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Spielberg helming The Big Friendly Giant for 2016; Cold War thriller filming before.

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S

SCULLIBUNDO

Banned
This is a few days old, but nobody here seems to have posted it.

Spielberg has officially signed on to direct an adaptation of The BFG, reuniting him with E.T screenwriter Melissa Mathison. He's given an early 2015 production start date, giving him time to squeeze out another film.

The live-action film will be based on the fantastical tale of a Big Friendly Giant who befriends a young orphan girl. Dahl's book, illustrated by Quentin Blake, was first published in 1982.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-spielberg-direct-roald-dahl-699095
DreamWorks acquired the book in 2011 with Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall to produce. Various directors have been attached to the project over the years, including John Madden and Chris Columbus.
Melissa Mathison, who penned the script for E.T., wrote the screenplay. Marshall will produce with Michael Siegel on board as executive producer along with Madden. (Kennedy is now running Lucasfilm and busy producing the new Star Wars movies.)
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That other (frankly, more exciting prospect) film is an untitled Cold War thriller with Tom Hanks which he'll be shooting as his next film.

http://www.thewrap.com/steven-spiel...-hanks-cold-war-thriller-will-next-exclusive/
Hanks is attached to play James Donovan, a prominent American attorney enlisted by the CIA during the Cold War to slip behind the Iron Curtain and negotiate the release of Gary Powers, a pilot captured when his U-2 spy plane was shot down over Russia.
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Robopocalypse is officially on the backburner now. What's interesting is WHY he isn't going ahead with it.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-steven-spielberg-picked-his-699902
With DreamWorks CEO and co-chairman Stacey Snider expected to move to a top post at Fox, some were betting that Spielberg, Snider and Fox would join forces on a big action movie like Robopocalypse. But several sources say the director remains gun-shy about taking on a film that would cost around $200 million (requiring a gross in the $600 million range to break even). Neither of the new projects has that kind of price tag -- BFG is said to be in the $100 million to $125 million range.
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A

Acorn

Member
Great news on both counts. BFG was my favourite book as a kid and a Hanks/Spielberg movie is an instant watch for me.
 
P

Phobophile

A scientist and gentleman in the manner of Batman.
Eh, more intrigued about BFG. Loved that book. The Cold War flick will likely be Hanks and Spielberg just phoning it in, but I'd like to hear more.
 
S

SCULLIBUNDO

Banned
Phobophile said:
Eh, more intrigued about BFG. Loved that book. The Cold War flick will likely be Hanks and Spielberg just phoning it in, but I'd like to hear more.
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Spielberg and Hanks have only phoned it in once when working together. But Catch Me If You Can and Saving Private Ryan weren't phoning it in.
 
B

blackflag

Member
So basically a live action version of the greatest animated movie ever made? (Iron Giant)

ok i can deal with this considering who is directing it.
 
D

Discotheque

Banned
I loved BFG but I can't help but think how corny the film would be. Would rather see the Cold War movie. It's about time he makes something like Munich again
 
S

SCULLIBUNDO

Banned
ComputerMKII said:
When is he gonna make the Ghost in the Shell live-action movie?
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He was never going to direct that. He simply acquired it for Dreamworks. I think Rupert Sanders was the last director attached to that. And knowing the kind of financial shitstorm Dreamworks is in right now, you can bet your ass a film like GitS won't be getting greenlit anytime soon.
 
S

SCULLIBUNDO

Banned
Draconian said:
Well, I'll conduct this hype train alone then. I'll take sci-fi/thriller Spielberg all day. When this film is made in 2020, I'll be here to say I told you so!

I hope.
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I'm not saying there aren't people excited for it. I'll be there day one. But if you were to ask a lot of people whether they want a Spielberg-helmed Robopocamalypse or a James Cameron Battle Angel, you'll find most sway toward the latter.
 
B

Borgnine

MBA in pussy licensing and rights management
I don't know what any of this is but you said he was doing that sniper movie and now he's not.
 
S

SCULLIBUNDO

Banned
Borgnine said:
I don't know what any of this is but you said he was doing that sniper movie and now he's not.
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He was attached to American Sniper, then dropped out. He's given a start date for BFG which is a much firmer commitment than anything that has recently fallen through that isn't Robopocalypse.
 
C

ComputerMKII

Banned
Scullibundo said:
He was never going to direct that. He simply acquired it for Dreamworks. I think Rupert Sanders was the last director attached to that. And knowing the kind of financial shitstorm Dreamworks is in right now, you can bet your ass a film like GitS won't be getting greenlit anytime soon.
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Just sell the rights to James Cameron already.
 
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