"Enemies" and Vaughn
Columbia Pictures hasn't yet put an offer on the table for Vince Vaughn to play heroic FBI guy John O'Neill in Paul Haggis 's film version of Against All Enemies, but Vaughn has been reportedly been talking to Haggis about doing it. And a story about this not yet solidified situation was fed to the Hollywood Reporter for what purpose, and with what motive? Vaughn's O'Neill is a likable supporting character -- a good hombre who gets the terrorism picture as clearly as the hero, Richard Clarke (who will apparently beplayed by Sean Penn) does. I've read a draft of the script as it existed before Haggis began his "supervisory" rewrite with original screenwriter James Vanderbilt, and I ran a review of it on 3.20, and I can tell you that O'Neill turns up on page 67 and exits on page 123. Tatiana Siegel's THR piece says no offer has been made to Vaughn because Columbia Pictures is "fine-tuning the film's budget." What is that, a euphemism for "hemming and hawing", as in "this project scares us...we're not sure what we should do...if it fails it'll reflect badly on us...should we wait and see what World Trade Center makes the first weekend before we greenlight it?"
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 11, 2006 at 6:22 PM
comment #1
Paul Haggis says ...
Best Picture 2007... if I don't make Medellin with Vincent Chase first.
Posted by Paul Haggis at July 12, 2006 5:13 PM
comment #2
Dixon Steele says ...
No, Jeff, what it means is that the studio is being careful before greenlighting the picture, which is does once they make the offer to Vaughn. Remember Universal having to pay Denzel $20 million and eating it on American Gangster?
No movies is a slam dunk and this obviously is not the kind of comedy that Vaughn is so hot with these days. So, yeah, it's a risk.
Any idea what the budget is? Bet it ain't cheap.
As you know all the studios are being very careful these days, and I guess this relects that.
Still, I won't be surprised when they do greenlight it, maybe after shaving the budget some.
Posted by Dixon Steele at July 12, 2006 6:00 PM
comment #3
jane says ...
Vaughn has two recent large paydays the breakup and Joe Claus but also took a role in Penn's
Into the wild -- so for him this won't neccessarily be about money -- he has been rumored for a Haggis film before (honeymoon w/ Harry )which appears to be on the backburner and
he is currently working with Penn maybe him and penn hit it off? seems like an odd match personally more than professionally
Posted by jane at July 12, 2006 6:56 PM
comment #4
jsp says ...
Vaughn is a right-winger and Bush supporter. He won't do it. Trust me I know.
Posted by jsp at July 13, 2006 4:51 AM
comment #5
Mike says ...
No, you don't know because Vaughn is doing this flick. You can be a right-winger and not be crazy about the Bush Administration or just not a political animal in general (John O'Neil wasn't). Besides, I've read the script and it's not a Bush bashing piece -- it covers four administrations and details the history of... well, our countries history with terrorism.
And it's fantastic. A real epic. I hope they make it. Don't like the Penn casting however -- makes the piece a little too easy to dismiss as left-wing when it truly isn't. The John O'Neil role is great -- real tragic stuff. To get this film made, I expect more stars will have to be cast in small roles. And how do you cast Reagan, Clinton, both Bushes, Cheney, etc...?
Posted by Mike at July 13, 2006 9:19 AM
comment #6
jsp says ...
Sorry mate Vaughn's not aboard. It's the rumor thing going on - no bite. Aganist All Enemies is going to be controversial and Vince won't touch it. His reps and he knows his career is set for next couple of years won't be taking chances.
But with all the bad shit going on in the world rather than argue lets just wait and see if he does sign.
Posted by jsp at July 13, 2006 12:18 PM