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Paul Thomas Anderson's 'The Master' is 'Delayed Indefinitely'

by Alex Billington
September 20, 2010
Source: The Playlist

Aw, now this sucks. I wasn't hoping we'd ever have to report news like this, but alas we have to. The Playlist is reporting, from a few quotes (including one of their own) that Paul Thomas Anderson's new project titled The Master, the religious drama set to star Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jeremy Renner, has been "delayed indefinitely." That quote came from Renner in the latest print issue of TotalFilm, where he added: "I was really bummed about that. It really kind of stalled because when we were rehearsing — Phil, Paul and myself — we kept coming up against a wall that we couldn't overcome. Or at least Paul couldn't overcome."

As a recap, The Master is a Scientology-inspired religious project that focuses on a charismatic intellectual who hatches a faith-based organization that begins to catch on in America in 1952. The film is mainly about the relationship between "The Master" (Hoffman) and his apprentice, Freddie (Renner), a "20-something drifter" who later finds himself questioning the belief system that he had embraced and his mentor. Though shooting was supposed to start this year and obviously rehearsals had started, Hoffman told Playlist recently that "I don't have any new information [The Master]. I really mean that, I'm not being obtuse. I don't quite know what that is at the moment, but hopefully I will and hopefully I'll be part of something soon." Me too.

This is really sad to hear, not only because it seemed like it was a great, original project with two fantastic actors in the lead, but because I know we're all anxiously awaiting Paul Thomas Anderson's next film after There Will Be Blood. Obviously this wasn't a project that was going to have a blockbuster-size audience -- Universal passed on the film in March -- but every cinephile knows PTAnderson and would be interested no matter what. Of course, things could change and production could suddenly continue before the year's out, but for now it sounds like this on is on hold. I wonder what that "wall" Anderson couldn't overcome was?

Filed under Movie News, Opinions, Rumors

From around the web:

http://www.cinexcellence.com Joseph

Bummer.
http://www.flicksandbits.com memz

arh man
GerggTown

lame! was looking forward to it
beavis

this sucks - i thought this would have been a GREAT movie.
reason

the wall was most likely scientologists telling PTA that they would actively f with his life if he pursued a movie anywhere near their belief structure. thats how they work.
Dan

Someone prob drank PTA's milkshake of inspiration. Poor guy
Bender

the worst part is we're gonna have to wait for next PTA movie even longer... feels like There Will Be Blood was AGES ago
http://www.bradbode.com Brad

The script has very little connection to Scientology. It's a brilliantly unusual script. One with A LOT of talking, which might be an issue if PT Anderson were not directing. Overall it's about a character (Renner) questioning his Master. Something of a coming of age story with a cult twist. I'd be disappointed not to see this film made, but why very few studios would want to green light it. If it wasn't PT Anderson it would never, ever get green lit.
DiR3cT

Tragic.
Nish

Just checking to see how far into prduction they were and now it looks all over,gutted
Maarten

Noooo : ( I love PTA and he should do this!
justin

the "wall" that he needed to "overcome" is called scientology. and if you think that scientologists would let a film by pt anderson come out that shows them in a bad light you are sorely mistaken. they control hollywood and have enough money to make you and your children disappear off the face of the earth forever. no questions asked.