Wally Pfister to direct film for Alcon/WB

[mclay18]

I wouldn't put it past Pfister to be the DP on his own movie. Let's see... DPs who like shooting anamorphic 35mm:

- Mitchell Amundson
- Amir Mokri
- Ben Seresin
- Dan Mindel
- Janusz Kaminski
- Dean Cundey
- Larry Fong
- John Toll
- Seamus McGarvey (stranger things have happened)
- Don Burgess
- Dante Spinotti

Pfister has quite a few great DPs to choose from. I don't think he'll limit himself to DPs who shoot exclusively on 35mm...

[kvz5]

Lee Smith is on board as the editor:

http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2012/1...lks-about.html

Regarding future projects for himself and Christopher Nolan, the two-time Academy Award nominee reveals that he is teaming with another veteran Nolan collaborator. “I’m going to do a film for Wally Pfister [The Prestige]. I figured after sitting together in a trailer watching dailies on five films and going through the whole process with Wally, we deserve each other. With Chris’ blessing we’re off to do this film [Transcendence] and he is having a break. But when Chris says he is having a break that just means he is formulating something more complicated than we could ever think.”

[Rocketman]

Originally Posted by kvz5

Regarding future projects for himself and Christopher Nolan, the two-time Academy Award nominee reveals that he is teaming with another veteran Nolan collaborator. “I’m going to do a film for Wally Pfister [The Prestige]. I figured after sitting together in a trailer watching dailies on five films and going through the whole process with Wally, we deserve each other. With Chris’ blessing we’re off to do this film [Transcendence] and he is having a break. But when Chris says he is having a break that just means he is formulating something more complicated than we could ever think.”

This is what I like to see.

[Octoberist]

'Transcendence' Revealed: Johnny Depp to Play Supercomputer (Exclusive)
http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column...68286?page=0,0

Johnny Depp plays a scientist whose brain is uploaded into a supercomputer in the highly-anticipated movie, “Transcendence,” whose plot details have previously been shrouded in secrecy, the movie's producer told TheWrap exclusively.

“Transcendence” is being made by the team behind the time-bending thriller “Inception,” Christopher Nolan, who is executive producing, and Wally Pfister, Nolan’s Oscar-winning cinematographer who will direct this as his first feature. The story is by Jack Paglen.

According to a recent script summary obtained by TheWrap, the plot involves a scientist whose brain gets uploaded into a supercomputer with the aim of creating the world’s first machine that can think for itself.

The film's producer Andrew Kosove confirmed the central plot detail in an interview with TheWrap on Tuesday. “It is true Johnny Depp’s brain is uploaded into a computer,“ he said.

Kosove also confirmed that the themes of singularity, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence are at the heart of the closely-held script.

A spokesman for Alcon, which is producing the film, cautioned that any script summary might be outdated and is subject to future revisions.

Both Warner Bros., which is distributing the film domestically, and Lionsgate, which is distributing the film internationally, referred questions to Alcon. A spokesman for Warners Bros. declined to comment on what he called "speculation."

The summary obtained by TheWrap has many details about the futuristic story. In it, three scientists -- Max and the husband and wife team, Will and Evelyn -- have been developing a programming code for the world’s first fully self-aware computer.

Depp will play one of the lead scientists, Will. The other two roles have not yet been cast.

However, a swirl of potential cast names have been circulating around the project. Kosove told TheWrap that Ewan McGregor had passed on an early draft, and that Tom Hardy -- a friend of Pfister's -- was not available due to scheduling. He said that despite published reports, Noomi Rapace is not in the running for a role, and that Kate Winslet is not available.

According to the summary, a group of anti-technology terrorists assassinate Will, Evelyn uploads his brain into a prototype supercomputer. Although she at first finds the experiment seems to have gone wrong, before too long Evelyn finds Will responding in computer form.

She goes on to connect Will to the Internet so he can help make further scientific breakthroughs. Will asks Evelyn to connect a microphone and a camera up to the computer so he can see and speak to her as well.

Will creates a backup of himself to every computer in the world, and furthers his work through accessing online indexes. (Kosove told TheWrap this plot point is no longer in the script.) When the anti-technology organization finds out, they try to steal the supercomputer and destroy it, but Will no longer needs the computer to survive.

Kosove is producing the film with Broderick Johnson, Kate Cohen, Annie Marter, Marisa Polvino and David Valdes, with Nolan and Emma Thomas executive producing. The production is by Alcon Entertainment and Straight Up Films.

[Symbiotic]

That sounds incredibly badass.

[kvz5]

http://www.deadline.com/2012/12/tran...-rebecca-hall/

‘Transcendence’ Female Lead Down To Rooney Mara, Emily Blunt, Rebecca Hall

EXCLUSIVE: I’ve learned that the lead actress to star opposite Johnny Depp in Oscar-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister’s first directing effort Transcendence will be decided on Friday. Emily Blunt’s dates for All You Need Is Kill are still being worked out and that may affect her availability versus Rooney Mara and Rebecca Hall. Filming on the Alcon Entertainment production starts on March 4th. The screenplay is written by newcomer Jack Paglen and was developed by Annie Marter and Straight Up Films. Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas are executive producing for their longtime collaborator Pfister. Depp will play a scientist whose brain is uploaded into a supercomputer after his death by another scientist Evelyn.

[DarkSovereignty]

that sounds...kind of silly, I don't know, and I'm not even trying to hate on Pfister, I'm sure the movie will look fantastic. As for how he handles narrative elements like story and character, we'll have to see, but come on... brain transplant? really? I mean, that works if you're going sort of a pulpy, quasi-tongue in cheek route like face/off or robocop/robocop 2, but if Pfister's anything like Nolan this movie will take itself as serious as a heart attack.

[redhawk23]

Have we really reached the point where being sincere about a premise is a bad thing?

[Solidus]

Sounds amazing. And quite relevant. There is a lot of research and talk about putting the human mind in a machine. What's his face thinks it will be by 2050 ( I can't remember that guys name but he's written tons of books on the subject).

I'm getting more excited about this as time goes on.

[redhawk23]

^ I do believe you're thinking of Ray Kurzweil.

[Solidus]

Yes! That's him lol.

[terry78]

This sounds trippy as ****, very 80's. I want to see Mara play off Depp.

[RKO]

Rooney Mara please.

[Hunter Rider]

Sounds interesting.

[dark_b]

my biggest fear is that right now he has no idea how to make a movie but to copy Nolan. i hope it will not look and feel like a Nolan movie. talking about teh script,editing,acting,score.....

[kvz5]

Part of the 2012 Black List:

http://www.deadline.com/2012/12/blac...-2012-winners/

TRANSCENDENCE
Jack Paglen

An epic love story set in a time where a dying scientist is able to upload his consciousness into the internet and, facing its global implications, must fight against the forces who are actively working against the existence of a singularity.

Agency: ICM
Agent: Harley Copen
Financier: Warner Brothers
Production: Alcon Entertainment, Syncopy Films, Straight Up Films, Annie Marter

[bapi]

I read the script (5/1/12 draft) and it's not good at all, to be honest. Some minor spoilers:

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

First half is good and reminds me some 90s thrillers but the second one is completely different and it's like something from Terminator Salvation with stupid eco-friendly ending.

[kvz5]

Personally, I thought the script had potential. 'Max' is a badass.

I think Wally made some changes though so who knows how it is now...

[Hunter Rider]

Originally Posted by kvz5

Personally, I thought the script had potential. 'Max' is a badass.

I think Wally made some changes though so who knows how it is now...

I didn't know Pfister wrote, so is it an action thriller? because from what I read it sounded more like a weird, trippy kind of film than a mainstream movie.

[kvz5]

Originally Posted by Hunter Rider

I didn't know Pfister wrote, so is it an action thriller? because from what I read it sounded more like a weird, trippy kind of film than a mainstream movie.

The original draft is not written by Wally but the trades mentioned changes to the script so I'm assuming that it's Wally who made the revisions since they didn't mention another writer.

Nah... It's very mainstream. More of a sci fi thriller. It's like 2001 A Space Odyssey meets Terminator.

[dude love]

Originally Posted by Solidus

Sounds amazing. And quite relevant. There is a lot of research and talk about putting the human mind in a machine. What's his face thinks it will be by 2050 ( I can't remember that guys name but he's written tons of books on the subject).

Holy crud, that's a poopstorm waiting to happen.

[bapi]

Yeah, it's very mainstream. I'd describe it as Terminator Salvationin in some Kevin Costner post-apocalyptic **** style directed by Jonathan Mostow.

I know Pfister made some changes (it's set in LA now) but nothing big. Really needs some good actors now. I think JGL would be perfect as Max, the lead.

[RKO]

JGL + Rooney sounds too good.

[bapi]

Originally Posted by RKO

JGL + Rooney sounds too good.

She's too young to play Evelyn. If it's between her, Blunt and Hall... Probably the last one is the best choice.

[JokerLedger]

reminds me of Duncan Jones' Source Code