Exclusive: Producer Andrew Lazar Video Interview JONAH HEX; Plus Updates on AKIRA, ONE FINGER SALUTE, GET SMART 2, More

With Jonah Hex getting released tomorrow, I was able to sit down with producer Andrew Lazar (Get Smart, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind) for an extended interview last weekend.  During our wide ranging conversation we talked about the challenges of getting Jonah Hex made, how they got the great cast together, the mixing of different genres in Hex, what will be on the DVD/Blu-ray (over 10 minutes of deleted scenes), and a lot more.

But after talking about Jonah Hex for awhile, we started talking about his other projects like I Love You Phillip Morris, Akira, Get Smart 2, Untitled Joe Namath Project, Pre-Astronauts (now called One Finger Salute), what are general meetings, and a lot more.  Some of the interesting things I learned were:

• I Love You Phillip Morris should have a happy ending as the film will hopefully be released this fall.
• Akira is still moving forward. They just hired a new writer and they’re conceptualizing right now.  He also says WB management loves the property and the studio is very enthusiastic about the project.  Confirms the first movie would be volumes 1-3 and a second movie would be 4-6
• Pre-Astronauts is now called One Finger Salute.  Calls it The Right Stuff before The Right Stuff. Says it’s about a group of Air Force scientists and pilots that believe man can go to space and survive. Also says they did a table read last year with Tom Cruise, Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper, and Elizabeth Banks!  Peter Segal is scheduled to direct.
• Regarding Get Smart 2, he said Steve Carell wrote the script for the sequel!
• And regarding his Untitled Joe Namath Project talk, he says he’s meeting with James Mangold once he is done with his Knight and Day stuff.  Not sure if it’s to write and/or direct.

As you can see, we covered a lot of ground.  It’s really a fantastic interview and if you’re curious about any of the projects I mentioned or just curious about how films get made, I think you’ll love the interview.  Hit the jump to check it out:

As usual, I’ve time indexed the interview so you can watch what interests you.  For more on Jonah Hex, here’s my set report and on set interviews with Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, and Director Jimmy Hayward.  Plus here’s some movie clips and my recent interview with Josh Brolin where he discussed Jonah Hex and his other projects like Men in Black 3 and True Grit.

Andrew Lazar

• What’s the last year been like with this project – talks about visual effects and music
• 1:10 – We talk about how the movie mixes genres
• 2:30 – Casting talk – plus how hard was it to play John Malkovich to play another villain
• 4:25 – Doing Brolin’s makeup as prosthetics
• 5:40 – How tough was it to get the project made (says it took him 14 years)
• 6:40 – As a producer, I ask what are “general meetings” – talks about working with Charlie Kaufman and Neveldine/Taylor
• 8:15 – What will be on the DVD/Blu-ray.  Were there a lot of deleted scenes? Talks about a longer version of the Brolin/Fox sex scene. Says it could be up to 20 minutes of deleted scenes. Says it won’t be less than 10 minutes
• 10:00 – We talk about the supernatural sequences and was there talk about doing more of them
• 11:00 – What’s up with I Love You Phillip Morris? Explains what is going on behind the scenes.  Says it is going to have a happy ending and the movie should be coming out this fall
• 14:30 – Akira update.  Says they just hired a new writer and they’re conceptualizing it right now.  Lots of pre-production right now.  He also says WB management loves the property and the studio is very enthusiastic about the project.  Confirms the first movie would be volumes 1-3 and a second movie would be 4-6
• 16:35 – Pre-Astronauts talk – Says it’s now called One Finger Salute.  Calls it The Right Stuff before The Right Stuff.   Says it’s about a group of Air Force scientists and pilots that believe man can go to space and survive. Also says they did a table read last year with Tom Cruise, Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper, and Elizabeth Banks!  Peter Segal is scheduled to direct.  He’s not sure if they can get all those cast members.
• 18:30 – What is the reading really like?  Do the actors prepare for it?
• 19:20 – Untitled Joe Namath Project talk.  Says James Mangold is involved in the movie.  Not sure if it’s to write and/or direct
• 19:50 – How many projects does he try and develop at one time
• 20:30 – What’s up with Get Smart 2?  He says Steve Carell wrote the script for the sequel!

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