Zack Snyder's "The Last Photograph"

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.hollywood.com/news/Christian_Bale_Takes_The_Last_Photograph/6984845

http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/1118026/Zack_Snyder

Zach Snyder is finally making progress on his oft-delayed picture, The Last Photograph. Christian Bale has been cast as a lead in the film, and Niels Arden Oplev may have been added as a director.

The Last Photograph, which is based of an original idea (gasp!) from 300 director Snyder, is a drama set in contemporary times that revolves around a photograph which leads two men on a journey through Afghanistan. Odds are that Bale will play one of the men, but details on the plot and his role have been kept at a minimum thus far.

The film is being written by 300 collaborator Kurt Johnstad, and Sergey Bodrov of the epic Mongol was originally signed to direct. Rumor has it, however, that he has been replaced by Oplev, the director behind the stellar The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo adaptation.

Despite all the sudden movement on the project, we probably won’t see The Last Photograph for some time. Bale has an untitled Terrence Malick film lined up, and an inevitable role in Batman 3, while Snyder is still finishing up his Sucker Punch. While it is very early to be making predictions, the fact that it’s not a remake, reimagining, or adaptation alone has me optimistic.

I thought there was a thread on this already, sounds like a possibly good role for Bale.

 

[Bim]

Indeed, sounds like a good one.

 

[TNC9852002]

He needs something like this seriously after Public Enemies and Terminator Salvation...

 

[TheDarkKnight08]

He needs something like this seriously after Public Enemies and Terminator Salvation...

QFT. As much as I love his portrayl of Batman, I've felt his charisma decline with those films, and it barely has anything to do with his ability as an actor. He's just given so little to do in films that aren't really looking for quality as much as bank, so seeing him back in his element is something great, though I hope this doesn't get in the way of Batman 3. That would suck. A lot.

 

[Jackasscoley15]

I'm still excited to see him in The Fighter this winter, looks to be a return to form based on what I've read.

 

[TheDarkKnight08]

Oh, yeah. Whs the release date for that?

 

[Hunter Rider]

December.

 

[TNC9852002]

I'm still excited to see him in The Fighter this winter, looks to be a return to form based on what I've read.

That too for sure..

 

[That-Guy]

I wish he had never done Turdinator Salvation. That movie hurt his career in so many ways. I don't think it's in any way beyond repair, but it seemed to turn the fanboy crowd against him a bit, and suddenly we were hearing crap like "he wasn't really that good in Batman" and "all he does is yell all the time."

It's like that article in the other thread that discusses his upcoming project with John Hillcoat... that stupid writer called his performance in TDK "generic" even though she raved about it when the movie came out. I love when hack "journalists" have selective memories. I guess they forget that what they write is in print and can be retrieve to expose their bullsh**.

And yeah, he did very well in Public Enemies, but he was given so little to do that he barely registered (though he did, at least, kill Channing Tatum before that talentless bastard could say anything with his weird Ghetto-Hick accent). That movie was all about Johnny Depp strutting around being cool and Marion Cotillard looking hot.

Bale needs a few movies to remind audiences why he's one of the best working actors out there.

 

[Hunter Rider]

The thing that hurt him from Terminator Salvation was the rant that had those just waiting to get stuck in salivating with the chance to label him a pretentious diva.

 

[BatMatt]

I thought he was rather in good in Public Enemies actually, but cool news nonetheless. Hopefully footage of The Fighter comes out soon

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

I felt Bale had a better performance than Depp in Public Enemies. I never felt Depp was this strong, or intimidating gangster. Bale totally ruled as one of the best FBI agents. I wish he was in the film more.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Dillinger wasn't a gangster and he wasn't meant to be intimidating, he was a rock star bank robber and Depp nailed that, I thought Bale was perfectly fine as Melvin Purvis, I just didn't think the script explored the character enough.

 

[GREEN =w= DAY]

new Bale flick?!

SWEET!! looking forward to it

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Dillinger wasn't a gangster and he wasn't meant to be intimidating, he was a rock star bank robber and Depp nailed that, I thought Bale was perfectly fine as Melvin Purvis, I just didn't think the script explored the character enough.

I guess when at looking at it that way its better. And I do agree that Purvis wasn't explored enough.

 

[bullets]

I haven't been let down by Bale's performance yet.

 

[That-Guy]

Dillinger wasn't a gangster and he wasn't meant to be intimidating, he was a rock star bank robber and Depp nailed that, I thought Bale was perfectly fine as Melvin Purvis, I just didn't think the script explored the character enough.

Agreed. Depp was perfect and so was Bale, but I think they could have made the film a little more interesting if they had delved into Purvis' personal struggles and frustrations more. Maybe he was in an okay place in his life when those events happened, but the guy did eventually kill himself, so I think there was probably more they could have done with him in the movie.

 

[kvz5]

Penn and Bale? I'm in.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/04/sea...e-the-last-photograph-along-with-dark-castle/

Sean Penn, Christian Bale Circle 'The Last Photograph' Along With Dark Castle

EXCLUSIVE: Sean Penn is circling The Last Photograph, and I'm told he plans to join Christian Bale in the Kurt Johnstad-scripted drama that will be directed by Niels Arden Oplev, director of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and its two Swedish sequels. The film is moving from Warner Bros, and is in negotiations to move to Dark Castle, whose Joel Silver and Andrew Rona would board the project as producers and put up the financing. Zack and Deborah Snyder are producing with Hollywood Gang's Gianni Nunnari.

The film came from an idea by Snyder, who set it up at Warner Bros with his wife and Nunnari after they all worked together on 300. Set in Afghanistan, it is a timely drama that has elements of The Searchers and Taken. Bale plays a war correspondent who witnesses and is the only survivor of an attack on a group of Americans. Penn is circling the role of a retired ex-special ops soldier who comes to the scene determined to free a family member who has been kidnapped. The journalist agrees to help identify the kidnappers and travel the rough terrain to find them, in exchange for the story. The road brings them in confrontation with tribal regions of Afghanistan, and none of the diplomats will help.

The plan is to put the picture into production in 2012, after Bale completes The Dark Knight Rises. Penn had been courted by Warner Bros for both the Superman pic Man of Steel and the Ruben Fleischer-directed Gangster Squad. He has turned down both films, I'm told. Despite courting Penn heavily for those, Warner Bros had already been moving toward not funding The Last Photograph, and didn't alter that when Penn made it clear he was interested in the war film. Dark Castle is working on a deal as we speak, with Warner Bros distributing the picture. The company is coming off the Liam Neeson-starrer Unknown, a $30 million film that grossed $140 million worldwide. Penn most recently starred in the Paolo Sorrentino-directed This Must Be The Place, which is currently being shopped for North American distribution. There, he plays a bored, retired rock star who tries to find his father's killer, an ex-Nazi war criminal hiding in the U.S. CAA reps Penn.

 

[Hurm...]

This film has a lot of potential and with Bale, Niels Arden Oplev, and now Penn...I'm getting anxious for more news. I love the concept.

 

[Bim]

Indeed Hurm, sounds like a good one.

 

[Doctor Jones]

This sounds like it could be very good. I could see both in a film like this.

 

[kvz5]

No new info just that the deal with Dark Castle was finalized and that the producer wants to shoot in India.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118036720

Posted: Tue., May. 10, 2011, 1:33pm PT

Dark Castle, StudioCanal snap 'Photograph'
Penn, Bale in talks to star

By JOHN HOPEWELL, ELSA KESLASSY

Following the success of Liam Neeson starrer "Unknown," Joel Silver's Dark Castle and Europe's StudioCanal are reteaming on Afghanistan-set action-thriller "The Last Photograph," with Christian Bale and Sean Penn in talks to star.

StudioCanal, which will co-finance "Photograph" with Dark Castle, will distribute pic in France, the U.K. and Germany, and handle sales in the rest of the world outside North America, where "Photograph" will be put through Dark Castle's distribution deal with Warner Bros.

The pic is helmed by Dane Niels Arden Oplev ("The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo") from a script by Kurt Johnstad ("300").

Penn would play an ex-special ops soldier who arrives in Afghanistan to seek vengeance for the murder of his brother's family. He enlists a war photographer (Bale), the sole survivor of the attack that killed his brother, who captured the event in a photo.

"I'm very excited. I've known Sean Penn for many years and always wanted to work with him and hope very much to work with Christian Bale, too," Silver told Daily Variety.

Zack Snyder is producing the pic with partner Deborah Snyder at their Cruel and Unusual Films, along with Hollywood Gang's Gianni Nunnari. Silver and Dark Castle's Andrew Rona and Steve Richard are also producing.

The plan is to go into production in 2012, after Bale finishes "The Dark Knight Rises," Silver said, adding he'd love to shoot in India.

StudioCanal will distribute "Photograph" in France and in the U.K. via its subsid Optimum, and in Germany via subsid Kinowelt.

StudioCanal's "Photograph" deal underscores its burgeoning production/financing alliance with Dark Castle.

It co-produced Dark Castle's hit action thriller "Unknown," directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, distributing it in the U.K., France and Germany. On "Photograph," it combines distribution and international sales.

" 'Last Photograph' is the type of project we love at StudioCanal: an elevated genre movie with a great script, great producers, great cast and a great European director," said StudioCanal chairman-CEO Olivier Courson.

Contact the variety newsroom at [email protected]

 

[SuperSoldier985]

I'm assuming this will be a straightforward drama, nothing overly stylized?

 

[Crockett]

The idea is from Snyder and he's just the producer. Niels Arden Oplev is the director, so to answer your question it's no.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Did I mention that this sounds great?