I heard he's frantically prepping, which is a "duh", of course. A Feb start date was the last we heard.

https://twitter.com/DEADLINE/status/1745128384567652486

https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1745135251351842877

& more info on filming

https://twitter.com/jpraup/status/1745140649450463692

Whoa! We have finally reached the "THIS NOT A DRILL" stage.

So possibly (probably) no Phoenix or Mortensen. I wonder if Penn is taking whatever role one of them was speculated for.

Of course, we don't know anything about the plot. I think there's a good chance those loglines that circulated in the trades are misdirection bunk.

HUGE budget (of course, inflation might make that jump look higher than it really is)

I suppose we should start making plans for Late Fall 2025, lol.

Very happy that PTA and Leo have finally connected. Leo certainly had plenty of other things he could have chosen to do.

Was not expecting that budget! Is PTA making his first action movie? Or is a lot of it just going towards Leo's hefty salary?

I did wonder whether PTA would be the filmmaker that DiCaprio would help to secure massive budgets after his collaboration with Scorsese comes to its end.

I had a feeling Phoenix was out when it was recently revealed that he was doing Ari Aster's next film in the spring after that production was delayed from last year. Also, this budget amount is likely because of Leo's involvement.

Leo's going rate is normally around $40-$50 million nowadays, so look at this as a $50 million dollar movie, plus Leo. lol

$50 millions is still high right! Isn't that near A24's Civil War budget?

Quote from: WorldForgot on January 10, 2024, 01:31:58 PM$50 millions is still high right! Isn't that near A24's Civil War budget?

I believe so. Licorice Pizza was $40 million, correct? Though that also had a lot of COVID costs that probably aren't a factor anymore(or much less of one).

Quote from: RudyBlatnoyd on January 10, 2024, 12:07:06 PMIs PTA making his first action movie?

Scrooby's theory.

i.e.

Something which could theoretically have the title of, say, The Revenger's Tragedy.

So, yes, Leo is usually box office gold, though it's not 100% ... Even his box office clunkers earned money relative to thier budgets (J. Edgar, Revolutionary Road).

It will be interesting to see whether this film is his first big one after Killers of the Flower Moon, which dented his box office armor, or if something else will get to the screen first -- Roosevelt, Jim Jones?

Regardless, if you're spending $100M, the pull must be more than just Leo. What's the hook? Does this lean toward the comedic? Is there a Big Concept that will draw folks in, like Truman Show or Inception or Don't Look Up? I can't believe that Leo + Pynchon adaptation will get it done if they're looking for $200M B.O.

Zaslav must really be expecting this to be WBs biggest oscar contender of 2025 to sign off on this big of a budget.

Any goodwill it generates will have to be due to industry's feelings for PTA, because there are few right now who want good things for Zaslav. It's almost like he's paying for prestige image rehabilitation as much as he's paying for Leo.

 

There was that rumour going around that it has elements of science-fiction. Maybe that partially accounts for the budget...

I've always admired PTA's impulse to constantly go against what people expect from him. Just when we thought he was settling into being the master of the mid-budget, weirdo, period arthouse movie, he's seemingly changing it up again.

so jeff sneider was right back in december 22 when he announced di caprio, and then on march 10 23 when he announced regina hall.

thing is, he said at the same time it "may be based on thomas pynchon's vineland".

but variety says the movie has a bigger budget because it's pta's most commercial movie to date.

could vineland ever inspire a commercial movie ?!