"Pompeii" is dead

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Director Roman Polanski has bailed out of Pompeii, a Euro-funded epic that would have cost a mere $100 million (which is nothing in today's big-dick movie economy). This means the project is probably dead for good. Producer Robert Benmussa told reporters that the historical drama collapsed over "fears that the looming actors strike could derail the project." I'm sorry we won't be seeing it. The CG recreations might have been wonderful. I wouldn't have cared if Roland Emmerich was planning (or suddenly not planning) to direct, but Polanski is/was another story.

Pompeii ruins, snapped a little less than four months ago

One reason I visited the actual Pompeii ruins last May was that I wanted to write off my Italy sojourn with Jett as a research/business expense. I guess I can still claim this. I went there with a completely realistic expectation that the film would be shot, etc.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on September 12, 2007 at 5:41 AM

comment #1

le corbeau says ...

I only care about Roland Emmerich when it involves WOOLLY MAMMOTHS KICKING ASS!

Posted by le corbeau at September 12, 2007 6:33 AM

comment #2

erniesouchak says ...

Actually I'm kind of glad this is off. I'd like to see ancient Rome left alone for awhile.

Posted by erniesouchak at September 12, 2007 6:36 AM

comment #3

le corbeau says ...

I'd be fine with ancient Rome, but Pompeii is a yawner to me-- every Pompeii movie has the same ending, obviously, so every Pompeii movie has to be the sort of story which gets resolved with a volcano. And I don't find those stories terribly interesting.

Posted by le corbeau at September 12, 2007 7:06 AM

comment #4

Rich S. says ...

I agree, Mgmax, to the extent that a director like Polanski would portray the volcanic eruption (relatively) tastefully.

Now, if it were someone like Emmerich or Bay, they would show the principals sucking superheated volcanic ash into their lungs and dying huddled under staircases while drawing their doomed pets into their arms. Now that's interesting.

Posted by Rich S. at September 12, 2007 7:11 AM

comment #5

Ian Sinclair says ...

The title is problematic, as well. I would retitle it. "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lava" perhaps?

Posted by Ian Sinclair at September 12, 2007 7:54 AM

comment #6

le corbeau says ...

Emmerich would show the gladiator hero using his shield for a surfboard and surfing out of Pompeii on lava.

Posted by le corbeau at September 12, 2007 8:02 AM

comment #7

Ray says ...

Mgmax - BRILLIANT!!!

I for one am surprised to hear Jeff say he wouldn't mind an Emmerich-directed "Pompeii" film. After "Godzilla," I wouldn't mind if Emmerich found a completely new profession.

www.therecshow.com

Posted by Ray at September 12, 2007 8:16 AM

comment #8

Rich S. says ...

"Emmerich would show the gladiator hero using his shield for a surfboard and surfing out of Pompeii on lava."

Starring: Orlando Bloom as Extraneous.

Posted by Rich S. at September 12, 2007 8:21 AM

comment #9

gunder says ...

Have to say that the script was kind of cool. Story was really all about water and how the broken aqueducts were the first signs of volcanic trouble.

So, sort of like Chinatown, Roman was returning to a water-themed movie.

Posted by gunder at September 12, 2007 9:53 AM

comment #10

Craig Kennedy says ...

"for one am surprised to hear Jeff say he wouldn't mind an Emmerich-directed "Pompeii" film."

I think he meant that if the direct was Emmerich, he wouldn't have minded him dropping out, but with Polanski it was regretable.

Posted by Craig Kennedy at September 12, 2007 10:10 AM

comment #11

T. S. Idiot says ...

"I wanted to write off my Italy sojourn with Jett as a research/business expense. I guess I can still claim this."

As if the IRS wasn't already monitoring this site.

Posted by T. S. Idiot at September 12, 2007 10:56 AM

comment #12

GonePostal says ...

I'm very dissapointed that this film is being shelved. The novel the script is based on, "Pompeii(duh)" by Robert Harris was a political thriller as much as it was an action-oriented book and provided a facinating account of the Roman Aquaduct system. Roland Emmerich would easily ruin the film, but Polanski might have made it into quite an entertaining, cerebreal type action/drama hybrid.

Jeff, at the very least, you did get to visit Pompeii, which I have also been to and have found to be really, really cool. But I'm a Roman history nut.

Posted by GonePostal at September 12, 2007 11:23 AM

comment #13