Torso (David Fincher/Matt Damon)

[cerealkiller182]

Lame!

 

[tzarinna]

Loved the GN. Damon will certainly be a hot Ness. :meow:

 

[Cinemaman]

I'm sure the reason Fincher drops out is because of the disagreements with Paramount on Benjamin Button. I really hoped he would make Torso, especially after learning that Damon may be involved in it.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

Jeez, I hope he'll still do this. It seems like perfect material for the guy.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=23806

Fincher’s Ness May Not Be Untouchable
Matt Damon-starrer waits for green light
Source: EW




It’s been rumoured for a while that Matt Damon would be starring as Eliot Ness, the Treasury agent most famous for leading the legendary Untouchables, in David Fincher’s Ness, a thriller which would tell the tale of the great detective’s investigation of the brutal Torso murders in the late 1930s.

And now EW.com is reporting that Damon has indeed signed on to star in the movie, along with Casey Affleck and Rachel McAdams – but despite that serious star wattage, the movie may not go ahead.

Paramount, the studio which holds the rights to the project (which may or may not be adapted from Brian Michael Bendis’ graphic novel, Torso), has until December 15 to decide whether or not to make the film, and is taking its time making up its mind. A studio spokesperson told EW that they had only just received the final script, by Ehren Kruger, and would be making a decision before the deadline.

However, the plot thickens. Jeff Wells, over at Hollywood Elsewhere, says that the word on the street is that Paramount is holding off on the greenlight for Ness in the hopes that Fincher will instead commit to the chef-based comedy with Keanu Reeves that was first mooted last week. It is believed that this might be a resurrection of Seared, the dark comedy that Fincher was going to make with Brad Pitt a number of years ago, but at the moment, concrete details aren’t forthcoming.

Although it might seem unusual that Paramount might be holding off on giving Ness the green light, especially with Fincher likely to be Oscar-nominated for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, bear in mind that they might be nervous about comparisons to Zodiac, Fincher’s last movie about an obsessive hunt for a serial killer. Although that was critically acclaimed, it failed at the box office and, despite the presence of Damon, McAdams and the growing appeal of Affleck The Younger, they might be scared about the same thing happening to Ness.

The Torso murders, by the way, were a series of brutal murders that took place in the Cleveland area between 1935 and 1938, and were investigated by Ness, who was by then the Public Safety Director of Cleveland. To read more about them and the outcome of the investigation, click here to go to Wikipedia.

As for Fincher’s film, more as we get it. But what would you rather see, readers – chef comedy or period crime thriller? Or, in an ideal world, both?

 

[Dark Donnie]

Had no idea Affleck was onboard as well as McAdams. I'd love to see this get made.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Torso is shaping up nicely. Why is the studio being such *****es about his movies. They want the go ahead with Seared STARRING REEVES when Pitt was once interested. Pitt has a lot of wasted comedic timing. I think they'd rather hold out for him than Fincher (no offense to Fincher)

 

[That-Guy]

Has Keanu ever been in a comedy that was a hit? I can't believe that the studios have more faith in this chef comedy than something potentially awesome like Ness. Granted, maybe the chef movie will be good if it gets made, but it doesn't sound like anything particularly interesting... just your regular, run-of-the-mill romantic comedy.

 

[The Dude]

Has Keanu ever been in a comedy that was a hit? I can't believe that the studios have more faith in this chef comedy than something potentially awesome like Ness. Granted, maybe the chef movie will be good if it gets made, but it doesn't sound like anything particularly interesting... just your regular, run-of-the-mill romantic comedy.

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

 

[That-Guy]

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

LOL, I don't think that one really counts.

 

[Crockett]

Now this movie sounds really interesting, excellent director and cast.
Hope only that Paramount will choose this movie over the uh...Keanu Reeves "Chef" comedy.

 

[SWAT]

...When David Fincher wants to make something. You greenlight it, I thought that was some sort of unwritten law in Hollywood. Guess I was wrong.

 

[cerealkiller182]

...When David Fincher wants to make something. You greenlight it, I thought that was some sort of unwritten law in Hollywood. Guess I was wrong.

Not after Zodiac, hopefully Benjamin Button does better.

 

[SWAT]

Zodiac was awesome.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Zodiac was awesome.

Personally it had some great scenes but was stitched together in very longwinded boring manner.

More importantly it barely got half its budget back domestically. Studios usually frown against that. And it was pretty much forgotten by the time award season came along. My personal opinion aside, logistically Fincher isnt the golden boy his fans think he is in the eyes of the studio despite making some great films and have great concepts on the back burner.

 

[Crockett]

Yeah, it's just that the movie didn't do very well in the box-office.
It's too bad that general audience rather choose to watch a **** movie like for instance Meet The Spartans instead of a well directed movie like Zodiac.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://chud.com/articles/articles/17342/1/TORSO-ISN039T-DEAD-YET/Page1.html

TORSO ISN'T DEAD YET



Last week we told you that the option on Torso, the post-Untouchables Eliot Ness serial killer movie (variously known as Ness) was expiring over at Paramount. We heard that the option on Brian Michael Bendis' graphic novel was up this week and that the project would fall into oblivion.

Fear not. Reader Eric Cordo emailed to tell us that Torso producer (and comic book guy) Todd McFarlane was just on the Bubba the Love Sponge show (sorry to out you as a Bubba the Love Sponge listener, Eric) saying that the film has been greenlit.

But wait! Todd's half right. I called around to sources close to the movie and in Paramount and received confirmation that Paramount is exercising the option and that the movie has become a priority. Budgeting is happening right now as we speak. But that isn't quite the same thing as a green light, and it's important to note that while this film is off the brink of dissolution (if it even was there in the first place), it's not exactly ready to go before the cameras. But now it's in a good position, and Paramount is apparently pretty gung ho about it.

Expect more news on Torso in the weeks to come, or early next year.

 

[Dark Donnie]

Well that's good news.

 

[cerealkiller182]

awesome

I find it hard to believe that the studio is hesitant considering:

1) Damon, Affleck, and McAdams. A leading man and 2 consistent performers
2) Fincher, who Zodiacs domestic performance did well worldwide and has a high Oscar buzz movie coming up.
3) and its based on a graphic novel which has become a very marketable term.

The fact that it isnt greenlit just yet probably means that damn chef comedy is still being pushed.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

The whole premise for this movie just feels right. Can't wait for it.

 

[Cinemaman]

awesome

I find it hard to believe that the studio is hesitant considering:

1) Damon, Affleck, and McAdams. A leading man and 2 consistent performers
2) Fincher, who Zodiacs domestic performance did well worldwide and has a high Oscar buzz movie coming up.
3) and its based on a graphic novel which has become a very marketable term.

The fact that it isnt greenlit just yet probably means that damn chef comedy is still being pushed.

The problem is that they're not comfortable working with Fincher. There were several issues that were going to turn into scandals relating to the relationships between Paramount staff and Fincher over his Benjamin Button project.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=52186

Paramount Lets Torso Rights Lapse
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
January 23, 2009


The Hollywood Reporter says Paramount has let the film rights lapse for Torso, the graphic novel adaptation that has had David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) attached to direct, leaving the project in limbo.

The studio has held the rights since January 2006 and the project has drawn interest from stars Matt Damon and Casey Affleck.

The "Torso" graphic novel was written by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Andreyko. It's a crime thriller that tells the true story of Treasury Department agent Eliot Ness' time after his Al Capone days.

The trade says that last month, Paramount's ability to extend the rights option as part of the original deal expired, which would have then required the studio to purchase the rights outright to retain them. While the studio still owns Kruger's screenplay, it is in discussions potentially to strike a new option agreement with the comic's writers, to whom the rights reverted. (Fincher and the producers remain attached.)

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

With money being tight for all the studios (hence even actors are being forced to take pay-cuts for mega-budget tentpoles and what not) and Fincher's last two films (Zodiac and Button) being insanely expensive to produce, I can't blame Paramount.

That said, I was looking forward to Ness. So this news does suck.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Im torn about this movie

On one side. I love Fincher and they is no one better to do this then him

but on the other hand

I love the concept and want to see it, and Fincher has expressed interest before this to leave gritty crime movies.

Cause it seems to me that the options are become a sans-Fincher Ness or no Ness at all (Not yet, but I feel that these are becoming strong possibilities)

 

[Octoberist]

I think, as much as I like Torso as a concept and Fincher as a director, I'm a little worn out from the serial killers (se7en, zodiac) motif that he has going.