State of Play

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=19439

Macdonald Directing Pitt in State of Play
Source: Variety
March 20, 2007


Universal Pictures has set The Last King of Scotland helmer Kevin Macdonald to direct State of Play, the Americanized version of the acclaimed British miniseries that will star Brad Pitt.

Written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, the film is scheduled to shoot in November.

In the story, a congressman's mistress is killed, and a team of investigative reporters secretly work with a police detective to solve the murder. Pitt will play a reporter who was once close to the congressman but now heads an investigation that leads to the highest levels of government and industry.

Andrew Hauptman will produce, and Working Title partners Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner have joined as producers as well. Paul Abbott, who wrote the original miniseries, will be executive producer.

Sounds like it should be a solid thriller

 

[Halcohol]

You know, Brad Pitt has a knack for picking solid scripts... it should definitely be alright at least.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=37295

Norton and Pitt Reteam for State of Play
Source: Variety
September 12, 2007


Fight Club stars Edward Norton and Brad Pitt are reuniting to star in State of Play, Universal Pictures' adaptation of the British miniseries. Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) is directing the Matthew Michael Carnahan script.

Norton will play a congressman whose speedy political rise is threatened by an investigation into the death of his mistress. Pitt plays a politician-turned-journalist whose relationship with the solon is compromised when he oversees his newspaper's investigation into the murder and develops a relationship with the pol's estranged wife.

Variety says the project has been a high priority for Universal since the studio won an auction for rights to the six-hour mini written by Paul Abbott. Tony Gilroy worked on a rewrite of the film, which is on track for a November start.

Andrew Hauptman will produce with Working Title partners Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Abbott is executive producer

 

[DocHoliday]

Sounds very promising.

 

[dpm07]

Sounds like great potential. They were great in Fight Club, and add the director from The Last King of Scotland (another really great movie), and this will hopefully be a solid film.

 

[Two-Face]

You know, Brad Pitt has a knack for picking solid scripts... it should definitely be alright at least.

Babel was one of them, I love that movie.

 

[L0ngsh0t]

Pitt rules, Norton rules

two of the (surprisingly) most underatted A listers in hollywood

 

[Downhere]

Sounds good...sounds like it has a lot of potential.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=37698

McAdams, Mirren and Penn Board State of Play
Source: Variety
September 26, 2007


Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren and Robin Wright Penn will join Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Jason Bateman in State of Play, the Universal Pictures/Working Title adaptation of the British miniseries.

Kevin Macdonald is directing; Matthew Michael Carnahan wrote the script.

McAdams will play a reporter in the middle of a career-making story, as her newspaper investigates the death of the mistress of a fast-rising congressman. Mirren will play the newspaper's steely editor, a role undertaken by Bill Nighy in the original mini. Wright Penn will play the congressman's estranged wife. She becomes romantically involved with the pol's former campaign manager (Pitt), who leads the newspaper's investigative team. Norton plays the congressman and Bateman plays the other lead reporter.

Andrew Hauptman is producing with Working Title partners Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Paul Abbott, who wrote the six-hour mini, is executive produce

 

[livrule]

The UK series this is based on was very high quality TV .....

But the story was paced over several episodes so it will be interesting to see if they can capture the tension and drama it contained in just 2 hours.

 

[Excel]

this has a really impressive cast.

 

[Hush]

Man Fight CLub is one of my favorite movies of all time and now these two are back togethor!? Thats awesome! Cant wait for this to come out.

 

[Darkly Dexter]

very nice [Borat mode/on]

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=39502

Brad Pitt Pulls Out of State of Play
Source: Variety
November 21, 2007


Variety reports that Brad Pitt has pulled out of a pay or play deal on State of Play, putting the Universal Pictures drama in a state of flux.

Pitt dropped out of the film early Wednesday, following two weeks of struggle and meetings with director Kevin Macdonald that prevented the film from making its original Nov. 15 production start date.

The trade says the studio will try to find a star to replace Pitt. If Universal doesn't recast and get the picture going by Nov. 29, it will begin losing the other actors in the film.

Pitt was set to star with Edward Norton, Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman and Robin Wright Penn in the Matthew Michael Carnahan-scripted adaptation of the British mini-series. Pitt was playing a politician-turned-journalist who spearheads a newspaper's investigation of a murder, a trail that leads to the fast-rising pol whose campaigns were once masterminded by Pitt's character.

Universal said: "Brad Pitt has left the Universal Pictures production of 'State of Play.' We remain committed to this project and to the filmmakers, cast members, crew and others who are also involved in making the movie. We reserve all rights in this matter."

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Still has a great cast even without Pitt. Hopefully they can find someone else to fill that role and get this one started.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=39538

Will Russell Crowe Play for Universal?
Source: Variety
November 26, 2007


Variety is reporting that Universal Pictures spent the weekend trying to convince Russell Crowe, its American Gangster topliner, to replace Brad Pitt as the star of State of Play.

The trade said the result of that courtship will be known early this week and will determine how ugly things get between the studio and Pitt after he exited the picture over disagreements about the shooting script.

Pitt's exit on Thanksgiving eve not only put the picture in a state of flux, it also left a studio and star with differing opinions on which one caused the exit. And it left Hollywood questioning how valid pay-or-play deals are in a strike climate where studios are venturing into production starts on scripts that can't get a rewrite if they need one.

Universal claimed Pitt left a pay-or-play commitment and left open the option of suing him; Pitt's camp claimed he was essentially forced out of a movie he's been eager to topline for almost two years just because the studio wouldn't wait for a strike resolution and a rewrite to bring the script back to a place that made him comfortable.

Weeks ago, State of Play headed toward its Nov. 15 start date with a sparkling cast. Now, if Crowe doesn't fit in the pic before playing the Sheriff of Nottingham in the Ridley Scott-directed Universal drama Nottingham, which begins shooting in March, State of Play will be in jeopardy.

The role Pitt exited and Crowe is considering is a politician-turned-journalist who spearheads his newspaper's investigation into a killing that leads to a fast-rising pol (Edward Norton). The journalist faces two conflicts: He once ran campaigns for the pol and was his confidant, and the journo develops a romance with the pol's estranged wife (Robin Wright Penn).

 

[Dark Donnie]

Crowe would be a nice addition

 

[tzarinna]

Norton and Crowe! Mercy! :heart:
I'm so happy to see Jason Bateman getting some serious play as of late. He's everywhere, indie and big productions.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=39782

Russell Crowe Accepts Play Date
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
November 29, 2007


On Monday, it was reported that Universal was trying to sign Russell Crowe to replace Brad Pitt in Stay of Play, and now he is in final negotiations for the political thriller.

Pitt pulled out of the movie citing script concerns that made him uneasy about toplining the picture, says The Hollywood Reporter. That brought him to loggerheads with the studio, which was adamant about going ahead with the script they had. Even meetings with the movie's director, Kevin Macdonald, proved fruitless.

Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) spent the weekend in Australia wooing Crowe, who had to see if "Play" could fit into his schedule; Crowe is scheduled to shoot Universal's Nottingham, the Ridley Scott-directed reimagining of the Robin Hood story.

In Stay of Play, an adaptation of a British miniseries, Crowe will star alongside Edward Norton, Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman and Robin Wright Penn. He will play a political consultant-turned-journalist who heads a newspaper's murder investigation involving a fast-rising politician (Norton).

 

[Dark Donnie]

Upgrade IMO.....good stuff, although Pitt with Norton again would have been good

 

[Hunter Rider]

I agree Donnie, Pitt is good but Crowe is a better actor.

 

[scifiwolf]

Upgrade is exactly what I said when I heard the news this week.

 

[Hush]

I would have really hoped that it was Pitt and Norton but i mean i guess crowe is a good replacement.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=40306

Edward Norton Exits State of Play
Source: Variety
December 18, 2007


Variety says that Edward Norton is exiting State of Play, and talks are under way for Ben Affleck to replace him in the Kevin Macdonald-directed drama for Universal Pictures and Working Title. The film is expected to begin production in the first week of January.

Norton becomes the second high profile cast member to disembark, following the exit of his Fight Club co-star Brad Pitt just before Thanksgiving.

While Universal threatened legal action with Pitt, Norton's exit has no rancor. His problem: he had committed to follow State of Play by playing the dual leads in Leaves of Grass, an independent comedy written and to be directed by Tim Blake Nelson. Norton is producing that picture with his Class 5 Films partner Bill Migliore, and Nelson. Barbarian Films is financing.

Pitt’s exit, and the courtship of Russell Crowe to replace him, moved the State of Play start date from mid-November into January. That created a clash, and the studio, working with Norton's and Affleck's reps at Endeavor, worked out an exit plan.

Now it will be Affleck who plays a fast-rising politician who is caught up in a murder conspiracy. Crowe will play a journalist who leads a newspaper's investigation into the killing. He's conflicted in that he once ran the pol's campaigns, and he is now romancing his estranged wife.

Still in the cast are Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn and Jason Bateman.

 

[tzarinna]

But I still love Crowe, but this news sucks.