Baz Luhrmann

[MacGuffin]

EXCLUSIVE: Leonardo DiCaprio Possibility For Baz Luhrmann's 'Great Gatsby'?
Source: MTV

With F. Scott Fitzgerald's story "The Mysterious Case of Benjamin Button" collecting a trio of Oscars this year, picking up the writer's best-known work "The Great Gatsby" sounds like a great decision for director Baz Luhrmann. The wildly experimental filmmaker behind "Moulin Rouge!" and "Romeo + Juliet" loves period pieces, so his choice to take on the novel makes plenty of sense. But who will he snag to play the film's large-shoed roles of Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby.

"I know where you're going," the director responded to MTV News on the red carpet of this year's Academy Awards. The Australian-born director chuckled when asked if he would be bringing back any of his previous collaborators for "Gatsby," and DiCaprio still has that youthful look and the acting chops that could slide right into the role of Nick. For now, though, he's just concentrating on his broader vision for the movie.

"It will be a drama," Luhrmann explained, nixing the idea of turning "Gatsby" into a musical a la "Moulin Rouge!"

Elaborating on his plans, he outlined his take on he book, which centers around making the story relevant to the world's current financial crisis. Set in the 1920's when when American high society reveled in decadence, Luhrmann's case is easy to follow.

"It's a great story," he said. "A great iconic story and if you think about it, it truly reveals the time we're in. It might explain a bit of what we've been through. If you reread it now you'll see how powerful and meaningful it is in this time."

[hedwig]

that'd be fucking great!

for me, the success of this film virtually hinges on the casting of Daisy.

[SiliasRuby]

I seriously concur.

[MacGuffin]

Luhrmann tackles installation in break from movies
Source: AP

HONG KONG - Taking a break from movies, "Moulin Rouge" director Baz Luhrmann on Wednesday unveiled a multimedia installation in Hong Kong that he says explores the narrative potential of paintings.

"The Creek," a collaboration with painter Vincent Fantauzzo, centers on a large oil painting showing rescue efforts for a car that has veered off a bridge. The painting is placed in a narrow dark room decorated with candles and photographs from Luhrmann's childhood in rural Australia. An audio clip of a car crash plays in the background.

"I am fascinated with how in classical art narrative is dealt with," Luhrmann told reporters on the sidelines of the Hong Kong International Art Fair, where his piece is being displayed.

"The cathedrals of the 17th century were sort of the cineplexes of their time. The audience went into a darkened room. They contemplated a painting. And in that painting ... they had their own cinematic experience. They had their own narrative experience," the director said.

Known for his flashy visuals and lavish set designs, Luhrmann's credits also include "Strictly Ballroom," "William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet" and "Australia."

Luhrmann said he hasn't decided on his next project and is currently choosing between three movie projects and two stage productions, including a possible adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel "The Great Gatsby."

[MacGuffin]

Baz Luhrmann Deciding Between Doing 'Great Gatsby' Or Mysterious Musical Project
Source: MTV

When fans of Baz Luhrmann heard that he was up for directing a new-millennium film version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic "The Great Gatsby," let's just say there was an excited shout of joy, collectively. And then when it was rumored that "Romeo + Juliet" star Leonardo DiCaprio might be up for Gatsby, well let's just say wowza! So, when MTV News caught up with Baz at "The Social Network" premiere we tried to get some updates on the project.

"The rumors are out! I've got two going. One is a musical and one is a period work, both based in New York City, and I'm about to make that decision. I've got the script for both of them and I'm making that decision in four to six weeks, no longer than six weeks," he teased, adding that "Gatsby" had no plans to add some singing. "Singing 'Gatsby'? No! 'Gatsby,' it is the Fitzgerald book and I've been working on that quite a lot. The other one is also New York based and music-driven and it's just a question of ... what is the next right step for me."

Getting more info out of Luhrmann was a bit difficult after that. He wouldn't say much about the musical project. And, he also wouldn't weigh in on those Leo/Gatsby rumors. "You know I think of casting all the time, but I put that to the side and I complete the text," he said. "Obviously there are natural choices and there is a natural top of the list, but I really refuse to say anything until we have text right."

[Pubrick]

Gatsby.

Musicals are dead. Finally.

[MacGuffin]

'The Great Gatsby' Director Baz Luhrmann Injured on Australia Set
Production on the Leonardo DiCaprio movie was shut down a day early following the accident.
Source: THR

Filming on The Great Gatsby was shut down a day early after director Baz Luhrmann suffered an injury on the movie's Australian set.

Luhrmann bumped into a camera crane and needed three stitches in his head, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Anton Monsted, who is listed as a co-producer and music supervisor on the Warner Bros. movie at IMDB.com, told the Herald that Luhrmann was in the midst of directing a scene when the accident happened.

"We were on quite a cramped set and he was ducking under the crane," he said. "He struck his head on the weights on the end of the camera crane. He split open his head, and we had to get the doctor."

It was then decided to shut production down a day early ahead of the Christmas holiday, with the cast and crew set to return for additional shooting after the new year.

''There's a few days owing due to rain and then there will also be what we would have shot ... had we continued filming after Baz's injury,'' Monsted said.

An e-mail to a Warner Bros. representative was not immediately returned.

The movie, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway. Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, Jason Clarke, Amitabh Bachchan and Elizabeth Debicki also star.

Gatsby has been filming at Fox Studios and various locations around Sydney for the past 83 days. It's set to be released Dec. 25, 2012, the same day as another DiCaprio movie, the Quentin Tarantino-directed Django Unchained.

[MacGuffin]

Baz Luhrmann in Talks to Direct 'Kung Fu' for Legendary (Exclusive)
The project is the big-screen version of the 1970s martial arts Western.
Source: THR

Baz Luhrmann could be going from the Roaring Twenties to 19th century China.

The Australian filmmaker behind The Great Gatsby is in talks to direct Kung Fu, Legendary Pictures' big-screen adaptation of the 1970s martial arts Western television show. It is unclear how far along the talks are. Legendary had no comment, but the company is beginning to ramp up its Chinese-centric projects again (Zhang Yimou is in talks to revive the company's adventure movie The Great Wall) and Kung Fu has Chinese roots.

If a deal is made, Luhrmann would first do a rewrite on the script (the current script is by XXX scribe Rich Wilkes) before proceeding.     

Kung Fu starred David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who came to the American West in search of his half-brother. The show featured flashbacks to his training as a teen in which his master called him "young grasshopper," a phrase that has stuck in the pop culture lexicon. The show aired on ABC from 1972 to 1975 and gained a cult following beyond its run.   

According to sources, the current script switches the action to China, sees Caine go in search of his father -- at one point ending up in a prison where he must fight to survive.

Luhrmann would bring his own signature sensibility to the martial arts Western. The filmmaker is known for elaborate productions and highly stylized storytelling -- seen not only in the opulent Gatsby but in productions ranging from Moulin Rouge! to Strictly Ballroom.

[MacGuffin]

Baz Luhrmann in Negotiations to Direct Elvis Presley Biopic for Warner Bros. (Exclusive)
Kelly Marcel is writing the film, which Gail Berman is producing and Andrew Mittman is executive producing
Source: The Wrap

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis is in the building — as in, the Warner Bros. building — and director Baz Luhrmann is in negotiations to join the iconic singer, who is the subject of an untitled biopic being written by Kelly Marcel ("Fifty Shades of Grey"), TheWrap has learned.

Warner Bros. had no comment.

Marcel is hard at work writing an original screenplay about Elvis Presley, the hip-gyrating King of Rock and Roll, that will not be based on any pre-existing material. While the project is believed to be a biopic, it's unclear which periods of Presley's life would be depicted in the film.

Gail Berman is producing for Tecumseh Productions, while Andrew Mittman of Whalerock Industries will executive produce. WB executive Courtenay Valenti will oversee the project on behalf of the studio.

Warner Bros. has secured rights to all musical components in Presley's catalog for this project, multiple individuals familiar with the situation told TheWrap.

Luhrmann has been in negotiations for several weeks and should his deal close, it's expected that his wife, Oscar winner Catherine Martin, would board the project as costume designer and possibly as production designer as well.

Luhrmann has several projects in development around town — including Legendary's "Kung Fu" movie — and it remains unclear which project will serve as Luhrmann's follow-up to "The Great Gatsby," which grossed $351 million worldwide. The film was Luhrmann's biggest earner, and with such an impressive gross for a literary drama, it's no wonder Warner Bros. is eager to get back in business with Luhrmann.

Luhrmann, who was nominated for an Oscar for producing his dazzling 2001 musical "Moulin Rouge," is also developing a Napoleon miniseries for HBO. He's repped by WME and Hirsch Wallerstein.

[Sleepless]