  Actor, director, and Sundance Film Festival founder Robert Redford addresses the media during the opening news conference on the first day of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 21, 2010. (Lucas Jackson, Reuters) |
Robert Redford, no stranger to movies about presidents and political conspiracies, is putting the finishing touches on a new drama about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
The Conspirator stars Robin Wright Penn as Mary Surratt, who was accused of being complicit in Lincoln’s murder by John Wilkes Booth. James McAvoy plays the Civil War hero and lawyer who defended her.
“It deals with a period, a situation right around the Lincoln assassination that few people, if any, know about,” says Redford, who’s in the midst of editing the film.
What attracted him to the material? The same thing that always does, apparently.
“All my films are about America — different parts of America, different times in America, but they’re all about America. Because that’s what fascinates me. My own country really, really fascinates me.”
Meanwhile, Steven Spielberg’s long-gestating biopic of Lincoln, which was to have starred Liam Neeson, continues to languish.
Although Spielberg has been circling the project for almost a decade, there’s still no word on when — or if — it will ever be made.
BLOODY COMPETITION: The rivalry is getting ugly between the Paranormal Activity and Saw camps. First, Paramount announced Saw VI director Kevin Greutert would direct Paranormal Activity 2. Adding insult to injury? The Paranormal sequel would be released Oct. 22, in direct competition with Saw VII 3D.
Now deadlinehollywood.com reports the Saw producers have exercised a contractual option that will force Greutert to direct their Saw sequel instead. So Paranormal Activity 2 is back looking for a director.
It’s unknown whether Paramount will be able to maintain its pre-Halloween release date.
NOTHING BUT THE BLUTH: Corner any alumnus from the late, lamented Arrested Development and they say the same thing about the planned movie — they’re in as soon as there’s a script.
Will Arnett — who played Gob Bluth on the series about the ultimate dysfunctional family — is a little closer to the source than most. He’s cheek-to-jowl these days with Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz, developing a new TV series. “It’s kind of about a guy who’s the ultimate narcissist, a Beverly Hills type who’s been able to buy everything his entire life. And he meets the one person he can’t buy.”
Which means he’s also privy to Arrested Development news on a day-to-day basis.
So what about that script? “It does not exist in a completed form, but there is a working document, yes,” says the Toronto-born Arnett (who can be seen this weekend in the romantic comedy, When In Rome).
“It’s absolutely happening and our intention is to shoot it this year. And we’re going to take that intention and use it as we pave the road to Hell,” he adds with a laugh.
“Honestly, we are intending to shoot it this year, and I know that everybody from our side (including co-stars Michael Cera and Jason Bateman) is eager to get going.”
More Artists
