Exclusive TOTAL RECALL Update from Producer Neal Moritz: Says Colin Farrell Is the Lead; They Start Shooting May 15th in Toronto, More

With Sony’s The Green Hornet getting released next weekend, I spent all day in Culver City doing interviews for the film on the Sony lot.  Thankfully, I thought The Green Hornet was great, so it made for some fun conversations with the cast and filmmakers.  Look for the interviews this week. However, since I got a great Total Recall update from producer Neal Moritz, I decided to get that news up tonight.

As you might have seen, a few days ago I sat down with Colin Farrell and asked him about those Total Recall rumors (he might be the lead in the Len Wiseman helmed remake).  He told me:

“I’d like to. I just don’t know. I’m not sure. I haven’t been home for Christmas. I haven’t made the required calls. I don’t know. I think, maybe.”

I guessed that the reason he wouldn’t give me a straight answer was that his contract was still being put together.  And after talking with Moritz, I’m sure that’s the case.  That’s because Moritz told me:

“We’re doing the movie with Colin Farrell.”

He also told me when they start shooting and a bit about the movie.  Hit the jump for more:

According to Moritz, the remake of Total Recall starts shooting May 15 in Toronto.  And for people that aren’t fans of 3D, you’ll be happy to know:

“We’re not gonna do Recall in 3D, we decided that it would be too much.”

I also asked him about the size and scope of Recall.  He said “it’s bigger in scope” than Green Hornet and Battle: Los Angeles and when I asked him if it would be a tentpole movie he said, “oh yes, this is a big movie.”

He also talked about the world they’re creating for the remake:

“I think the world that Len Wiseman is creating is incredible. It’s a real world, a real future world, where the cities have just gotten so overcrowded that the cities are just built up, up, up, up. It’s just everything I see on the movie, every pre-vis I see on the movie, every conceptual drawing on this movie that I see just makes me more and more excited. We’re playing it like a real world, but there’s all these technological advancements to the real world, and it’s just really, it’s cool. It’s an awesome movie. I’m dying—as a fan of movies, more than anything, it’s a movie that I’m just dying to see.”

Finally, I asked him how does this new version compare to the Philip K. Dick story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale.  He said:

“It’s closer to the book, the big difference is we don’t go to space.”

He went on to tell me that the film has a “great twist” and revealed a bit more when he said:

“instead of it being a spaceship that takes us to another planet, there’s something that takes us from one side of the planet to another that’s really interesting.”

While I’ll admit to some initial trepidation when I first heard Moritz would be remaking one of my favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, I can’t help but be excited when I hear Moritz talk about the remake.  My favorite genre is sci-fi and anytime a major Hollywood studio is getting ready to spend a ton of money to bring a futuristic world to life, I’m in.

My only regret is that I didn’t ask Moritz if Quato would be in the remake…

Finally, Moritz talked to me about all the projects he has in development.  Expect updates on everything else throughout the week.  Here’s the full transcript of the interview where we talked about Total Recall.  Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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Collider: I recently just interviewed Colin Farrell, and obviously I brought up a certain huge sci-fi movie (Total Recall).

Moritz: I saw that. Yeah we’re very excited about it.

I’m very excited about it. My question for you is: it seemed to me that you guys were working out a contract…

Moritz: Yeah,  we’re putting…the final deal.  We’re doing the movie with Colin Farrell.

That’s what I wanted to know. Is the project greenlit? Are you guys filming in like March or April?

Moritz: We start shooting May 15^th.

Oh wow, so this is definitely like—

Moritz: Oh we’re makin’ the movie.

100%?

Moritz: We’re makin’ the movie.

Now that you’re that much closer to being in front of the cameras, how has the project—cause you talked to me about how it’s gonna be a little closer to the novel—but I’m curious, obviously with the preproduction you’ve been working on, how has the project changed, what can you tell fans to be excited for regarding Recall?

Moritz: I think the world that Len Wiseman is creating is incredible. It’s a real world, a real future world, where the cities have just gotten so overcrowded that the cities are just built up, up, up, up. It’s just everything I see on the movie, every pre-vis I see on the movie, every conceptual drawing on this movie that I see just makes me more and more excited. We’re playing it like a real world, but there’s all these technological advancements to the real world, and it’s just really, it’s cool. It’s an awesome movie. I’m dying—as a fan of movies, more than anything, it’s a movie that I’m just dying to see.

Is Sony making this as a massive “tentpole” movie?

Moritz: Oh yes, this is a big movie.

Compared to like Battle: LA, Green Hornet, is it bigger in scope?

Moritz: It’s bigger in scope.

Is it closer to the book?

Moritz: It’s closer to the book, the big difference is we don’t go to space.

So it’s all on planet?

Moritz: Yeah, with a great twist.

Okay, I’m not gonna ask you for anymore than that.

Moritz: Yeah I can’t talk about more than that, but instead of it being a spaceship that takes us to another planet, there’s something that takes us from one side of the planet to another that’s really interesting.

Where are you shooting the movie?

Moritz: We’re shooting the movie in Toronto.

Regarding Recall and some of the other projects you have coming up…what will be in 3D and what are your thoughts about 3D?

Moritz: We’re not gonna do Recall in 3D, we decided that it would be too much. Each movie is kind of just a completely individual decision. We did a test on The Fast and the Furious in 3D and it just was too much. I think for certain movies it’s great and other movies it’s just not right.