WarGames left theaters nearly three decades ago, but a special screening and panel at The Tribeca Film Festival showed little erosion on its emotional impact or the immediacy of its ethical questions.  The production wasn’t easy on Its director, John Badham, who came in mid-shoot to right the production.  Having not screened it for 15 years, the filmmaker had enough perspective to be able to truly enjoy his work.  Hit the jump for our interview with Badham, including some pretty incredible backstory from the set, how he handled the controversial production, his thoughts on Seth Gordon’s upcoming WarGames remake and why another of his classics, Saturday Night Fever, is still relevant.

Charles Grodin is considering a return to movies by reuniting with Robert De Niro for Midnight Run 2.  Deadline reports that original director Martin Brest is also set to return.  Since Grodin was in retirement, the plan was to have De Niro chasing down the son of Grodin’s mob accountant Jonathan ‘The Duke’ Mardukas.  Grodin said of the project, “I’ve been led to believe by someone I won’t name that they will ask me and I will consider it.”  However, Deadline notes that part of Grodin’s reluctance to return to acting is because he wants to “be home in Connecticut by nightfall.”  Why nightfall? I guess Grodin fears vampires and feels safe because of the state’s strict “no-vampires” law.

Grodin was previously offered the chance to star in James Bobin’s upcoming Muppet Movie, but turned it down because he wasn’t “flying 6,000 miles to Los Angeles to work one day.”  I assume the studio would be willing to put him up in a hotel for a couple nights.  Also, I don’t think the distance between Connecticut and LA is 6,000 miles, but I get his point.  I think Grodin is great and while I understand his reluctance about travel, I hope he’ll return to acting in movies.