W Wish List

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I've been told about three casting "likes" for Oliver Stone's W -- i.e., actors who are wanted for the George Bush bopic but not (as far as my source knows) signed. Toby Jones (who plays legendary super-agent Swifty Lazar in Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon) is being sought to play Karl Rove. They want Jeffrey Wright to play Colin Powell, and they'd like Tommy Lee Jones to have a go at Donald Rumsfeld. Again -- nothing firm, no contracts.

Toby Jones (l.), Karl Rove (r.)

On the other hand, New York is reporting it could be Paul Giamatti as Rove. I actually like that a little better than Jones.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 27, 2008 at 12:34 PM

comment #1

alynch says ...

Well, I'd love to see Tommy Lee Jones in another Stone movie.

Posted by alynch at March 27, 2008 12:56 PM

comment #2

lazespud says ...

How the hell does Oliver Stone keep pulling off these big budget "bio-pics" with all of these stars? They typically are uniquely bad, and they never, ever seem to make money.

I think I am biased because of his naming convention; he names his films as if they are going to be the definative account about the subject and they end up either totally sucking, or being a very specific angle on the subject... Alexander? Ugg... Nixon? yeesh. World Trade Center? Only the second movie I've ever walked out of because of general suckiness. JFK? Actually a great movie, but it was pure hypothetical bullsh*t and far from any kind of definitive statement about kennedy.

I can imagine W. will suck just like the others. The question is, why do they keep giving him money to make these things.

I loved Platoon when it came out, but it really doesn't hold up very well. The only Stone movie that seems to hold up to me is Salvador. Great movie. (and maybe born of the fourth of July).

Posted by lazespud at March 27, 2008 1:01 PM

comment #3

George Prager says ...

Hickenlooper as Karl Rove.

http://www.nichefestival.com/images/talent/HICKENLOOPER.jpg

Posted by George Prager at March 27, 2008 1:03 PM

comment #4

BurmaShave says ...

It will never be adequately be explained to be how NIXON is somehow a bad movie.

Posted by BurmaShave at March 27, 2008 1:04 PM

comment #5

Josh Massey says ...

It looks like he's making the "Muppet Babies" version of Bush's story.

Posted by Josh Massey at March 27, 2008 1:10 PM

comment #6

SmilingPolitely says ...

Hmm... I han't thought of Toby before, but I could see him working. The obvious choice would be Philip Seymour Hoffman.

I'm definitely down with Wright as Colin Powell.

Tommy Lee Jones as Rumsfeld? Don't know about that... How about James Woods as Donald Rumsfeld and Tommy Lee Jones as General Tommy Franks.

Posted by SmilingPolitely at March 27, 2008 1:14 PM

comment #7

Richardson says ...

I still have trouble seeing anybody besides Kurt Fuller as Karl Rove.

John Doman would make a great Rumsfeld. Tommy Franks looks more than a little like R. Lee Ermey, but that would probably be too on-the-nose.

Posted by Richardson at March 27, 2008 1:23 PM

comment #8

mutinyco says ...

What about Brian Dennehy as Cheney?...

Posted by mutinyco at March 27, 2008 1:24 PM

comment #9

BlueRaymondBabbit says ...

Clooney as Rumsfeld.

Posted by BlueRaymondBabbit at March 27, 2008 1:25 PM

comment #10

chicbn872 says ...

Wow...I agree with BurmaShave. "Nixon" really is Stone's last watchable movie.

Posted by chicbn872 at March 27, 2008 1:27 PM

comment #11

StoneFan1 says ...

Kurt Fuller was GREAT in the other wise horrible "No Holds Barred"

"Nixon" is one of the five best films ever made!

"Alexander" is also great! Best Picture of 2004!

You can't say you walked out on a film and then comment on whether it was good or not. Sorry, but that isn't possible and shouldn't be allowed by the government.

Posted by StoneFan1 at March 27, 2008 1:30 PM

comment #12

StoneFan1 says ...

Oh, boy! Here we go with the Stone bashing, because a bunch of movie nerds don't consider him to be "hip" anymore!

Thank God for that!

Scorsese's last watchable film was "Bringing Out the Dead" There, I said it! Oh, "The Insider" was Mann's last watchable film. Ok, what other movie nerd favorite can I attack next?

Posted by StoneFan1 at March 27, 2008 1:34 PM

comment #13

Jeffrey Kunze says ...

Is StoneFan1 serious?!

Stone is highly overrated.

His best film is far and away Born on the Fourth of July (also Tom Cruise's best acting to date).

I saw Platoon again recently (they keep playing it on Encore) and while it's an incredible film, it really hasn't aged as well as Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket.

I still love it though. Kevin Dillion is hilarious as Bunny! (especially if you watch Entourage).

"Yeah, but I still like a piece of pussy once in a while. Ain't nothing like a piece of pussy, except maybe the Indy 500."

Posted by Jeffrey Kunze at March 27, 2008 1:42 PM

comment #14

Jeffrey Kunze says ...

Oh what the hell am I talking about. Platoon is a 4 star movie.

Here's some really interesting trivia. Thank God Keanu Reeves didn't get the part of Pt. Taylor. Deep/ Kyle McLaughlin would have been interesting.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091763/trivia

Posted by Jeffrey Kunze at March 27, 2008 1:52 PM

comment #15

MikeSchaeferSF says ...

Toby Jones was a far more on-the-nose Truman Capote than PSH; unfortunately for Jones, Capote came first and was a more "serious", arty film than Infamous. But his portrayal was far more the Capote that I remember from late-'60s talk-show fame. I'm sure he can do Rove -- will Stone deal with the gay rumors?

Posted by MikeSchaeferSF at March 27, 2008 1:53 PM

comment #16

DavidF says ...

Even though he's about 1/2 Powell's size I bet Geoffery Wright can play the hell out of that role. I'd love to see him finally get something to earn him an Oscar nomination - he is consistently awesome.

Posted by DavidF at March 27, 2008 1:53 PM

comment #17

Mgmax, le Corbeau says ...

You know who would make a great Rumsfeld, with a hairpiece and if he can be coaxed out of television and back into real acting again? Kurtwood Smith.

Posted by Mgmax, le Corbeau at March 27, 2008 1:59 PM

comment #18

Mgmax, le Corbeau says ...

I'm not surprised actors are happy to sign up for these things. They're juicy historical parts, beats playing a cop on the verge of retirement who wants to solve one last case. It's just too bad that all that acting power usually goes to waste because Stone's batshit crazy.

Posted by Mgmax, le Corbeau at March 27, 2008 2:02 PM

comment #19

mutinyco says ...

Actually, what about Ed Harris as Cheney? He hates him.

Posted by mutinyco at March 27, 2008 2:02 PM

comment #20

SmilingPolitely says ...

Kurtwood Smith is a great call. That man would own Rumsfeld!

Posted by SmilingPolitely at March 27, 2008 2:03 PM

comment #21

BurmaShave says ...

Someone on CHUD pointed it out, but if they cleaned him up, Nolte would be a great Rumsfeld. Watch CAPE FEAR. It's Rummy.

Posted by BurmaShave at March 27, 2008 2:08 PM

comment #22

Richardson says ...

"Kevin Dillion is hilarious as Bunny! (especially if you watch Entourage)."

A year or two back, they actually made an odd 'Platoon' reference, and even though the ref was about Johnny Depp having a small part in the movie, I also felt like there was an added bonus to the ref if you knew Dillon was in both.

Posted by Richardson at March 27, 2008 2:18 PM

comment #23

Mark says ...

How does Toby Jones make any wish list? Fine performer, but It's not like Stone would have to cross his fingers before calling him up. "Sorry Oliver, Rove sounds like a great part, but I'm filling in for Emile Hirsh in Speed Racer II." This wish list sounds made up by the agent of Mr. Jones.

Posted by Mark at March 27, 2008 3:08 PM

comment #24

MAGGA says ...

Salvador, Platoon, Wall Street, Talk Radio, Born On The Fourth Of July, The Doors, JFK, Natural Born Killers and Nixon. Nine - NINE!- great movies in ten years, and Heaven And Earth is not bad either. Not a fan of any of his films since, but he is one of the most underrated directors out there. And he's not crazy, he just has an opinion and trusts that expressing his view on history as a filmmaker is seen as valid, rather than playing everything safe. And his films have contained the most inventive editing since early Scorcese.

Posted by MAGGA at March 27, 2008 3:52 PM

comment #25

Jeffrey Kunze says ...

Good points MAGGA. I totally forgot about Wall Street and Talk Radio. Great films.

I still despise Natural Born Killers though. If I want a psychadelic mindtrip of a movie, I'll take Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas over Natural Born Killers any day of the week.

Posted by Jeffrey Kunze at March 27, 2008 3:56 PM

comment #26

alynch says ...

Stone is apparently in talks with Paul Giamatti over a possible role.

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/03/will_paul_giamatti_play_karl_r.html

Posted by alynch at March 27, 2008 4:19 PM

comment #27

T. S. Idiot says ...

Since Toby Jones is playing Swifty Lazar in Frost/Nixon, he already has experience advising a disgraced Republican president.

Posted by T. S. Idiot at March 27, 2008 5:25 PM

comment #28

filmfan says ...

Who will play Alberto "torture" Gonzalez?

Posted by filmfan at March 27, 2008 6:52 PM

comment #29

worrywort says ...

Who will play Alberto "torture" Gonzalez?

None other than Cate Blanchett.

Posted by worrywort at March 27, 2008 7:01 PM

comment #30

MickTravis says ...

I like Toby Jones as an actor, but physically he's all wrong for it. Rove could tuck Jones in his waistband. Paul Giamatti seems a natural choice, but they'd really have to make him up so he wouldn't just look like Paul Giamatti.

Posted by MickTravis at March 27, 2008 9:15 PM

comment #31

christian says ...

"Who will play Alberto "torture" Gonzalez?"

Carlos Mencia.

And John "Torture Memo" Yoo?

Chow Yun Fat.

Ted "Gay Meth Prostitutes" Haggard?

Steve Zahn.

Who said casting was hard?

Posted by christian at March 27, 2008 11:01 PM

comment #32

Jay says ...

Oliver Stone is one of five directors that I will see EVERY movie they do regardless of content.

For some reason it became the cultural norm to bash Stone as a hack. I just ask you; who else puts this much energy, information and danger into big-budget films anymore? Stone is a rare gift. He gives us films we actually talk about afterward. Most movies have slipped your memory before you are home from the theater.

Give U-Turn, Any Given Sunday, and World Trade Center another shot. Very rewarding upon second viewing.

Posted by Jay at March 28, 2008 7:29 AM

comment #33

Dave Polands Gut says ...

An Oliver Stone movie? This would have been news in 1988.

Posted by Dave Polands Gut at March 28, 2008 8:12 AM

comment #34

T. S. Idiot says ...

I agree with Jay. Some are too tough on Ollie because he's an asshole, but his films are always interesting. Love U-Turn.

Posted by T. S. Idiot at March 28, 2008 9:58 AM

comment #35

drillo cocco says ...

Robert Forster would be a great Rumsfeld.

Posted by drillo cocco at March 28, 2008 10:20 AM

comment #36

Terry McCarty says ...

StoneFan 1 wrote:
Oh, boy! Here we go with the Stone bashing, because a bunch of movie nerds don't consider him to be "hip" anymore!

Thank God for that!

Scorsese's last watchable film was "Bringing Out the Dead" There, I said it! Oh, "The Insider" was Mann's last watchable film. Ok, what other movie nerd favorite can I attack next?

"Last watchable film" must mean "last film made primarily for artistic reasons in a director's career before taking projects intended for continued box-office viability."

Posted by Terry McCarty at March 30, 2008 1:45 AM

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