Michael Mann

HBO Cancels LUCK after Third Horse Death

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 14th, 2012 at 4:59 pm

HBO has canceled David Milch and Michael Mann‘s horse-racing drama Luck after the third death of a horse this season.  The show had been picked up for a second season and filming was underway, but on Tuesday a horse was injured when she “reared, flipped over backwards, and struck her head on the ground.”  The on-set veterinarian determined that humane euthanasia was appropriate.  Two horses were injured and euthanized during the first season, so apparently HBO was operating on the “Three Dead Horses and You’re Out” rule.

While HBO probably renewed Luck due to its cost and star prestige (the show stars Dustin Hoffman), it wasn’t turning into a breakout hit the size of Boardwalk Empire or Game of Thrones.  This isn’t to say that HBO would have gone on in spite of the horse deaths had Luck been a bigger hit, but I don’t think any of the network executives are going to be upset at losing an expensive show that had soft ratings.  Hit the jump for a statement from the network.

Michael Mann in Talks to Direct Cop Thriller THE BIG STONE GRID

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 13th, 2012 at 3:08 pm

Michael Mann has added another project to his development pile. Deadline reports that Mann is now in talks to direct the cop thriller The Big Stone Grid for Sony Pictures. The script, by S. Craig Zahler, is described as “a hard-edged thriller in the vein of Seven and Marathon Man,” and centers on two detectives who uncover an extortion ring operating within the secret underbelly of New York City. Michael De Luca (Moneyball) is onboard as producer, and the plan now is for Mann to do a pass on the script with Zahler. Deadline hints that Mann might relocate the action to Los Angeles, as his past crime sagas have all taken place in LA.

Mann is currently serving as executive producer on HBO’s Luck and will likely next direct the sports car drama Go Like Hell. The film chronicles the 1960s battle between Ford and Ferrari when an American car won the Le Mans race for the first time in history. No word on how soon production may begin. Mann is also developing an adaptation of Agincourt which centers on the 15th century battle of Agincourt, and the contemporary adventure film Gold.

HBO Renews LUCK For Second Season

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: January 31st, 2012 at 10:40 am

The official premiere of Luck just aired this past weekend on Sunday night, but HBO is already so pleased with the series that the cable network announced today that a second season has already been ordered. Director Michael Mann and Deadwood creator David Milch delivered quite the dramatic pilot set in the world of horse racing and gambling with Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte really adding gravitas to the series, likely joining Steve Buscemi and Boardwalk Empire with Emmy nods later this year. The second season will consist of 10 episodes with production resuming at the end of next month and a premiere set sometime in January of 2013. For the full press release, hit the jump.

Teaser Trailer for HBO’s LUCK Starring Dustin Hoffman

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 26th, 2011 at 11:27 am

HBO has released a new trailer for David Milch and Michael Mann’s upcoming horse-gambling drama Luck.  If Milch (Deadwood) and Mann (Heat) didn’t already get you excited for the show, here’s the cast: Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, Dennis Farina, John Ortiz, Richard Kind, Kevin Dunn, and Michael Gambon.  The main plotline focuses on as Ace Bernstain (Hoffman) a man who, after three years in prison, teams with his longtime chauffeur and muscle (Farina), to craft a complex plan involving the Santa Anita racetrack.  Of course, this is HBO where there are 3 or 4 plotlines per episode and you have to learn the names of 18 or 19 regular cast members.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  Luck premieres January 2012.

Michael Mann to Direct GO LIKE HELL

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 26th, 2011 at 4:16 pm

Michael Mann is close to a deal to helm 20^th Century Fox’s Go Like Hell. The film is based on the book by A.J. Baime, which focuses on the 1966 battle between Ford and Ferrari when an American car won the Le Mans race for the first time in history. Baime’s story focuses on Henry Ford II, young visionary Lee Iacocca, and former racing champion turned engineer Carroll Shelby. The three worked together to reinvent the Ford company and eventually became the first Americans to win the 24-Hours of Le Mans race in France.

Showblitz reports that while no casting has begun, Brad Pitt has been considered as the lead. Mann has a number of projects that he’s considering as his next directing vehicle, including an adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s Agincourt, a novel centered around the 15^th century Battle of Agincourt. He’s also circling the adventure film Gold, produced by Paul Haggis. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of Baime’s Go Like Hell.

Michael Mann Confirmed to Direct AGINCOURT

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 16th, 2011 at 11:54 am

Last October, we learned that Michael Mann was considering an adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s Agincourt.  Today, ScreenDaily reports that Mann is now officially attached to direct and that Luc Roeg’s Independent is developing the project with Benjamin Ross writing the script.  Roeg tells ScreenDaily that Agincourt now has “momentum”, but it’s still too early to predict a start date for filming.  Mann recently directed the pilot for the upcoming HBO series Luck.  He’s also been circling biopics of notorious Chicago crime boss Tony Accardo and Spanish Civil War photographer Robert Capa.

Cornwell’s novel tells about the famous 15th century Battle of Agincourt through the perspective of young fugitive Nicholas Hook who becomes an archer in King Henry V’s fight against the French.    Hit the jump for a synopsis of the novel.

James Cameron, Guillermo del Toro, Kathryn Bigelow, and Other Directors and Producers Write Open Letter Protesting Premium VOD

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 20th, 2011 at 9:58 am

Home Premiere, a Premium VOD service backed by four major studios, is set to launch tomorrow on DirecTV.  The service would charge consumers $30 to watch movies only sixty days after they first hit theaters.  Theaters, fearing that their revenues will be drastically cut, have responded with threats that range from believable to ridiculous.  Now 23 directors and producers, including James Cameron, Michael Bay, Kathryn Bigelow, Guillermo del Toro, Peter Jackson, Michael Mann, and Gore Verbinski have released an open letter siding with the theaters.

In the letter, the signers make the point that just because Premium VOD launches at $30, it doesn’t mean it will stay there and it could conceivably drop to $10 within a few year.  Hit the jump for the full letter.

HBO Debuts In Production Featurette for Michael Mann’s LUCK Starring Dustin Hoffman

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: April 18th, 2011 at 9:01 am

The cable network just premiered their brand new spectacular fantasy series Game of Thrones last night (read my review here), but HBO is already giving us a taste of another new series in their future. The network recently premiered a short featurette on the horse racing series Luck starring Dustin Hoffman with a pilot directed by Michael Mann (Collateral). The series takes a provocative look at horse racing including the owners, gamblers, jockeys and diverse gaming industry players.

Once again, with little effort, HBO has me interested in yet another one of their new drama series. And with a cast that also includes Joan Allen, Michael Gambon, Dennis Farina, John Ortiz, Kevin Dunn, Richard Kind, Jason Gedrick, Ritchie Coster, Ian Hart, Tom Payne, Kerry Condon, Gary Stevens, and Nick Nolte, this should be something worth seeing down the road. Check out the featurette after the jump for your first look at Luck.

Michael Mann and Paul Haggis Team Up for GOLD

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 12th, 2011 at 6:38 pm

Director Michael Mann is eyeing Gold as his next directing vehicle with Paul Haggis onboard as a producing partner. Said to be in the vein of Treasure of the Sierra Madre, the contemporary thriller centers on a search for, naturally, gold. Written on spec by Patrick Massett and John Zinman (TV’s Friday Night Lights), Heat Vision reports that Haggis was initially looking towards directing the film himself before deciding his plate was too full. He then brought the script to Mann, who took quite a liking to it.

Mann and Haggis will produce the film alongside Michael Nozik, with Mann looking at it as a possible directing vehicle. The three plan on developing the package before going out to studios. While no actors are attached as of yet, Mann sent the script to Leonardo DiCaprio. Mann himself has quite a few projects on the horizon as well, including an adaptation of the Bernard Cornwell novel Agincourt which centers on the 15^th century battle between the English and the French.

Gemma Arterton and Andrew Garfield to Star in CAPA

by Kimberly Lucas    Posted: December 26th, 2010 at 7:03 pm

It should come as no surprise that Gemma Arterton and Andrew Garfield, two of the year’s most sought-after and interesting new stars, will join forces. Arterton says she will star opposite Garfield in the new Michael Mann film Capa, which tells the story of the two-year romance between Gerda Taro and war photographer Robert Capa. Based on Susana Fortes’ award-winning novel Waiting for Robert Capa, Mann wants to create a “gritty, low-budget film.”

For more on Garfield, Arterton, and Capa, continue after the jump.

Sam Neill Joins J.J. Abrams’ ALCATRAZ and Michael Gambon Joins HBO Series LUCK

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: December 10th, 2010 at 2:41 pm

Though he’ll always be Dr. Alan Grant in my eyes, Sam Neill has done a myriad of different films with just the right amount of gravitas. Now it looks like he’ll be bringing his talents to the small screen as Deadline reports the actor has landed a role in J.J. Abrams mysterious new series Alcatraz over at Fox. Neill will play Emerson Hauser, the head of a government agency who radiates authority and piercing intelligence. The story itself follows a team of FBI agents and a female police officer (previously announced Sarah Jones) as they track down a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day after disappearing 30 years ago. Neill joins Jorge Garcia (Lost), Jonny Coyne and Jason Butler Harner.

Hit the jump for details on a new cast member for HBO’s new series Luck.

Sheldon Turner to Write BIG TUNA for Michael Mann

by Ben Garman    Posted: December 7th, 2010 at 10:22 am

Director Michael Mann (Heat) has hired Sheldon Turner, the screenwriter partly responsible for Clooney comedy Up In The Air, to write his new crime thriller, Big Tuna. The movie will be a biopic of Chicago crime lord Tony Accardo, and his young protege Sam Giancana, who eventually replaced him. For Michael Mann, this will be his second attempt at a gangster biopic, the first being the disappointing Public Enemies last year, which starred Johnny Depp as notorious bank robber, John Dillinger. Variety reports that Mann’s chosen scribe, Sheldon Turner, is a wanted man himself at the minute, attached to numerous high profile projects including his directorial debut, By Virtue Fall, starring Colin Farrell and Eric Bana, and as producer for rom-com, Kiss and Tell. Hit the jump for more on Big Tuna and both men involved.

Michael Mann Considering Gangster Biopic BIG TUNA and Battle of Agincourt Story for His Next Film

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 25th, 2010 at 10:41 am

After the highly-disappointing Public Enemies, director Michael Mann shifted over to television and worked on the upcoming HBO series Luck co-created by David Milch (Deadwood) and starring Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, and Dennis Farina.  However, The Financial Times reports [via Deadline] that Mann is currently looking ahead to what may be his next feature film.  In addition to a previously-reported biopic of photographer Robert Capa, Mann is also looking at “an epic tale set in medieval Europe, about the build-up to the 15th-century battle of Agincourt between England and France.”  Deadline adds that the project would be based on Bernard Cornwell’s novel Agincourt, which centers on a young warrior whose personal tale serves as a portal to the Battle of Agincourt.  We’ve included the official synopsis for Agincourt after the jump.

Mann is also considering Big Tuna.  Not a tale about Jim Halpert, the story is a biopic of notorious Chicago crime boss Tony Accardo and the younger man who succeeded him.  Should he choose to go with Big Tuna, hopefully Mann will come out with a better gangster biopic than he did with Public Enemies.  As for Luck, which is another crime tale—this time set in the world of Los Angeles horse-racing and gambling—it’s set to premiere sometime in late 2011 or early 2012.

HBO Orders LUCK to Series; Dustin Hoffman Stars

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: July 14th, 2010 at 10:52 am

When you look at the caliber of talent behind the pilot for the horse racing drama Luck, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that HBO would order it to series.  Michael Mann directed the pilot from a script by Deadwood creator David Milch, with a cast toplined by Dustin Hoffman.  See what I mean?

According to The Live Feed, the cast is rounded out by Dennis Farina, John Ortiz, Kevin Dunn, Richard Kind, Jason Gedrick, Ritchie Coster, Ian Hart, Tom Payne, Kerry Condon, Gary Stevens, and Nick Nolte.  Production begins this fall, so Luck should debut on HBO sometime next year along with the fantasy series Game of Thrones.  Meanwhile, the Martin Scorsese-directed first episode of the Prohibition-era gangster series Boardwalk Empire premieres September 19th on the network.

COLLATERAL Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: April 12th, 2010 at 3:10 pm

Michael Mann is a commercial director, but with the modest success of Heat and then its growth into a cult film, and the Oscar run of The Insider and Ali, Mann’s reputation as a master turned him into something other than a pop artist. Maybe it’s just the way of the world, as Mann fascination with gangsters and cops used to be a much more commercial cinematic pursuit than it is these days, which favors comic books and sci-fi fantasy for its blockbusters. When Mann makes what counts as a summer movie they have got a strange aura of respectability, which may work against him. 2004′s Collateral is easily his most commercial effort, and one of his most satisfying. Tom Cruise stars as a hit man tasked with killing five people over the course of one night, and Jamie Foxx plays the cab driver who accidentally comes to see he’s assisting a killer. My review of the Blu-ray of Collateral after the jump.

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