comment #1

Mr. Gittes says ...

Got to fill up the docket 'till Lincoln?

But I like Carnahan. Seems like one of the good guys. Nice to see that he's finally getting a project off the ground. Hopefully A-Team is a success and Carnahan can make White Jazz.

comment #2

Josh Massey says ...

Brian Bloom? From the '80s Brian Bloom?

comment #3

Sean says ...

The much-derided Hasbro movies are, I think, very important Hollywood bellwethers that we jokingly dismiss at our peril. Specs are out; pre-existing brands (what screenwriter Terry Rossio calls "mental real estate") are in. We wouldn't be sniffing if Carnahan was directing Neeson in a franchise-free action movie (well, I wouldn't because I like Carnahan and Neeson, as much as I might dislike that the career path that presents itself for Neeson is basically Ford redux); the fact that we are sniffing probably cannot be laid at Carnahan and Neeson's feet.

comment #4

p.Vice says ...

I might be interested if they get Michael Shannon to play Murdock.

comment #5

DavidF says ...

This thing has been in development so long I can't imagine it can be any good.

And yet I think Carnahan (warts and all) is the best person I've heard attached to the project and instead of looking at Neeson lowering himself to the material, maybe we can see it as him elevating it....?

I think an A-Team movie can work as long as they take the good premise seriously instead of hokey (kinda like the Battlestar reboot) and make a real effort to tell a good story without being slavish to the TV series. And a Mr. T cameo couldn't hurt.

A script by the GI Joe/Wolverine guy, however, does not instill confidence this is the way they are going. I expect something that's faithful to the material in the way that Starsky & Hutch was faithful to the material. Making a Blackhawk Down-style A-Team movie, intense and no CGI, is the path to success if you ask me.

And, yes, I'll write the script if this one gets ditched.

comment #6

actionman says ...

That's pretty funny, p.Vice. But a great idea nonetheless.

comment #7

Mark says ...

If there's a god, Nic Cage will play Murdock, and Mike Tyson plays B.A.

BTW - "Specs are out; pre-existing brands" Land of the Lost just got crushed by two non-francises with no star power. Was Taken a francise? People see movies that appeal to them. Yes they may be more likely to see a movie of a book they read, but as far as a dead and dated television show, show me proof.

comment #8

Josh Massey says ...

Michael Keaton would have made the best Murdock. In 1988.

comment #9

TL says ...

Just skimming the beginning, I thought it said Leslie Nielsen was negotiating with Fox, etc. That sounds like a better movie.

comment #10

lipranzer says ...

As much as I liked the show as a guilty pleasure, I can't imagine a movie of this being good, even with Carnahan; his stock went down for me after SMOKING ACES.

comment #11

kamichojin says ...

Bradley Cooper definitely projects the right smart-shit vibe for Faceman. The real question: will any of their 1000s of rounds of ammo actually hit anything in this version?

comment #12

actionman says ...

Carnahan's only made 3 movies so I don't know what to make of him overall as of yet.

Narc is one of the best cop movies ever made and I loved Smokin Aces for the stylish crap that it was.

However, his BMW film was one of the best of the bunch. Just incredible action cinematography.

With the Scotts on board as producers for The A-Team, one can at least hope that this'll have an edge to it...but with Fox fronting the money, you have to figure it'll be a shitty PG-13 actioner.

comment #13

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Liked Narc. SA was an awful, big-budget version of his miniscule, early film Blood, Guts, Bullets, and Octane.

I have a bad feeling that Carnahan's 15 minutes are already up.

comment #14

Stringer Bell says ...

'Taken' has got to be one of the most surprising money-makers since 'The Hand that Rocks The Cradle'.

Wonder if Neeson would be bitching about the money if he didnt luck into 'Taken's' grosses.

comment #15

actionman says ...

Taken was so average on almost every level that it hurt.

comment #16

dinovelvet says ...

Walton Goggins for Murdock. But in reality, Will Ferrell.

comment #17

actionman says ...

Ferrell is about to do some PG-13 action-comedy called The B-Team, or something like that.

Goggins is a GREAT idea for Murdock. But there's as much of a chance of that happening as there is of Shannon getting cast as Murdock.

comment #18

NightWriter says ...

Yes, Taken and Cradle were surprise hits, Stringer, but they exemplify genre filmmaking and thus are as by-the-numbers as any TV show adaptation, more so in fact if the TV show isn't particularly formulaic (although I can't think of a non-formulaic TV adaptation off the top of my head).

Carnahan is like every other Hollywood-based director: he's only as good as the script. Yes, that's a sweeping generalization but can someone produce a solid counter-example?

comment #19

Skip McCoy, American says ...

"Taken was so average on almost every level that it hurt."

There was an action movie Actionman didn't call great?

comment #20

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

"Carnahan is like every other Hollywood-based director: he's only as good as the script. Yes, that's a sweeping generalization but can someone produce a solid counter-example?"

That's tough to argue with because most of the "great" directors also have a pretty discerning eye for material. But I came up with a short list of talented filmmakers who's directorial skills are almost always better than the quality of scripts they tend to use (note that I do not necessarily view this as a positive thing).

Current Hollywood filmmakers: Proyas, Mendes, Wachowskis, Burton, Zack Snyder (pretty telling that none of them -- save Wachowskis -- are really known as writers themselves)

Former Hollywood filmmaker: Woo (almost seems to have been a language barrier thing in the U.S....he's since gone back to Asia, and his script selection seems much better again)

Probably fell into this category 15 years ago: Jackson and Raimi (the direction was usually the best thing about their early work, then they finally hit on all cylinders with Heavenly Creatures and A Simple Plan, each got a big blockbuster trilogy and haven't really looked back since.

Someone else can probably make a case for him here (certainly not me): Michael Bay

comment #21

Rich S. says ...

Speaking of paycheck fumes, I'm surprised this has been hanging out there for a couple of days without comment:

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/heavy-metal-adds-cameron-verbinksi-snyder-as-directors.php

David Fincher to co-produce and direct a segment of a new Heavy Metal film?

I honestly don't know if Hollywood Elsewhere could survive something like that, especially since his comrades in arms - Cameron, Snyder and Verbinski are such ripe HE punching bags.

comment #22

Sean says ...

Mark: I wasn't talking about what audiences would go see. I was talking about what studios would fund. And if they had it to do over again I'm sure they'd re-greenlight Land of the Lost.

Wasn't Taken bowlderized into a PG-13? I haven't seen it, but if we're going to trash it it seems like we should start with the original (the US was, for once, one of the later countries to open that movie).

Narc and Carnahan's BMW movie are indeed terrific.

comment #23

actionman says ...

Hey Skip -- there are more shitty action films than great ones out there...

comment #24

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

I saw that, Rich. Didn't expect Wells to mention it. Aside from Fincher, it's really more the material I expect to see the more geeky sites (AICN, CHUD, darkhorizons) lose their shit over.

It certainly sounds pretty good to me, even if these "dream team" anthology things never work out. I guess they still have to sign three directors. The only one I'm a bit "meh" on so far is Verbinski. I liked what he did with the remake of The Ring, but outside of that, I'm not really sold on the guy's talent.

I kind of see him as poor man's version of Stephen Sommers, if that's even possible. Thing I (sorta) like about Steve is he knows his films lack substance, so he isn't afraid to start throwing in the kitchen sink and just ratchet up the camp levels to nearly intolerable levels.

comment #25

Chicago48 says ...

This could be a successful franchise, as long as they don't make it "serious" and have enough wink-wink jokes. Ridley Scott knows action....could be a winner. Besides, after today's Page 6 story about Scott & Russell having another falling out, he would probably welcome working with Neeson.

comment #26

George Prager says ...

Scott and Brian Bloom totally owned in THE STUFF.

I saw a half hour of an "A-Team" last week. Much worse than I remembered.

comment #27

actionman says ...

Sommers is a poor man's Verbinski. Verbinski has style and an incredible eye for visuals and seamless special effects. Sommers...not so much.

comment #28

Josh Massey says ...

"Walton Goggins for Murdock..."

That is a HELLUVA good idea. Gold star for you.

As I said before here, Taken was stupid, trite and silly - and I loved every second of it. And that "I will find you" speech was probably worth $75 million to the box office. I hope the writer got a bonus.

comment #29

actionman says ...

the trailer for taken was better than the film

it's a step-down for the director of district B-13, a genuinely inventive action movie with loads of euro-flash style

comment #30

mattn says ...

I guess if I were Neeson I'd do pretty much anything if it would keep me busy.

comment #31

actionman says ...

exactly, mattn

comment #32

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

Verbinski shits all over Sommers. The opening shots in Dead Man's Chest looked like they were filmed by Terrence Malick. Those tea-cups and the rain and whatnot. And the Weather Man was a far more stylish movie than it needed to be, in a good way. One of the last Cage movies that wasn't shit.

comment #33

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

For some reason I always thought Clooney in comedy-mode would have made a good Hannibal. Can't really imagine Neeson in the role; he's more of a worldly-wise mentor type (Star Wars, Batman, Kingdom of Heaven) than a cigar-chomping leader of men.

Chris Pine is rumoured for Murdock, but I think this was before he signed onto the Tony Scott thing.

Whatever happens, keep that fucking rubbish Common away from B.A. Barracus.

comment #34

actionman says ...

the weather man is a supremely underrated little comedy -- so funny.

comment #35

DavidF says ...

Bosh - I also thought Clooney would make a good Hannibal but then I wondered if it was because I already saw him play a jaded Gulf War soldier in Three Kings.

Shit, you could go back to that movie, make Spike Jonze Murdock and I wouldn't complain. Heck, BA might even be up Wahlberg's alley if not for the skin colour thing.

I guess they could be daring and do some colour-blind casting (eg an African-American as Murdock but some muscly white guy as BA...)

I don't know who they'll cast as BA but, with all due respect, hopefully it will be an actor not a "hip" rapper.

For some reason I picture Bret Rattner taking the helm for A-Team II and bringing in Chris Tucker....

comment #36

Josh Massey says ...

Is Ving Rhames too old?

comment #37

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

DavidF: surely Ice Cube would be B.A. and Wahlberg would be Face? That'd work perfectly.

Christ, I hope Common doesn't get the role. He was laughably poor in Terminator.

I hope they don't go super-serious or super-camp with this one. Ocean's Eleven would be the perfect tone for an A-Team film. It shouldn't be Starsky & Hutch or Miami Vice.

comment #38

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

Idris Elba as B.A. would be the TITS.

comment #39

DavidF says ...

Damn, Bosh - I forgot about the Cube. Good call. Wahlberg is a bit too "street" for Face but it works well enough under the circumstances.

I don't know where fake and real DZ are to say:
"No one went to see this the first time when it was called Three Kings. Long monologues about sepsis are not the secret of a good BO haul. I predict this makes $23 M tops."

Anyway, I'd definitely vote for Idris Elba...heck, he'd make a good Face too...slick, but tough.

comment #40

va says ...

Michael Clarke Duncan as B.A. --- I'd like to give benefit of the doubt to Neeson - he's made his money, and he's trying to keep busy (thanks mattn) -- he gets a pass on any judgement call until the film is released.

comment #41

poseidon72 says ...

I laugh when people knock a film like Taken. NOT everything has to be Godfather quality. As revenge drama's go Taken worked big time and Neeson was the reason it was so satisfying. It box-office speaks for itself.

chuck

comment #42

Rich S. says ...

It's kind of funny. I'm old enough to remember when George Peppard walked away from the successful Banacek, allegedly in part because he was dissatisfied with the quality of the scripts. Then, a few years later, he popped up in A Team.

comment #43

BurmaShave says ...

Walton Goggins and Idris Elba are the kind of awesome ideas I treasure from this beautiful place.

comment #44

crazynine says ...

I'll ditto the respect for "Taken." Finally rented it this weekend-- it did exactly what it wanted to do, and it was completely cheer-worthy (i.e. no real moral shades of gray, just Neeson-- Neeson!!-- kicking ass).

My only complaint about the film is that had his daughter NOT been kidnapped, Neeson's dad would have won the Oscar for "creepy helicopter dad of the century." Dude, we get it, you love your daughter, the world is scary, Famke Jannsen is a one-dimensional bitch, got it. You're STILL a hover-dad, dude.

;-).

Anyway, I wish *more* movies were that good-- solid, tight quality entertainment.

comment #45

Skip McCoy, American says ...

"I laugh when people knock a film like Taken. NOT everything has to be Godfather quality. As revenge drama's go Taken worked big time and Neeson was the reason it was so satisfying. It box-office speaks for itself."

More like Neeson was the ONLY reason. That said, I've spent far worse afternoons in theaters than watching Neeson take a Charles Bronson Golan-Globus movie from the early 80s, and direct all his Chuck Heston-mudwrestles-Gregory Peck intensity onto it. I'd rather sit through Taken 2 than Terminator 5, that's for sure.

comment #46

poseidon72 says ...

More like Neeson was the ONLY reason. That said, I've spent far worse afternoons in theaters than watching Neeson take a Charles Bronson Golan-Globus movie from the early 80s, and direct all his Chuck Heston-mudwrestles-Gregory Peck intensity onto it. I'd rather sit through Taken 2 than Terminator 5, that's for sure.

You know Skip
I really miss the 80's when you could go to theater and see a guy like Bronson. You knew it was totally B-movie land but they worked on the rawest of levels. Even a film like Uncommon Valor with Gene Hackman was a great time at the movies. Now its just $100 million dollar budgets or nothing when it comes to our main stream entertainment.

One more point on Neeson in The A-Team. Fox could have went the no-brainer route with Bruce Willis, its nice to see a litle guts by going with Neeson.

Chuck
http://blog.entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com/

comment #47

shermy says ...

This is one of those projects that probably should've happened about ten years ago.

Even so, I think Mel Gibson would be a much better choice for Hannibal Smith. The character wasn't just the respected team leader- he also had that whole "Bugs Bunny troublemaker" vibe going on. And the latter is something Mel has in spades.

comment #48

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

Good call, Shermy. Gibson would have been perfect. I just don't see the whole cheeky grin side of Hannibal in Neeson.

comment #49

lipranzer says ...

""I laugh when people knock a film like Taken. NOT everything has to be Godfather quality."

Yeah, people who want to see movies with at least a modicum of intelligence and ambition that are still entertaining are such wimps and pussies.

comment #50

JaySmack says ...

I already had an interest back when Antione Fuqua's name was attached --and I LOATHE that idiot.

But Carnahan's involvement makes this a MUST-SEE for me. I think George Clooney would have been a better fit, but hell, you can do a lot worse than Neeson.

I just hope Joe shows better judgment with casting. I don't EVER want to see Common in another movie ever again. Carnahan must have lost his mind during the casting of SA.
No more rappers or singers being cast in movies. It oughta be a law.

Oh, and just so everyone knows, TERRY CREWS is the ONLY person who can play B.A. Baracus. If Joe's got any sense at all he should have already made that decision.