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Team Behind The Road Paves The Way for Future Projects
September 7, 2009
by Ethan Anderton
Director John Hillcoat (right above), who also directed The Proposition, and screenwriter Joe Penhall (left above) recently showcased their bleak vision of the post-apocalyptic future in their adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's best-selling novel The Road which had a screening at the Telluride Film Festival (read Alex's review). But the future for Hillcoat and Penhall looks to be ripe with opportunity, which is great news for both. One new project has Penhall in talks with Daniel Craig to star in a remake of the 1973 Gaelic heist film La Bonne Annee, which follows a recently released prisoner's plan to rob jewelers in Cannes.
Penhall and Craig have previously worked together on the 2000 film Some Voices and Enduring Love in 2004, however, it might be a little while before this team actually gets together again. Hillcoat is also in talks with Craig for another unnamed project in addition to adapting the novel The Death of Bunny Munro (a story about a sex obsessed traveling salesman written by Nick Cave, the composer of The Road score). Aside from the Craig projects, there's a huge weave of other adaptations coming from Penhall and Hillcoat.
Penhall is also working on an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's book Deep Water for Mike Nichols. And on top of all that, Penhall and Hillcoat may be collaborating with each other again for a feature adaptation of Penhall's London-based play Landscape with Weapons about a military technician who invents a revolutionary new weapon set to change the face of warfare. Aside from these two being busy, I'm sure Daniel Craig has some sort of commitment to developing a new James Bond picture in addition to his recent casting in the film Dream House. So who really knows when any of these projects will get off the ground.
Personally, I'm getting kind of annoyed with all these different adaptations taking precedent over original spec screenplays. Studios are treading softly when it comes to producing scripts, and I'm really sick of them hiding behind established intellectual property (I'm looking at you Hasbro). One of the best flicks of the summer was District 9 and it wasn't a remake and it wasn't based off a book, play or even a toy. I'm not saying I think any of the aforementioned ideas sounds awful, but I'm just sick of Hollywood adapting everything under the sun. Then again, after I see The Road, I may change my mind. What do you think?
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Reader Feedback - 7 Comments »
1
One of the people behind "The Road" is Velma from Scooby Doo?
JINKIES!!!
Nick Gligor on Sep 7, 2009
2
I agree, I am sick of them remaking movies and adapting things. It' slike they got lazy. No one wants to alt least do something original.
It has gotten so bad, I have heard of them thinking of remaking my Fair Lady. Also foreign films that are barely 1 years old are being remade into English.
M on Sep 7, 2009
3
Good call #2…
Like I absolutely hate that they are remaking Let the Right One In already. It's just ridiculous.
Ethan Anderton on Sep 7, 2009
4
I agree. Although those projects sound very appealing and there are a ton of material that could use a modern touch or could use the scope of film from its original pages, I believe we need more original material; it's what made the movie industry so great.
I, for one, am an aspiring screenwriter and filmmaker making my way to California at the end of the month. I've a shitload of original ideas I'm working to get down on paper for studios, it just depends how long until I can get them sold and they can actually be produced. However, I've been wanting to get out there and show that original ideas still have a tremendous amount of potential.
And yes, District 9 was an AMAZING feature. Absolutely incredible, well defined, and original, but it isn't the film to bring back the power of original spec scripts because of the fact that it's box office performance is nothing compared to Transformers 2 or Star Trek or Spider-Man or The Dark Knight. That's what we need. We need original ideas that attract audiences on such a high level, they'll perform as great as these aforementioned films, not just critically, but in monetary numbers.
Hopefully, that'll be sometime soon. There are so many great ideas out there. They just need to be picked up, filmed, and then release.
Kenneth Van Castle on Sep 7, 2009
6
District 9 was based off of a short film 
I'm just saying!
Anyways… good to see Aussie's going far in Hollywood, Hillcoat is a big talent.
Ben on Sep 7, 2009
7
True #6, it was based off a short film…but it was a short film that was an original creation by Neil Blomkamp so I think it still counts.
But good observation nonetheless, sir!
Ethan Anderton on Sep 7, 2009