"No details are known about the project, but it comes with some major acting talent: We've learned that Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow and Bruce Willis are loosely attached to star in the film.
Shyamalan is famously secretive, and this project is no exception: Only top studio execs have read the script, and they were required to allow a Shyamalan assistant to supervise the process. When the execs finished reading, the assistant took the script back and left."
Looks like Bruce Willis is getting sued over, and is suing over a project called “Three Stories About Joan”.Here’s the thing. Film producers are desperate to get “names” attached to their projects to make them stand out… and when you finally get a “name” attached you use that name to get other people involved, to get distributors interested and get other “names” interested as well. Basically, getting a “name” can make or break your project, especially when it’s a name like Bruce Willis.
At the same time, talent like Bruce Willis takes a big risk when they commit to a project. They have to block out weeks or months of time… time they could be working on other project and making millions of dollars. It means they have to turn down other big projects that come along because they’re already committed. So if the project you’re committed to suddenly falls through, they can be out millions of dollars.
So it appears the situation at hand goes something like this:
- The producers of “Three Stories About Joan” had an agreement with Bruce Willis to star in and direct.
- Bruce pulled out
- The Producers are suing Willis for $4 million for pulling out
- Bruce is going to counter sue saying the producers broke the agreement first by failing to put up money into an escrow on time
- It’s all basically a big mess.
If everyone is telling the truth here (which rarely happens) then I’m going to have to side with Willis on this. People in this business flake all the time, so if someone misses putting up money by a certain agreed upon deadline, then you have no option but to assume they’re gong to flake or be unable to meet their obligations.
MovieWeb tells us that it seems Tyrese is now the lead contender to play fool-pityin' B.A. "Bad Attitude" Baracus in the upcoming A-Team movie instead of the previously considered Ice Cube. Not only that, Latino Review recently reported that Bruce Willis might lead the soldiers of fortune as alpha dog Col. John "Hannibal" Smith. This is one remake that's starting to look pretty good.
I must admit, though, Ice Cube had a bit more fitting weight and gruff to play Mr. T than Tyrese. Nevertheless, Tyrese has long been a staple of John Singleton's films (Baby Boy, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Four Brothers) and I do very much enjoy him in a supporting role such as this. Nothing has been signed as of yet, as Tyrese noted that the script is still in development, but this sounds pretty solid.
Similarly, the role of cigar-chompin' Col. Smith hasn't officially been filled either, but it's pretty easy to see Bruce Willis in the role. Granted, Willis might lack some of the sophistication of George Peppard's original character, but I think he can deliver with ease the trademark line, "I love it when a plan comes together."
As of this moment, John Singleton is still attached to direct the A-Team revamp, with a script in the works by Derek Haas and Michael Brandt (who both co-wrote 2 Fast 2 Furious, 3:10 to Yuma, and Wanted). Fox has already scheduled this for release on June 12th, 2009. Let's just hope they can get the film back on track and in production quick enough to make that release date!
No word yet on the remaining two roles that round out the foursome: Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck and Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock. Peck is a slick con-man, so Sam Rockwell immediately comes to mind as a possible candidate. And Murdock is sort of nuts, so maybe Steve Buscemi?
What do you think?
