Lauren Shuler-Donner Speaks

[narrows101]

http://www.dailynews.com/celebrities/ci_4177414

Major renegotiations possible stumbling block for new 'X-Men'
By Marilyn Beck And Stacy Jenel Smith

The surprise clip at the end of this summer's "X-Men: The Last Stand," belied the film's title, leaving room for yet another stand of the mutant brigade. But when and which of the mutant posse will be back are the outstanding questions. Exec producer Lauren Shuler Donner reports that renegotiations will be in order for the fourth installment of the big-screen sagas.

"The newer cast members are signed, and the older cast members are not." Considering the older names involved -- Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Romijn, Famke Janssen and Anna Paquin -- that could run into a huge chunk of money.

All that's putting the cart before the wolverine, of course, since Hugh Jackman is set to reprise his role as the manicure-challenged mutant superhero in his own film. "Next, we're going to do 'Wolverine,' but not before the end of the year because he's in the Baz Luhrmann film," she says of the filmmaker's untitled Australian epic with Nicole Kidman. However, "We have the script and are working on it."

Shuler Donner reports, "We also have 'Young Magneto' in development." Also on her slate: "Next year, we're going to make 'The Secret Life of Bees,' and we have a movie that's the start of a new franchise at Universal called "Cirque du Freak." It's a series of 12 books originally from England. They're huge best sellers there, and they're going on our children's best sellers list here. We have a script by Brian Helgeland, who wrote 'Man on Fire' and 'L.A. Confidential,' and we're just meeting with directors now. We'll start filming that next summer."

 

[The Original Bamfer]

About X4... she means (most likely) the younger cast's contracts. This does not mean there will be a X4, certainly.

 

[Snikt]

I still don't think its going to happen. But if it does, I'm all for it, if, they continue to do these movies right.

 

[ntcrawler]

didn't say anything we didn't already know. People like vinnie Jones signed up with an option for 3 movies, whereas the older cast members did not. Still it's interesting she felt the need to mention all that, but if it's a prequel it would be sorta silly to bring the whole cost together with Wolverine and then come up with some way to make them all forget him. Unless the scenes are set up in such a way that the chars know about each other but never run into each other.

 

[Uncanny]

Lauren Shuler Donner said nothing about James Marsden at all. She and Fox must really hate James Marsden for doing Superman.

 

[Uncanny]

I don't think X4 will happen until a VERY LONG time if it ever happen at all.

 

[phoenix_force]

it'll probably be in 3 or 4 years i'd say 3 to be in sequence lol
2000 2003 2006 2009

 

[Downhere]

I'm thinking X4 will be the younger generation film that has been talked about. I doubt Fox will want to spend the money to get the older actor's back considering it will drive up costs.

 

[Retroman]

I've said this before if the X-cast is really so close as they say they are and they really enjoy making these movies as much as they say they do, then why not drop their asking price to make X4 possible?Its the only way this can work.

 

[TrailerCues]

I've said this before if the X-cast is really so close as they say they are and they really enjoy making these movies as much as they say they do, then why not drop their asking price to make X4 possible?Its the only way this can work.

How do we know they are being truthful when they say things like that ? They are actors after all they can act like in interviews they all love each other in a family type way & all that stuff but they dont actually have to mean it & things are obviously pointing to them not meaning it

 

[Downhere]

I've said this before if the X-cast is really so close as they say they are and they really enjoy making these movies as much as they say they do, then why not drop their asking price to make X4 possible?Its the only way this can work.

If they do that, then they will want a percentage of the profits and that won't work either. Unfortunately, everything is very much about money. So no matter what, if they ask for a lower upfront asking price they will want some of the profits and while the X-Men franchise is a successful one it doesn't bring in as much as other franchises which would make it hard to do that sort of deal.

 

[BMM]

I've said this before if the X-cast is really so close as they say they are and they really enjoy making these movies as much as they say they do, then why not drop their asking price to make X4 possible?Its the only way this can work.

Yeah, the films are becoming increasingly more expensive and thus look to be diminishing in profitability.

 

[ntcrawler]

How do we know they are being truthful when they say things like that ? They are actors after all they can act like in interviews they all love each other in a family type way & all that stuff but they dont actually have to mean it & things are obviously pointing to them not meaning it

This cast seems a bit more respectable than most. Not only are they talented and have good careers but are relatively free of scandals. You don't hear stories about Famke being caught dancing topless on a bar table or Patrick being caught drunk driving or physical brawling backstage during the filming of the movie. And why would it be far-fetched from them to be enthusiastic about making these films and actually being fans of the material? To any good actor a character with a history as rich as some of the X-men cast members should be very appealing.

And It's not su matter of them being willing to drop their asking price as it is with FOX not wanting them back, period, in order to focus on spinoffs and other projects. They really don't want to make another X-Men team movie and go out of their way to rub that point in. And they do it at a point in the franchise where a large number of fans would WANT another team movie.

 

[Retroman]

How do we know they are being truthful when they say things like that ? They are actors after all they can act like in interviews they all love each other in a family type way & all that stuff but they dont actually have to mean it & things are obviously pointing to them not meaning it

Well i've actually seen pics of the cast hanging out with each other outside the movies so its definetly not all front. I know a lot of actors say they are friends but this bunch really seem like they are.

If they do that, then they will want a percentage of the profits and that won't work either. Unfortunately, everything is very much about money. So no matter what, if they ask for a lower upfront asking price they will want some of the profits and while the X-Men franchise is a successful one it doesn't bring in as much as other franchises which would make it hard to do that sort of deal.

Damn does it always have to be about money? Perhaps then Fox could negotiate a share of the merchandise.

Yeah, the films are becoming increasingly more expensive and thus look to be diminishing in profitability.

Yeah, Ratner was right when he said that people are going to expect something much bigger each time. Spider-Man 3's budget is well over 250 million already.

 

[ntcrawler]

Yeah, Ratner was right when he said that people are going to expect something much bigger each time. Spider-Man 3's budget is well over 250 million already.

But you don't need to have ridiculously large budgets to tell good stories. It doesn't have to be all about outrageous special effects and giant sets to build. This is supposed to be the movieverse taking place in our own, recognizeable world. On-location filming would work just as well as rebuilding 1/2 a city inside a sound stage.

 

[TrailerCues]

does it always have to be about money? Perhaps then Fox could negotiate a share of the merchandise.

But then FOX wont get that money & it is all about money. Now why would they do that when they can do one of the following

A) Ignore the X-Men Team Movies focus on the much cheaper Wolverine Movies
B) Just about all of the younger cast is signed & ready to return FOX can do a cheaper X Sequel without the big guns. In other words

FOXs way or the HIGHWAY

 

[WorthyStevens]

But then FOX wont get that money & it is all about money. Now why would they do that when they can do one of the following

A) Ignore the X-Men Team Movies focus on the much cheaper Wolverine Movies
B) Just about all of the younger cast is signed & ready to return FOX can do a cheaper X Sequel without the big guns. In other words

FOXs way or the HIGHWAY

Who said further sequels would cost as much as X3? I would expect X4's budget to be lower than X3's, thus increasing profit margin.

 

[TrailerCues]

Who said further sequels would cost as much as X3? I would expect X4's budget to be lower than X3's, thus increasing profit margin.

The question would be how much FOX is willing to give to the high paying actors. With them saying things like it is getting harder & harder to make deals each Movie it sounds like FOX is not willing to give much

 

[Retroman]

But you don't need to have ridiculously large budgets to tell good stories. It doesn't have to be all about outrageous special effects and giant sets to build. This is supposed to be the movieverse taking place in our own, recognizeable world. On-location filming would work just as well as rebuilding 1/2 a city inside a sound stage.

Well they did do lots of location filming and tried to do more live stunts than CG for X3 which i commend greatly.

If Fox are more lenient in terms of prep- and post production on X4 i think we'll see a better movie.It'll also be cheaper.There will no rush, no 20 effects houses to get things ready.

But then FOX wont get that money & it is all about money. Now why would they do that when they can do one of the following

A) Ignore the X-Men Team Movies focus on the much cheaper Wolverine Movies
B) Just about all of the younger cast is signed & ready to return FOX can do a cheaper X Sequel without the big guns. In other words

FOXs way or the HIGHWAY

I don't think they'd do it without the big guns. A movie without Berry, Jackman, Stewart and McKellen. Who's going to see that?

And Wolverine may just be a one-off thing in my opnion.

 

[TrailerCues]

I don't think they'd do it without the big guns

Which is why the big guns will always get the Screen Time mainly Hugh screwing over everyone else

 

[ntcrawler]

I don't think they'd do it without the big guns. A movie without Berry, Jackman, Stewart and McKellen. Who's going to see that?

Well, the Wolverine movie won't have 3 of the 4 mentioned above.

And Wolverine may just be a one-off thing in my opnion.

I honestly don't expect to see a trilogy or series of films based on Wolverine. I really don't see the char having that much popularity or profit potential to justify it.

 

[ntcrawler]

Which is why the big guns will always get the Screen Time mainly Hugh screwing over everyone else

Now here's my question, similar to the "what came first, chicken or the egg" question. Is Wolverine getting so much screen time because love him so much and demanded to see so much of him, or did he get that much screen time so that the fans would love him so much and demand more of him? Was it fan demand that gave him so much screen time? Or did he get so much screen time in order to generate fan demand?

 

[Retroman]

Which is why the big guns will always get the Screen Time mainly Hugh screwing over everyone else

If they present a dynamite script with a smaller roles for Hugh and the other big stars, who knows?

 

[ntcrawler]

If they present a dynamite script with a smaller roles for Hugh and the other big stars, who knows?

Except that this current crop of writers just can't right something that's intelligent deep and meaningful like that. When it doubt: combat and fight scenes.

 

[Retroman]

Well, the Wolverine movie won't have 3 of the 4 mentioned above.

Its not certain. Its possible that it might feature some other characters from the x-films.

I honestly don't expect to see a trilogy or series of films based on Wolverine. I really don't see the char having that much popularity or profit potential to justify it.

He's popular no doubt about that but 3 movies is pushing it.