex trade.

Edit: And I'm not a general Aronofsky hater. I think that he has talent and that he got significantly better after Requiem, and it's my hope that he'll move on to something more interesting now that he's left this project. I think The Wrestler is the only thing that he's made that I'd say is out and out great, but I'm hopeful that he has something like that in him again.

 

[erlim]

EW reports that Fox may possibly (and uncharacteristically) put the movie on hold now

Just do this man. Delay it until you find somebody that can do this movie that's not your McGs of the world please.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

I knew it was too good to be true!

I actually didn't know he was getting divorced from Rachel Weisz, I'm behind on my celeb gossip!

Oh what, he is? That makes me sad...

You should direct it Gary.

 

[G-Fex]

EW reports that Fox may possibly (and uncharacteristically) put the movie on hold now

Was there ever BO success for Wolverine? Why bother?

 

[the chris]

Was there ever BO success for Wolverine? Why bother?

I think the first Wolverine movie made about 180 million dollars domestically.

What really sucks about this situation was that I was really looking forward to Aronofsky's take on Wolverine too, but I imagined Fox was going to hire him just so they could promote the movie in some markets as "From the director of Black Swan and The Wrestler."

 

[Particle Physicist]

I think the first Wolverine movie made about 180 million dollars domestically.

What really sucks about this situation was that I was really looking forward to Aronofsky's take on Wolverine too, but I imagined Fox was going to hire him just so they could promote the movie in some markets as "From the director of Black Swan and The Wrestler."

Same here. With Robocop, and then Wolverine.. it really seems like Aronofsky wants to do a 'superhero' film. I bet he announces a similar project soon.

 

[Escape Goat]

EW reports that Fox may possibly (and uncharacteristically) put the movie on hold now

Sounds like a good plan.

 

[Puddles]

Very long post.

They story structure is such that we only see pivotal moments over the course of a year. It's basically a linear 500 Days of Summer in terms of structure. By necessity this means we're not going to get as many subtle, nuanced moments as perhaps you would like. Every scene in the film is a turning point in some way. I believe that was intentional. For whatever reason it didn't gel with you. I personally really liked the style; it was like getting sucked into an abyss and being aware of it every minute. That particular effect is the strongest point of the film, IMO, but I can see how people wouldn't find it compelling.

 

[AshMcCool]

Fox can fuck themselves. I hope Jackman follows Darrens example.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/second-thoughts-on-darren-aronofskys-the-wolverine-exit/

Darren Aronofsky's surprise exit from The Wolverine on Thursday has created a lot of chatter, and it has given 20th Century Fox execs another difficult decision to make. Aside from selecting a new director, Fox already was going to have to figure out the feasibility of its plan to shoot almost entirely in Japan, a country reeling from the earthquake/tsunami. Aronofsky's exit was attributed to personal issues that made a long shoot in Japan unfeasible and that was no doubt a factor, but I'm persuaded the windfall Aronofsky will earn from The Black Swan allowed him to take a hard look and decide his heart wasn't in The Wolverine. When Aronofsky took the job, he was in a much different position: he'd worked for practically nothing making Black Swan, which at the time was eyed as an art house film release; his plan to direct Robocop got hamstrung by MGM's strangling debt burden. When he was recruited by his The Fountain star Hugh Jackman to helm The Wolverine, Aronofsky was looking at the first real chance in his career to make big money--$5 million against 5% of gross. Cut to now: The Black Swan's worldwide gross is a staggering $270 million, on a $16 million budget. When a director like Aronofsky works for free, he gambles on success. He might not be getting the $50 million or so that Todd Phillips received when he gave back his fee on The Hangover for an equity stake, but I've heard Aronofsky's reward will be 8-figures. After that, did he really want to make a sequel? Now, an auteur like Aronofsky might also have bristled at the hands-on management of Fox higher-ups (Tsotsi's Gavin Hood was said to have had no fun making the first Wolverine) but I don't get the impression that was a big issue here.

When Aronofsky took the job, the other main candidate was David Slade, the 30 Days of Night helmer who got his first real taste of tent pole film making with Twilight Saga: Eclipse. Slade, who was also a strong candidate for The Hunger Games before Gary Ross got that job, just signed on to develop a reboot of Daredevil for Fox. He seems an obvious top candidate for The Wolverine, a bigger priority project at the studio, and one that already has a script by Christopher McQuarrie that everybody likes.

As for the location situation, Fox luckily has some breathing room. The Wolverine was going to be shot almost completely in Japan, which would provide a strong backdrop for a samurai-themed tale. Given the crisis situation still unfolding there, is it even possible to schedule a blockbuster-sized budget film shoot in Japan? Fox, which originally planned to start in the spring, has time to assess. The studio's summer 2012 dance card is loaded already: the Ridley Scott-directed Prometheus, the Timur Bekmambetov-directed Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and Ice Age 4. Fox can wait to start production on The Wolverine in the fall or even later.

 

[Veidt]

deadline is absolutely right.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

deadline is absolutely right.

They usually are.

 

[B.K.]

Here's the list of potential directors:

Jose Padilha (Elite Squad, the upcoming RoboCop reboot, the just-announced Tri-Border.)
Doug Liman (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity)
Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Brooklyn's Finest)
Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo, Never Let Me Go)
Justin Lin (Fast Five, Better Luck Tomorrow)
Gavin O'Connor (Miracle, Pride and Glory)
James Mangold (Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma)
Gary Shore (primarily television commercials)

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=78082

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Please, God. Not Antoine Fuqua. Doug Liman would be the most interesting of all of those.

 

[Trojita]

Last I heard David Bowie's son was on the short list

I guess not anymore

;_;

 

[Snaku]

Hope Jackman drops out, and Fox brings in Nic Cage to play Wolvie.

 

[CrankyJay]

Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo, Never Let Me Go)

Damn where did this guy disappear to? First he did a a NIN video for The Perfect Drug and then One Hour Photo and you don't hear from this guy much.

Interesting:

Was so deeply affected by Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt", he offered (and begged) to shoot the video for free. Upon doing so, he sent the video to Trent Reznor, lead singer of Nine Inch Nails. Reznor was in session with Zack De La Rocha (of Rage Against the Machine fame) at the time, and they were reportedly so awestruck emotionally that they had to leave the room and recuperate, Reznor himself being moved to tears. The video itself features footage of a decrepit Cash at the flood ravaged House of Cash Museum interspersed with footage from Cash's personal collection of himself in his youth. This masterpiece of a video has since found itself in heavy rotation on both VH1 and MTV.

 

[Blader]

Last I heard David Bowie's son was on the short list

I guess not anymore

;_;

Fox wanted him but he was never going to take the job. Jones himself said he only took the meeting as a courtesy.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Damn where did this guy disappear to? First he did a a NIN video for The Perfect Drug and then One Hour Photo and you don't hear from this guy much.

He was making Wolfman, but then dropped out of that and Joe Johnston had to scramble to finish it.

 

[effzee]

Here's the list of potential directors:

Jose Padilha (Elite Squad, the upcoming RoboCop reboot, the just-announced Tri-Border.)
Doug Liman (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity)
Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo, Never Let Me Go)
Gavin O'Connor (Miracle, Pride and Glory)
James Mangold (Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma)


http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=78082

Any of those would be good. Erased the crappy ones.

 

[comedy bomb]

This must be going to slip into 2013. They should be filming by now if they wanted to release it in 2012.

 

[HiResDes]

I'm kinda pulling for Romanek, even if I wasn't all too crazy about Never Let Me Go, just because I think his version might end up being the most bizarre.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

I'm kinda pulling for Romanek, even if I wasn't all too crazy about Never Let Me Go, just because I think his version might end up being the most bizarre.

Mangold's could go either direction, but would seem the most safe. Fuqua would be this derivative John Woo movie. Liman could go either way as well.

 

[Mrbob]

What is the point of this movie if Fox are just going to reboot Xmen with First Class?

 

[PhoncipleBone]

What is the point of this movie if Fox are just going to reboot Xmen with First Class?

First Class doesn't have Wolverine.

 

[Parallax]

What is the point of this movie if Fox are just going to reboot Xmen with First Class?

How is first class a reboot? The only original xman in the bunch is beast

 

[Blader]

What is the point of this movie if Fox are just going to reboot Xmen with First Class?

First Class is not a reboot and The Wolverine is a standalone story anyway.

 

[HiResDes]

I mean it's not like there really needs to be a point, I mean this is Fox we're talking about...

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

Fox is also under the old contract of retaining the rights to the film IP if they consistently keep making X-men movies.

Considering this is one of their biggest franchises, it's no surprise either despite their own studio execs efforts to sabotage the franchise like undercutting the budgets (X-men 1), delaying production till it's almost too late (X-men 3), and going behind the director's back (Wolverine).

X-men 2 was like the only film in which it was given proper support from the studio and fuller directorial control.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

X-men 2 was like the only film in which it was given proper support from the studio and fuller directorial control.

And it is still one of the best comic book movies made. Coincidence?

 

[HiResDes]

It's not even in the top ten...

 

[comedy bomb]

It's not even in the top ten...

your top ten smells funny

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

And it is still one of the best comic book movies made. Coincidence?

If Fox didn't for some reason twiddled their thumbs on X-men 3 right after X-men 2 launched with the enormous opening day of over $80 million back in 2003, we would have gotten Singer's original X-men 3 and probably sooner.

The man was simply waiting for the damn phone call that never came from Fox after X-men 2 finished. And then we got Superman Returns as a result that same year with X-men 3.

EDIT: And X-men 2 is certainly in one my top ten superhero movies.

 

[Parallax]

And it is still one of the best comic book movies made. Coincidence?

I must be one of the few that wasn't impressed with the movies. Not in a top ten. But to be fair, I'm a bit unfairly critical to comic movies.

 

[Anticitizen One]

X-Men and X-Men 2 were great films. The rest? not so much

 

[HiResDes]

1. Batman (1989)
2. Watchmen
3. Spiderman 2
4. Spiderman
5. Hellboy
6. Batman Begins
6. The Dark Knight
7. Superman
8. Ironman
9. Superman 2
10. Hellboy 2


...I know I'm a freak

 

[effzee]

If Fox didn't for some reason twiddled their thumbs on X-men 3 right after X-men 2 launched with the enormous opening day of over $80 million back in 2003, we would have gotten Singer's original X-men 3 and probably sooner.

The man was simply waiting for the damn phone call that never came from Fox after X-men 2 finished. And then we got Superman Returns as a result that same year with X-men 3.

EDIT: And X-men 2 is certainly in one my top ten superhero movies.

Wouldn't blame it all on FOX for Singer leaving but yeah they are pretty stupid and full of themselves. They both want to keep the franchise, cause it makes tons of money, but also don't support it properly.

The First Class movie looks awesome so lets hope that is a good movie and in the right direction.

Whichever director they pick for Wolverine, I hope they have learned their lesson from the first one and let him do what he wants.

 

[revolverjgw]

1. Batman (1989)
2. Watchmen
3. Spiderman 2
4. Spiderman
5. Hellboy
6. Batman Begins
6. The Dark Knight
7. Superman
8. Ironman
9. Superman 2
10. Hellboy 2


...I know I'm a freak

Well you got number 1 right anyway

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

My interest for this movie left with Aronofsky and none of those possible replacements are close to bringing me back. We'll see though, I was sure First Class would suck, but apparently it's pretty good.

 

[comedy bomb]

Gary Shore's Wolverine pitch?
http://vimeo.com/19861229

 

[Platy]

For someone who does commercial that pitch really sux ... BUT he is my vote !

Better directors need to go to somewhere they can have more freedom and is always nice to see newer faces ... so ...


Also, worst than the first one will not be, so ...whatever

 

[Blader]

James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma, Knight and Day) will direct The Wolverine

 

[ChocolateCupcakes]

How did he go from 3:10 to Yuma to Knight and Day? Oh well, we'll see.

 

[triplestation]

Russel Crowe as Wolverine confirmed.