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Wachowskis Are Developing a 'Hard-R' Gay Iraq War Movie?!

by Alex Billington
May 15, 2010
Source: Deadline

Yep, you read that crazy headline right. You may have heard of this already, but if not, here are the latest details. Deadline is reporting from Cannes that the Wachowskis (Matrix, Speed Racer) are circulating a new script that is a "drama that focuses on a 'hard R' homosexual relationship between a U.S. soldier and an Iraqi." It's set somewhat in the future and the script is apparently cinema verite-style that "spans back over years that include the current war in Iraq." Apparently they want to direct this next and are currently looking for financiers, but that's apparently all we know about this. I honestly don't know how to respond.

We've actually heard about this before, because back in December some news leaked that the Wachowskis were shooting interview sequences for this mysterious futuristic Iraq war movie (which is where that photo of Arianna Huffington comes from). I'm really not sure what to think about this. I love, or maybe I should say, loved the Wachowskis, but this couldn't be farther from anything I wanted to ever see them make. This isn't even commercially sell-able, even though it is the Wachowskis, I can't think of anyone who wants to see this (do you?). I hope they pick something else, but I have no clue what'll happen. We'll keep you updated.

Filed under Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Joseph

Do I want to see this? Hell, yeah!!! Hot American G.I. getting it on with Hot Iraqi set against the backdrop of DADT and a controversial war? How could anybody NOT want to see that? It could be the gay English Patient or Doctor Zhivago!
http://miketastic205.blogspot.com/ M(ike)tastic

Obviously there needs to be much information about this before I can totally say that this would be a good movie. But, it's somewhat exciting to see big names trying to tackle such a controversial topic in mainstream movies. Ever since "Brokeback Mountain" I've been waiting for a gey-themed movie that was done realistically and that would break through the stereotypes that most people wouldn't accept seeing gay love on screen, or that movies of a gay nature won't garner any serious media attention or make money, or appeal to general audiences. This movie could end up being the biggest piece of crap in movie history (I honestly doubt that with the Wachowski's in the mix) but I feel like the more big names who push to create movies like this, the less likely people will be to shun them just because of the genre or theme.
DaftPUNKFAN

im curious of how this will turn out
http://www.filmmisery.com Alex C.

I think this is a brilliant idea for a film and that the Wachowski's may put a different spin on it than anything we've seen before. I'd like to hear more about this project. Are you discounting the film because it's a drama or because it is gay-themed?
hamish

sounds good, won't get finance though, america don't like em gays n' movies much...
Wylles

Too Bizarre.
Tom Dearsley

Bullet time homo-eroticism.
Proudfoot

Wow... what a horrible idea. The Wachowskis are done if the best they can come up with is this controversial gimmick garbage.
Jenn

I disapprove if it's a gimmick, but if they've got a unique story to tell them I'm all for it. Echoing #4's question: What bothers you so much about this, Alex?
Orcasisla

Genuinely fresh and exciting storytellers going off the reservation to make a completely and totally innovative, unique bit of cinematic narrative, and you're not sure you're interested? Dude, you're so gay.
Al

Looking back on the Wachowskis career they made one good movie. This definitely won't change anything.
weecho

no, alex isn't gay. this whole idea is gay. Ha! see what i did right thar?
k-yle

hey guys shit stop bagging on the Wachowskis, maybe if this is something beyond what they originally do hell it may be a great film even if it has gays so what, damn i mean matrix was fantastic speed racer was great they like to experiment what they can do lol i'm excited to see this if they do it for sure
noelnerd

I agree with #4 and #9. I know I sure would love to see this and I hope the Wachowskis don't pick anything else. Why do you feel otherwise? I hope not because it's a gay-themed movie.
Chris H.

#9 I agree with your first comment. If it's a gimmick where they try to force a gay story into a very masculine backdrop like a warzone then it's a bad idea. People will flock to it though, simply because it's a homosexual story done by mainstream moviemakers. Unless it's a genuine story I won't waste my money or time on it, and others shouldn't either. The subject deserves a well done theatrical piece, not tacked-on gimmicky attempts to be taboo.
Matt

Hmm, am I detecting some homophobia in your article? Don't worry about it - I'm pretty sure watching a film with gay characters in it won't actually make you gay. But maybe to be safe you should just skip this one.
John

ignorant and stupid.. i cant believe they are gonna make this.. what a waste of time and money..
DoomCanoe

The Wachowskis are some of the best film makers to ever live... i don't care what any of you say there directing is spot on and there story telling is utterly brilliant. I'm not sure about the idea but that's because of how you defined it. So ill just wait for more news and a trailer to give me the real feel for this flick. Yet! i am excited that they are going to do another movie regardless
Cracky

This is gonna be one combo of a movie. And it'll be the first of the long line of these Iraq war movies that will actually show a bit of originality. I sat through Brokeback (which was great), I can sit through this.
Baron the Curse

Why is everyone surprise? It was only a matter of time before they tackled gay anime (yaoi). But maybe it will be yuri (girl on girl), lets hope guys.
Dave Lister, J.M.C.

Will it be as gay or gayer than The Matrix sequels?
Greg

This sounds interesting on so many levels. I loved the Matrix Trilogy, Bound, and V For Vendetta (Wachowski produced/written). At the very least, this will be incredibly thought provoking. Alex you start off by saying "Yep, you read that crazy headline right." Okay, what does that mean? I didn't see anything crazy in the headline. #15 What does this mean? "If it's a gimmick where they try to force a gay story into a very masculine backdrop like a warzone then it's a bad idea." Alright, so we're back to THE BIGGEST stereotype that gay men are not masculine. Nothing could be further from the truth, as most gay people you meet don't fit the cartoon stereotypes pumped into your brain everyday through the media. Therefore, you don't know they're gay and have no idea what the *real* face of gay is. Or more to the point....that there is no face. Degrees of masculinity/femininity and sexuality are not mutually exclusive. Mega hyper masculine men can be gay. I know many. BTW, I realize that you probably weren't intentionally trying to perpetuate a stereotype, but I have to point out that that statement was wrong on so many levels, and an indirect insult to the many gay/bi people fighting overseas right now.
Quanah

I have no issue with a film about a homosexual relationship, but this is borderline at best. It feels too much like there's an attempt to make a statement here. I just can't quite put my finger on what that statement would be.
shadow

I hope they get to make it, I think they need to work on their drama and character interaction more anyway, they have action down pat.
Quanah

#22 Yeah, that is true. Then again: There's a lot of movies out there that don't take any risks. This one is definitely taking a big one. Why not? Go for it!
The movie man

Hot Iraqi BUTT SECKS! Call this one Hot Oil Mountian!
Al

20 - haha Anyway, I hate all the people who think it homophobic to not like this idea. It just seems gimmicky. thats all.
Cody w

Yeah agreed #25, Im not a homophobe, not that it would matter if I was cause being homophobic has nothing to do with not liking gays (A phobia is being afraid of something). This is a gimmick to get people into the theater cause they want to see see how it would turn out....not to mention....I smell some controversy over this one.
Proudfoot

A "Hard-R" film about dudes banging each other? PASS I'm pretty sure there's already gay porn if you're into that kind of thing. What does the war have to do with this?
DiR3cT

The hell?!?!?!?! Since its The Wachowski's I am interested to see how they can pull this off. Although they will get thousands of death threats from soldiers and former soldiers alone if they get anywhere with this project.
JimD

This is simply a gimmicky bizarre "lets grab some attention" movie so they can some how redeem their credibility as good film makers. They had one high point with the first Matrix movie and its been all downhill since then. There are great director's who consistently put out good movies. Then you have one hit wonders like The Wachowski Brother's.
Epleterte

what Orcasisla said! How the hell isn't this awesome news?? NEW shit happening in movieland? count me in! I mean, it's so far out there from rebooting, remaking, re-imagining, prequiling and sequiling every movie ever made, that if this actually gets made, my faith in cinema and mankind is restored.
Orcasisla

Thank you, Epleterte--spot-on! All anyone ever says is, "No more cookie-cutter reboots/-makes/-imaginings," but the minute an original idea rears its head, it's all wrinkled noses and quakin'-&-shakin'. Come on, fellow geeks, see this for what it is: a gift.
Cream of Sumyunguy

A gay US soldier and an Iraqi set in the future? That's been done so many times. C'mon do something original already.
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2408/blackbabyjesus.gif Crapola

Tom Dearsley said it best, imagine some mad steady pounding musclebound bears getting down to some hard techno in the middle of explosions in bullet time and now in new 3d? Who wouldn't want to see that? The cumshots would be amazing.
Wylles

Yep, im pretty much agreeing with what #29 said, I am SURE there is a gay porn movie with the same subject...
fuckthem

Ok fuck them and fuck you if you want to see this movie. I don't give a shit about gay anything i have gay friends. but fuck this kind of shit. what is the point? is the point to put America down somehow? is it to titillate? the only people they're putting down is themselves in front of the whole muslim world most of the world does not want to see this kind of crap.
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2408/blackbabyjesus.gif Crapola

Hey fuckthem, what do the Muslims have to do with this? I bet they'd love to see full on 3d bumfun too. Maybe they could do a really trippy scene with Allah gnoshing of Jesus in a cumming together of beardyness, that would be aaaawwwwwwwesome.
Zantorian

#36 BOOOOO! First, the old "I don't give a shit about X and I have X friends." OK, that's a cop out. If you're going to fucking say "I don't give a hit about X." Just say it...I have more respect for peeps that don't add on the "and I got X friends". Second, What's the point? The point of all this is The Wachowski's want to make a movie, that's the point. Third, I don't give a shit about 'putting America down' and I'm an American, hahahaha. Who gives a shit if anyone, anywhere puts America down? America can handle a few insults tossed its way. But as an American, I'd sure as hell rather America get insulted by bitches than support torture. FUCK THAT! And fuck anyone that ever tried to defend torture as "intelligence gathering". No, FUCK YOU! You ain't going to 1984-speak to me and tell me red is blue and up is down: FUCK YOU! Fourth, who said Muslims will even watch this movie? Same thing about the mohammed south park. So what is this "hard R" crap? I suppose this means, yes gracie, this movie is going to have ding dongs hanging around in it. And them ding dongs are gonna be homoerotic about their ding dongs, this ain't gonna be no Bad Lieutenant, hahaha. But come on...watching "hard R" movies, without a good plot are rate. Most suck. I hope they break ground with this movie. As far as this project 'insulting muslims' everywhere. I'm sorry, but as a human being, I don't want to ever personally insult a muslim anywhere. But at the same time, if a muslim knows a person doesn't want to insult them, if a movie comes out that insults them, I say thee oh religious brother..."Please do what I do...when you think the movie sucks...don't buy the fucking ticket you fucking stupid fuck" Hahaha, just kidding about the fucks and stuff...just responding via #36. I went to the theater one day to see that movie Nightfall. We noticed a sign posted by the theater management that said, "We do not recommend this movie for Adults or Children" regarding the movie. What did I do? We bought the tickets. I learned my lesson. What is the lesson? If the theater showing the movie tells you the movie sucks and do buy a ticket...listen to them, the movie does suck. Will this movie suck? Who knows? Will muslims think this movie sucks? Well...if muslims ONLY want a movie that is Allah, Mohammad, and some song and dance...then yeah muslims prolly won't like this movie. But that's OK. I don't expect muslims to watch a movie they don't want to see any more than I'd expect them to eat a BLT.
Jerk

They could have made a movie about a romance between a soldier and Iraqi. They could have made a movie about a gay romance between soldiers. But they combined the two great ideas. Can you say "Brokeback Iraq"? The feel-good comedy of the century.
tazz

dont understand some of you guys if it was two women i bet you guys would be so happy. i'm not gay but i dont have a issue with this its just a movie thats all. if some of you are so much against this idea that hated some movies with gay subtext. @#4 i so agree with u if its not a gimmick this movie could work. p.s. Kirk Lazarus says it best "everyones gay once in a while its Hollywood" LMAO
Lop

Good to see some originality, despite the naysayers who would rather stick to war movies with a big, strong man and his quest to stop the big and obviously evil organization and the female lead who helps him that cannot be anymore of an obviious and cliched love interest that is totally irrelevant to the plot. (Unless you consider the cliched make out scene that is only slightly tmore believable than porn to be relevant to anything other than making the protagonist as heterosexual as possible.) None of you have seen the film and there are very few details out other than it's in Iraq and there are gays. You'll live and the film industry isn't going to crash and burn because a movie has a soldier that isn't some hetero ex-wrestler chasing after the evil Russian mafia for kidnapping his wife, or a gay man that isn't some limp wristed sissy added to the script to make terrible cliched jokes about homosexuals.
Rod Tidwell

I like the Wachowski's but... no homo
jomba joose

Definately "bullet time" I DONT want to see......... But hey, I'm sure it'll find an audience. Broke back did, and it gave us the Joker and The Fresh Prince of Persia. (Who knows??)
DoomCanoe

#39 shhh.... the grown ups are talking
pj

hey #15 why would think those masculine warriors in the war zone are not be gay how can you tell? right u cant