Alex Proyas to Direct Paradise Lost

[Paradox1]

I don't like the idea of this ,Paradise lost shouldn't be made into a movie. Some things just don't translate as well from one medium to the next. Then the description of it seems like a far departure from the book. From what I remember Paradise Lost begins with Lucifer being banished from heaven. The other thing about Paradise Lost is Lucifer is a anti-hero. From the description its similarities with Paradise Lost is in name alone.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I don't like the idea of this ,Paradise lost shouldn't be made into a movie. Some things just don't translate as well from one medium to the next. Then the description of it seems like a far departure from the book. From what I remember Paradise Lost begins with Lucifer being banished from heaven. The other thing about Paradise Lost is Lucifer is a anti-hero. From the description its similarities with Paradise Lost is in name alone.

Not even that much, it begins with them already being banished for an undetermined amount of time in the lake of fire.

 

[Project862006]

Bradley Cooper in talks for 'Paradise Lost

After helping launch "The Hangover" franchise, Legendary Pictures wants back in business with Bradley Cooper, who is in early talks to play Lucifer in an adaptation of John Milton's epic 17th-century poem "Paradise Lost." An official offer has yet to be made, but Cooper is eager to take the part and negotiations are expected to begin shortly, sources tell Variety. Reps for Legendary declined to comment.

Alex Proyas' adaptation of "Paradise Lost," long in the works at Legendary, tells the story of the epic war in heaven between archangels Michael and Lucifer, including the latter's role in Adam and Eve's fall from grace. Pic will be crafted as an action vehicle that will include aerial warfare, possibly shot in 3D.
Legendary's Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni are producing with Vincent Newman ("We're the Millers"), who has been developing the project for years at his Vincent Newman Entertainment banner.

Stuart Hazeldine developed the primary draft of the screenplay that was originally written by Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi. Lawrence Kasdan provided a polish as well as Ryan Condal, who delivered the most recent draft.
The film is expected fall under Legendary's co-production and co-financing agreement with Warner Bros., which will likely distribute the film worldwide.
Cooper recently capitalized on the box office success of Relativity Media's "Limitless" by entering negotiations to star in the studio's reboot of "The Crow." Coincidentally, Proyas directed the original 1994 cult classic.

Cooper next stars in "The Hangover Part II," which WB opens on May 26. Thesp is also attached topline the indie drama "The Words."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118036404

 

[kvz5]

Bradley Cooper in talks for 'Paradise Lost


http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118036404

Interesting. He could be good.

 

[Sentinel X]

This sounds like a TERRIBLE idea. Paradise Lost is best left as an epic poem rather than turning it into a bastardized big screen adaptation.

 

[Asgard]

Ok, I havent read the poem so excuse the ignorance, but does the poem show Lucifer in a more ambiguous light, instead of a creature of pure evil?

 

[Paradox1]

Yes it does Lucifer is this anti-hero, charismatic leader of a failed rebellion.

 

[Figs]

This sounds like a TERRIBLE idea. Paradise Lost is best left as an epic poem rather than turning it into a bastardized big screen adaptation.

I agree that it should be left as the epic poem, but seeing the angels at war might be pretty damn cool. Not to mention I'm a fairly big of fan of Proyas.

 

[dude stannis]

Between The Crow reboot and this, it seems Bradley Cooper wants to do a gothic tragedy. Good choice if it pans out.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Ok, I havent read the poem so excuse the ignorance, but does the poem show Lucifer in a more ambiguous light, instead of a creature of pure evil?

Yes it does Lucifer is this anti-hero, charismatic leader of a failed rebellion.

Heh, in actuality, it kind of doesn't. That's the perception that's kind of shifted by the way people started interpenetrating the poem later, especially the Romantic writers like Blake and Shelley, but in the poem itself it's pretty obvious that Satan is the villain of the story. And, really, when you think about a lot of the stuff he says in relation to fighting God, he's kind of dumb, too.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I tend to love Proyas' movies, and Cooper is always entertaining to watch, since Wedding Crashers anyway when I hated him, I have liked him in everything else.

 

[Sentinel X]

I agree that it should be left as the epic poem, but seeing the angels at war might be pretty damn cool. Not to mention I'm a fairly big of fan of Proyas.

That is true...the visuals for this movie can be potentially mind-blowing but that is exactly why they're making this film. The visuals. However, amazing visuals won't make a great film and I'm questioning how they are going to handle the dialogue in this film...not that there is much in the poem anyway.

Heh, in actuality, it kind of doesn't. That's the perception that's kind of shifted by the way people started interpenetrating the poem later, especially the Romantic writers like Blake and Shelley, but in the poem itself it's pretty obvious that Satan is the villain of the story. And, really, when you think about a lot of the stuff he says in relation to fighting God, he's kind of dumb, too.

I'm going to have to disagree. I felt that the poem definitely made Satan a sympathetic anti-hero. He is trying to save and free the other fallen angels who all pretty much depend on him. Is he evil? yes...but he has a clear motif. He wants complete freedom and thus rebels against God. He isn't just pure evil for the sake of it (like he is portrayed in the Bible).

 

[The Morningstar]

As a big fan of Mike Carey's Lucifer series (as you can see by my avatar) this sounds pretty awesome.

And no this Lucifer isn't pure evil. He's certainly not a good guy... but he's not really a bad guy either. His fight is the fight of free will and fighting against pre-determined destiny. But he doesn't care who he hurts along the way.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I'm going to have to disagree. I felt that the poem definitely made Satan a sympathetic anti-hero. He is trying to save and free the other fallen angels who all pretty much depend on him. Is he evil? yes...but he has a clear motif. He wants complete freedom and thus rebels against God. He isn't just pure evil for the sake of it (like he is portrayed in the Bible).

When you say it like that, and that is how it's basically been viewed in a Post-Romantics society, yes, but in the context of the poem, it seems pretty inescapable (at least to me) that all his musings about freedom is really just about the fact he wanted what he knew he could never had (equality with God) and is now just bitter and anger that he lost and wants to ruin God's other creation (humans). And the way freedom is painted in the poem, he has complete freedom and, like all the archangels, knew that he did. It's obviously a paradox, probably the most infamous literary paradox ever, but strictly in the context of the poem, that's how Milton presents it. The sympathetic aspects of the character are the ones that Milton almost certainly saw as ones that we should avoid and have distaste for, but the poem has basically been rebuilt by later poets who saw the character totally different.

 

[Alientraveller]

That's what Milton wants you to think at the beginning. Then he exposes Lucifer for the right old bastard he is for upsetting Adam and Eve's life and forcing the Son to sacrifice himself. It's what TV Tropes calls misaimed fandom.

By the way, Satan's not evil for the sake of it in the Bible. It's clear from other middle eastern sources (namely the Qur'an) that the role of ha Satan ('the adversary' in semitic languages) is simply the angel that produces evil thoughts to tempt mankind, thereby proving whether they're worthy or not. It seemed obvious enough to medieval scholars to conflate the role of Satan with Lucifer, the fallen angel responsible for evil in the first place, thereby explaining why evil is still around and emphasising God's faith in mankind.

Anyway, Bradley Cooper as Lucifer. Hurm.

 

[:eek:]

"Paradise Lost" Set To Shoot In Sydney


By Garth Franklin Wednesday July 20th 2011 03:07PM
It's now a lock that Alex Proyas’ take on John Milton’s classic 17th century poem "Paradise Lost" for Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures will be shot at Sydney’s Fox Studios says The Hollywood Reporter.
Bradley Cooper is confirmed in the role of Lucifer in the Warner Bros. Pictures production which will deal with the epic war in heaven between the archangels.
The project will involve 20 weeks of pre-production, eight weeks of principal photography and motion capture, and 72 weeks of post-production and visual effects work. Around $93 million U.S. dollars in production expenditure will be brought to the state of New South Wales along with 1,300 jobs.
The deal will also see Digital Domain, the California-based digital effects house, setup a base in Sydney that will continue beyond the film's production.

 

[matrix_ghost]

"Paradise Lost" Set To Shoot In Sydney


By Garth Franklin Wednesday July 20th 2011 03:07PM
It's now a lock that Alex Proyas’ take on John Milton’s classic 17th century poem "Paradise Lost" for Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures will be shot at Sydney’s Fox Studios says The Hollywood Reporter.
Bradley Cooper is confirmed in the role of Lucifer in the Warner Bros. Pictures production which will deal with the epic war in heaven between the archangels.
The project will involve 20 weeks of pre-production, eight weeks of principal photography and motion capture, and 72 weeks of post-production and visual effects work. Around $93 million U.S. dollars in production expenditure will be brought to the state of New South Wales along with 1,300 jobs.
The deal will also see Digital Domain, the California-based digital effects house, setup a base in Sydney that will continue beyond the film's production.

72 weeks of post production.
Nice.

 

[Figs]

Sounds good. I'm a big fan of Proyas...and yes, I liked Knowing. I'm a sucker for movies involving the possibility of Aliens involved in our past or creation.

 

[redhawk23]

"Paradise Lost" Set To Shoot In Sydney


By Garth Franklin Wednesday July 20th 2011 03:07PM
It's now a lock that Alex Proyas’ take on John Milton’s classic 17th century poem "Paradise Lost" for Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures will be shot at Sydney’s Fox Studios says The Hollywood Reporter.
Bradley Cooper is confirmed in the role of Lucifer in the Warner Bros. Pictures production which will deal with the epic war in heaven between the archangels.
The project will involve 20 weeks of pre-production, eight weeks of principal photography and motion capture, and 72 weeks of post-production and visual effects work. Around $93 million U.S. dollars in production expenditure will be brought to the state of New South Wales along with 1,300 jobs.
The deal will also see Digital Domain, the California-based digital effects house, setup a base in Sydney that will continue beyond the film's production.

Digital Domain does some nice work.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Looking forward to this, 72 weeks of post means there must be a **** load of effects.

 

[Assassin32]

Badass.

 

[Vapor]

Not read Paradise Lost, although I am aware of it, so I don't know how well it would translate to film but as a film, it does sound like a cool premise. Always interested in heaven vs. hell type things. It sounds like it is right up Proyas' street as well and Cooper was great in Limitless.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Well, the story isn't really a heaven vs hell thing in actuality. That part of the story happened well before this story begins and is only really referenced in retrospect.

 

[green]

http://www.legendary.com/blog/first-look-lucifer-paradise-lost/?page=1

Makes me wonder just how much motion capture this going to be.

 

[Sawyer]

Creepy.