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A Questionable Escape Clause
Did CAA make the right pre-emptive move by packaging up actor Gerard Butler in a somewhat surprising remake vehicle choice? We're not so sure.
Monday, March 19, 2007 at 12:01 AM
By Dennis Michael
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Ferdaus Shamim/WireImage.com
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Clowning around at last week's 300 premiere in London
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The highest-paid actors, writers and directors in Hollywood surrender 10% of their paychecks to CAA (Creative Artists Agency) because they believe the House that Mike Ovitz built knows what's best for their careers. But has the talent agency been perhaps a little hasty in its post-300 handling of that film's star, Gerard Butler?
We're sure New Line Cinema, the winner of last week's Escape from New York remake auction, paid a pretty penny for the project, in which Butler is attached to reprise the role essayed by an eye patched Ken Russell back in 1981. But is this lightning speed commercial move in the actor's best artistic interests?
It's not quite Eddie Murphy's Dreamgirls-Norbit combo and, on paper, trying to solidify Butler's standing as an A-list Hollywood action star makes sense. But a remake of a 1981 film that is in itself a grungy genre classic, made by John Carpenter at the peak of his powers? Surely there were other action scripts floating around, and surely CAA didn't need to be in this big a hurry to make the mega-bucks leading man deal.
Their client's breakout Tinseltown calling card has just dominated the box office for a second straight weekend and though they could probably sell him in a remake of Driving Miss Daisy right now, what makes 300 so formidable is its originality. It's like nothing we've ever seen, treating historical subject matter with a new millennium, graphic novel, green screen touch.
But here we have now a project that follows an original and a 1996 sequel starring Russell, Escape from Los Angeles. That's right... 1996. The fact that CAA could tie in Neil Moritz’ Original Films banner and Black Hawk Down screenwriter Ken Nolan certainly must have played a factor. But somehow, we can't help but think that Butler - a formidably poised talent - might have wanted to wait a film or two before jumping into the tired old Hollywood remake game.
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- Well, Gerry may be filming Escape From N...
arion on Monday, March 19, 2007 1:18 AM
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Well, Gerry may be filming Escape From New york soon but he still has two other pictures in the can. Butterfly on a Wheel is a suspense thriller staring Pierce Brosnan and released by ICON productions. Then a romantic film with Hilary Swank called P.S. I Love You may be released this year. So Butler has a lot in the works and Escape from New York is just one step on a burgeoning career. |
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- I think you are absolutely right in this...
Tlsaxe@aol.com on Monday, March 19, 2007 4:29 PM
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I think you are absolutely right in this assessment, although Butler does have Butterfly on a Wheel and PS I Love You in the can already and think he will have Therese Raquin filmed before this one is made. These three movies will hopefully keep him from being typecast.
I would hate to see him in a remake when he is an original talent and should make his mark in some original material of his own. Hollywood is too quick to want to typecast performers and in my opinion, it is not in this ones best interest. Hopefully Butler himself will know how to handle it and listen to his own gut. He seems like a sharp cookie. |
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