Brian Helgeland

Tony Scott to Direct Remake of THE WILD BUNCH, Wants Jeff Bridges for HELL’S ANGELS

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: August 18th, 2011 at 3:49 pm

Following today’s fairly shocking news that Ridley Scott is set to direct a follow-up to his sci-fi classic Blade Runner, Ridley’s brother Tony is now gearing up for a remake of the 1969 film The Wild Bunch.  Scott is in talks to helm a reboot of the classic, which tells the story of an aging outlaw gang on the Texas-Mexico border. Jerry Weintraub (Ocean’s Eleven) is producing and Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential) is writing the screenplay.

The Wild Bunch isn’t the only film on Scott’s plate at the moment, as he has quite a few projects that he’s currently mulling over. The director’s follow-up to Unstoppable looks to be the non-train-on-the-loose pic Hell’s Angels, which centers around the 2001 Laughlin riots when the Angels were caught up in a war with a rival gang. Hit the jump for more details on Hell’s Angels, including the possible casting of Jeff Bridges, and updates on Scott’s other projects.

Brian Helgeland to Write and Direct Jackie Robinson Biopic

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: June 1st, 2011 at 9:05 am

In early April, we reported that Robert Redford was set to star in a biopic about Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey from writer-director Brian Hegleland.  The film would center on Rickey’s decision to integrate Major League Baseball by hiring Jackie Robinson.  At the time, I voiced my disappointment that we would have to see Robinson’s story through Rickey’s perspective when—all due respect to Rickey’s legacy—it was Robinson’s story that was worth telling on its own.

Now it looks like I’ve gotten my way.  Legendary Pictures has sent out a press release annoucning that Helgeland will still write and direct, but it now looks like the movie is now about Robinson.  Nowhere in the press release is Rickey mentioned.  While Robinson’s story was previously filmed as The Jackie Robinson Story, and that movie actually starred Robinson as himself.  For the new biopic, Legendary will collaborate with Robinson’s widow, Rachel Robinson on the picture.  While I’m not the biggest fan of Helgeland (for every L.A. Confidential, there’s a Robin Hood, Cirque du Freak, and The Taking of Pelham 123 remake), I hope he’ll do justice to Robinson’s story.  Hit the jump for the press release.

Robert Redford Returns to Baseball in Brian Helgeland’s Branch Rickey Biopic

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 6th, 2011 at 4:17 pm

You know who apparently doesn’t get enough credit in Jackie Robinson’s story about breaking the color barrier in baseball?  White guy Branch Rickey.  Because it’s not simply enough to give credit to an African-American who risked his life to play the great American pastime, Brian Helgeland (A Knight’s Tale) will write and direct a biopic about Rickey, an executive who made the brave decision to sign Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945.  24 Frames reports that Robert Redford who starred in the 1984 baseball drama The Natural, will play Rickey in a role I’m fairly certain will be preachy and simplistic.

Hit the jump for more on Redford’s participation and why this project makes me cringe.

James Cameron in Talks to Direct CLEOPATRA with Angelina Jolie

by Bill Graham    Posted: October 14th, 2010 at 6:47 pm

Take this with extreme skepticism, but how would you like to see a James Cameron-directed film about Cleopatra starring Angelina Jolie? Yeah, me too. That is exactly what Sony Pictures Entertainment is exploring with the director, and the film would be based off the Stacy Schiff book Cleopatra: A Life. What a life it was and what a film this could possibly be. Hit the jump for more details about the potential film and why this likely will not occur.

9 Movie Clips from Ridley Scott’s ROBIN HOOD Starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt, and Mark Strong

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: April 23rd, 2010 at 6:39 pm

Universal has released 9 clips from director Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood.  Starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt, Mark Strong, Mark Addy, Oscar Isaac, Danny Huston, Eileen Atkins and Max von Sydow, the movie was written by Brian Helgeland and based on a story by Brian Helgeland and Ethan Reiff & Cyrus Voris.

Hit the jump to check out the clips and read the official synopsis.  Robin Hood gets released May 14.

Another Clip from Ridley Scott’s ROBIN HOOD

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: April 21st, 2010 at 10:34 am

Universal has released another clip from director Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood and it showcases the action.  Entitled “Make it Count”, the clip features Robin Hood (Russell Crowe) leading his archers in as they storm a French castle.   If you were wondering what kind of action we might get from the team that previously made Gladiator, you can get a first look after the jump.

Also, Universal is junketing Robin Hood this weekend, so expect a lot more clips, images and info on the film very soon.

New Trailer for Ridley Scott’s ROBIN HOOD Starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt, Mark Strong

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: March 10th, 2010 at 4:23 pm

Universal has released a new trailer for Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood.  Starring Russell Crowe as the legendary figure, the trailer is loaded with action and it shows a lot more of the story than the previously released clips and trailers.  While the story of Robin Hood has been told many times in books and in the movies, with Ridley Scott (Gladiator) behind the camera, how can you not be excited.  Watch the new trailer after the jump.  Robin Hood hits theaters May 14.

First Trailer for SALT Staring Angelina Jolie

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: November 4th, 2009 at 11:14 am

While the first look at director Phillip Noyce’s “Salt” happened a few days ago due to a leaked Russian trailer, Sony has wisely posted the official trailer so we can all stop trying to decipher Russian.  If you saw the Russian trailer, the official release is exactly the same.

As Matt said the other day, “Salt” looks like Jason Bourne in a dress.  And that’s a good thing, especially when it’s Angelina Jolie wearing the dress.  If you like action movies, check out the trailer after the jump.  “Salt” hits theaters on July 23^rd, 2010.

Universal Releases Synopses for GREEN ZONE, MACGRUBER, UNTITLED ROBIN HOOD ADVENTURE, GET HIM TO THE GREEK, YOUR HIGHNESS

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: October 12th, 2009 at 6:20 pm

Universal Studios has released synopses  for some of their major 2010 films and the two that are especially worth reading are “MacGruber” and Ridley Scott’s “Untitled Robin Hood Adventure”. While it might surprise you to hear this, a few people have told me “MacGruber” is going to shock everyone next year as it’s a super-violent, hard-R movie. Also, I’ve heard there are many lines that we’re all going to quote. Did I mention Val Kilmer plays the villain and his name is Dieter Von Cunth? I know, I know–I am just as shocked to report SNL’s “MacGruber” might be a great movie.

As for Ridley Scott’s “Untitled Robin Hood Adventure”, this synopsis is the first real story details I’m hearing about the plot. Since I haven’t watched every version of “Robin Hood”, I’ll let the synopses  do the talking, but I’m pretty sure we’re going to get a better version than Kevin Costner’s “Prince of Thieves”.  Hit the jump for not only “MacGruber” and “Untitled Robin Hood Adventure”, but “Green Zone” starring Matt Damon, “Get Him to the Greek” starring Russell Brand and Jonah Hill, and “Your Highness” starring Danny McBride, James Franco, and Natalie Portman.

Screenwriter Brian Helgeland talks THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123, ROBIN HOOD, and UNTITLED COP MOVIE

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: June 10th, 2009 at 12:48 pm

I could have talked with screenwriter Brian Helgeland for an hour. That’s because he’s written some great scripts and worked for some amazing directors. Here are some of the films he’s written:

• L.A. Confidential
• Payback
• Mystic River
• Man on Fire
• Conspiracy Theory
• A Knight’s Tale

And that’s just part of his resume, as his new movie “The Taking of Pelham 123″ arrives in theaters this weekend and he has four other films in production or post-production. Perhaps you’ve already heard of “Green Zone”, “Cirque du Freak”, “Robin Hood” and “Salt”. If you haven’t, they’re directed by Paul Greengrass, Paul Weitz, Ridley Scott, and Phillip Noyce. Not a bad list of directors.

Anyway, I got to speak with him for “The Taking of Pelham 123″ and the film stars Denzel Washington and John Travolta and it’s a remake of the 1974 film that starred Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw. Here’s a link to the synopsis and six clips from the film.

During our interview we talked about why he wanted to write the remake, did he know Denzel would be in it, what’s it like to work for Tony Scott, does he still get studio notes and what does he do with them, what kind of research does he do, and we talked about his other projects like “Robin Hood” and how he’s going to direct a film later this year that’s currently called “Untitled Cop Movie”.

If you’re a fan of Brian’s writing or just want to hear about how he works, it’s a great interview. Take a look after the jump.

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