Untitled PTA Project (2020)

[jenkins]

As Annapurna Stumbles, Billionaire Larry Ellison Exerts Control

it's more of the same. key parts:

But sources say Ellison is continuing to invest in Annapurna and has no current plans to shutter the operation, according to sources.

The studio also put the brakes on the comedy “Guilty,” even as Kevin Hart was attaching himself from a script by Jerrod Carmichael, with budget concerns again the reason the project was put on the back burner. An Annapurna insider disputed money concerns, instead citing script issues.

While several people said Megan Ellison, considered a mercurial figure, has been missing in action this week as chatter grows louder that the studio was in the midst of a financial crisis, another company insider insists that she has been stabilizing the film unit, speaking with filmmakers and visible in the office.

Annapurna is expected to enact layoffs as part of this reorganization. However, the studio is also going to make certain strategic hires as it tries to piece together a more profitable slate.

[Gold Trumpet]

None of us really know the details about what is going on, but this could definitely hit PTA's next film. Especially with Vice coming out soon and that needing to make a decent haul. There's always more fallout to these things. That being said, a likely project starring Tiffany Haddish will get picked up by some studio. The possible 1930s LA backdrop may make it more expensive though.

[martinthewarrior]

Just as an FYI, despite what some have commented in this thread, Ellison has not ponied up the lions share of PTA budgets since The Master. I know this for a fact, so while her company may be struggling of late, her role as producer on the last 2 Paul's has included small portions of budget and then piecing together additional outside money. Annapurna is most likely not self financing the next, theoretical, 25-30 mil PT budget.

[BigSock]

PTA is working on a new script and discussed to Leo DiCaprio

Leo, according to sources, had been mulling GDT's NIGHTMARE ALLEY and new scripts from Paul Thomas Anderson and Alejandro Gonzalez Inaritu. Now looks like he's finally made his choice... https://t.co/P7lYisTifK

— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) April 23, 2019

[eward]

He's working with DEL TORO instead? What the fuck. Horrible choice.

[Drenk]

Dicaprio has no generosity in his acting, it's all about his performance. He would have been bad in a Paul Thomas Anderson movie.

(Yep, I think DDL gives space to actors around him. Paul Dano and Vicky Krieps probably agree with me.)

[pynchonikon]

Turning down a PTA screenplay (or even an Inarritu one) in order to play in a forgotten noir's remake directed by GDT , seems quite like a bad joke, if there is any truth in this info. Hopefully this wasn't the name of the lead actor martinthewarrior was talking about, and doesn't cause any difficulties in the whole project.

[Lewton]

Dicaprio has no generosity in his acting, it's all about his performance.

Never really got that sense during his scenes with DDL in Gangs of New York.

Anyway, regardless of who the lead actor ends up being, I'm just hoping he brings back Jesse Plemons. I watched Game Night recently and his delivery of the line "How can that be profitable for Frito Lay?" reminded me that he's incredible.

[©brad]

He would have been bad in a Paul Thomas Anderson movie.

To be fair, many people including some on this very board once said that when he cast Adam Sandler...

[kingfan011]

Hopefully he wasn't completely banking of Leo to get the film made. Meaning now that Leo is off to do Del Toro's film hopefully this doesn't push this back a few years.

[wilberfan]

Leo bailed on him once before...and it turned out OK. 

[kingfan011]

Leo bailed on him once before...and it turned out OK.

Good point I had forgotten about that.

[polkablues]

Anyway, regardless of who the lead actor ends up being, I'm just hoping he brings back Jesse Plemons. I watched Game Night recently and his delivery of the line "How can that be profitable for Frito Lay?" reminded me that he's incredible.

I could go for a Jesse Plemons/Rami Malek buddy comedy.

[Tdog]

Leo is ok but he never really becomes invisible when playing a part. I always feel like I'm watching Leonardo DiCaprio pretending to be someone else, I suppose because he's a big movie star, which I'm sure will work wonderfully for OUATIH. Same applies to Brad Pitt.

[d]

Hard to disagree really. At least for some time now he has played a sort of version of Leo, Belfort in Wolf being probably the most generic version. Which is not necessarily to say he is a bad actor. Maybe it's the matter of stardom as you suggest as this was not the case is his earlier films. One role he really managed to become invisible recently is his Calvin Candie in Django. So maybe with a good script and director...

Obviously it would be exciting to see him working with PTA, both for artistic and marketing reasons. I don't really understand why Gordon-Levitt appeared in the other thread as a strong possibility but I wonder, given similar age, looks and maybe even acting skill set how this Leo gossip makes JGL story more likely.