'tis the season to greenlight the same movie twice (at least)

[pete]

I dunno if there is already a thread about this.  I think there kinda are a few, but whatever.
first, there are three football movies out in the same month.  then two movies about hollywood homicides.  then that capote film coming out.  now there is beer league, which is beerfest meets benchwarmers.  I mean, studio movies have always been unoriginal, but usually you get just one movie about one unoriginal idea per season.  this is kinda weird.

[polkablues]

I mean, studio movies have always been unoriginal, but usually you get just one movie about one unoriginal idea per season.  this is kinda weird.

Don't forget the whole "Volcano"/"Dante's Peak" and "Armageddon"/"Deep Impact" thing.  Not to mention "Antz"/"A Bug's Life".  And to a lesser extent "Saving Private Ryan"/"Thin Red Line".

[MacGuffin]

The Descent/The Cave
Kundun/Seven Years in Tibet
The Sixth Sense/Stir Of Echoes
Zodiac/The Zodiac
The Score/Heist
Stone's Alexander/Luhrmann's cancelled Alexander project

[polkablues]

Crash/Mind of Mencia

[edison]

The Illusionist/The Prestige

[matt35mm]

Cars/Talledega Nights (NASCAR made serious bank this summer)

All the fucking CG animated movies with animals escaping the zoo or somesuch--Madagascar, Over The Hedge, The Wild, and that Open Season movie looks similar even though it's about the forest and not the zoo.

Pixar's Ratatouille and Aardman's Flushed Away.

The two Janis Joplin projects (with Zooey and Renee in the roles).

When Boys Don't Cry was being made, two other competing Brandon Teena movies were in development (one with Drew Barrymore, and one with Neve Campbell that didn't go very far).

And I might be imagining things and I'm too lazy to make sure, but weren't/aren't there two Bob Dylan movies being made?  I'm Not There and something else?  Or am I just confusing that with the documentary?

Jesus Christ there are a lot of these!

[grand theft sparrow]

1492: Conquest of Paradise/Christopher Columbus: The Discovery

Truman Show/Pleasantville/EdTV

Sky High/Zoom

All the fucking CG animated movies with animals escaping the zoo or somesuch--Madagascar, Over The Hedge, The Wild, and that Open Season movie looks similar even though it's about the forest and not the zoo.

Don't forget Barnyard which looks similar to all of those even though it's about a farm and not the forest or a zoo.

[Ravi]

First Daughter and Chasing Liberty

[MacGuffin]

Dueling directors Milk a good story
Singer, Van Sant line up similar projects
Source: Variety

Each is trying to be first in production with a film about Harvey Milk, the San Francisco supervisor and first openly gay elected official in the U.S., who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by Supervisor Daniel White.

After 15 years in development, "The Mayor of Castro Street," the movie based on the book by Randy Shilts, is moving toward the starting gate. Warner Independent Prods., which brought in Singer two years ago, is near a deal with Participant Prods. to co-finance and with Chris McQuarrie to write the final draft.

Now, Van Sant has attached himself to an untitled Milk script by Dustin Lance Black, writer of several episodes of the HBO drama "Big Love." The writer's agents at Endeavor will shop the script early next week.

McQuarrie, who first teamed with Singer on "The Usual Suspects," is working with the director on an untitled WWII thriller at United Artists that McQuarrie wrote with Nathan Alexander. Tom Cruise is toplining an ensemble drama about German generals who hatch a scheme to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

The fates of "Capote" and "Infamous" have demonstrated how important it is to be first in the marketplace when it comes to rival fact-based pictures. "Capote" came first and became an awards season darling highlighted by an Oscar win for Philip Seymour Hoffman; "Infamous" followed a year later, and, despite good reviews, a dead-on Capote perf by Toby Jones and the presence of Daniel Craig and Sandra Bullock, barely got noticed.

Adding to the intrigue is that fact that Van Sant was once set to direct "Castro Street" and even wrote a draft of the script years ago for Warners.

Craig Zadan, who is producing "The Mayor of Castro Street" with Neil Meron, liked their chances to get into production quickly. This despite Singer's commitment to the Cruise movie, "Valkyrie," which has a July 8 start date, and a "Superman Returns" sequel which Warner Bros. hopes to have ready for release in 2009.

"We're seeing the light at the end of a long tunnel," he said. "Warner Independent is pushing us to get the film made right away. Some of it might have to do with the enormous success of 'Brokeback Mountain,' and some of it is passion for the right tone and the story we are telling. Chris has nailed the take, and the goal is to have the script ready so that we can make the movie as soon as Bryan finishes his UA film. We've had tremendous response from actors."

[pete]

don't do van sant's version, it will suck.  his "Based on facts" movies have been the biggest bullshit to come out of America in recent years.

[picolas]

his "Based on facts" movies have been the biggest bullshit to come out of America in recent years.

no they haven't.

[Gold Trumpet]

his "Based on facts" movies have been the biggest bullshit to come out of America in recent years.

no they haven't.

I'm with pete, but that comment stands to get little reaction besides something like yours.

[Gamblour.]

I think Elephant is a pretty amazing movie. I'd be curious to see what Van Sant would do with it, but I know Singer would have a solid film regardless.

[bonanzataz]

next up, joel schumacher, todd haynes, and john waters battle to get their biopics of paul lynde off the ground.


the secret life of uncle arthur...

[Gold Trumpet]

I think Elephant is a pretty amazing movie.

I guess that is the comment I deserved. My point is that if people are going to dramatically praise or slam something they should try for at least a small explanation. Grand standing statements, especially those that go against the grain, always need a context.

I know some smart people who love Elephant, but that comment does no more than agree or disagree.