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Alfonso Cuaron Might Direct The Tourist with Johnny Depp!

by Alex Billington
November 4, 2009

Johnny Depp / Anthony Zimmer / Alfonso Cuaron

Just switch out a few key players, and it becomes an entirely different film. We've been reporting on The Tourist, the Hollywood remake of the 2005 French spy thriller Anthony Zimmer, for more than a year now. Originally Charlize Theron and Tom Cruise were attached to star, but both eventually dropped out. As of a few weeks ago, Angelina Jolie was attached to star along with Sam Worthington. However, there's been yet another change, as THR is reporting that Worthington is now off the project, being replaced by Johnny Depp. But best of all, they're saying Alfonso Cuaron (of Y Tu Mamá También) may end up directing.

In October, we reported that Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who directed the Oscar winning film The Lives of Others, was being courted by Spyglass Entertainment to direct The Tourist. Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood claims that the producers found him "difficult and demanding" and took him off the project. Now they're going after Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron, who hasn't directed anything since Children of Men in 2006. If he does indeed end up getting the job, that would be quite amazing, as I love Cuaron and have been waiting to see what his big follow-up to Children of Men would be. If this is it, then hell yes!

It sounds just perfect: The Tourist directed by Alfonso Cuaron starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. Please make it happen, Spyglass! Cuaron is "in early talks" and Depp is "in negotiations", so it could all fall through, which may happen knowing this project. No one knows if this is actually close to happening or still a long ways out, but I'm sure we'll hear the moment it gets locked. Either the story in the original is just that good or screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie has turned it into something amazing, because if Cruise, Jolie, Worthington, Theron, and now Depp, have all been interested in The Tourist, that must mean great things.

Filed under Casting, Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Spider

I think it's awesome that Alfonso Cuaron will possibly direct! This project will surely kick ass now!!
vermontfudge

What do you mean seeing Depp everywhere? It was a year and a half between Sweeney Todd and Public Enemies and except for 5 minutes in Terry Gilliam's movie, he won't have another movie out till next March and he's just part of a big cast in that (Alice in Wonderland) News stories just drop his name a lot.
CL

LOVE Alfonso Cuaron. he's gotta make more movies. Children of Men was amazing and lets not forget he did the best Harry Potter film. and i disagree with #1. it would be nice to see Depp in some more kind of action-y/thriller and less his wacky tim burton shticks. that's the Depp i see too much of and i'm sick of. the tourist must have some kind of bad ass script to get so much hype.
Anonymous

Johnny Depp + Angelina Jolie in a film together would be WONDERFUL!! I hope he officially signs on.
Alex

Yeah, this project must be so great, that everyone keeps dropping out of it!!!! My guess is, they like the original French one (which was solid, but nothing special) and are having a hard time adapting an American version that works for everyone.
SuicidalOptimist

Nothing against Johnny Depp; I like him a lot, but he needs to take a fucking break! Seeing him everywhere kinda waters down the experience. >.<
ebbie

Agreed #6. There must be something wrong with the script if everyone keeps dropping out.
http://www.awardsdaily.com/ Ryan Adams

Anthony Zimmer, the French thriller on which The Tourist is based, relies on a couple of very simple and tidy twists at the end to make it work. Since this movie is widely available, it could prove impossible to keep the nature of those twists a secret. They can be revealed in a half dozen words. So in order to maintain the surprise factor of the twist revelation, they will need (a) total secrecy requiring cooperation of the citizens of France, or (b) a new set of twists to layer on top of the original ones already known some of us. if anybody can handle a Möbius plot twist, it's Christopher McQuarrie. So I don't think there are script issues. I would guess Tom Cruise dropped out because changing the gender of the main character might be an integral part of the new set of twists. Also, he's wrong for the role. He's too wired and self-aware. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck didn't drop out. He was dismissed. Creative differences or personality clash or whatever. If the old talent is being replaced by new talent of the caliber of Depp and Cuarón, then that doesn't indicate a script problem to me. It seems to be proof that script is so good it deserves a casting upgrade. All this is a roundabout way of saying: If these new elements stick, then this movie is going to rock.
http://daveguzman.blogspot.com David

As much as I'd like to see Jonny Depp pair up with Angelina Jolie there's no way this casting is going to work! Part of the script is that Depp's character is this plain, average maths teacher who is stunned when a beautiful woman (Jolie) sits next to him on a train and starts chatting him up. At least according to the original Julian Fellows adaptation. The script was well written, a cool homage to North By Northwest, but really needed to be fleshed out a lot more. There were so many other cool possibilties to it. Hopefully McQuarrie gave it some NBN banter and a little more mystery.
vic

A remake is only appropriate if it can add something to the original, not if they are just switching actors, sorry but not interested in this at all. It's kind of the same with Quarantine, I don't care if it's good, it's just a copy of [rec] in english.
Cody

Children of men was fucking phenomenal....Dont care about details just want a trailer.
http://www.firstshowing.net me

I agree with you 100%, Alex. Alfonso Cuaron is great and this cast... well... perfect! Hope it comes true.
SlashBeast

Alfonso Cuaron suck big time. This is going to be a piece of shit.
Erica

I think Depp and Jolie are very evenly matched and while I love the original 'Anthony Zimmer' Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie are much stronger on screen than both Sophie Marceau amd Yvan Attal. Also Let's remeber that 'The Tourist' is "LOOSELY" based on 'Anthony Z' not a remake.