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Will QT Be Able to Attract(or Keep) Big Stars for His Manson Movie Now?

posted 7 years ago by ecarle (14979)
8 replies | jump to latest

QT has consistently made fairly gory and controversial movies for his entire career, but he was usually able to entice "marquee stars" to be in them: Bruce Willis, Robert DeNiro, Brad Pitt, and Leo deCaprio. (Travolta wasn't big when he did Pulp Fiction, but he had BEEN big.)

He used lesser stars -- starting with the good but "second-tier" Kurt Russell -- in films such as Death Trap and The Hateful Eight.

A few months ago, it looked like QT's planned 1969 story(with a Charles Manson angle) was going to attract some of the biggest stars yet:

Leo(already aboard.) Al Pacino(sought). Tom Cruise(being courted.) Maybe Brad Pitt again.

But since QT's run into all this bad press (from the travails of his best pal Harvey Weinstein to intimations of directorial cruelty towards Uma Turman, Diane Kruger, and Daryl Hannah)...you have to wonder: will the big stars sign up for this movie or not?

More to the point: will Leo drop out?

Its a serious question. QT is a fighter, and he's always claimed that his movies are meant to be controversial and "sick." He's a "Heavy Metal" director, says he.

But he's generally been a sick, heavy metal director who could attract big stars.

Folks like Leo, Tom, Brad, and Al may not want to sign on for a project directed by a MeToo pariah...or to have to face interview questions about QT's problems.

On the other hand, QT is still an auteur, a big name with a heavy history. He may pull this out of the bag.

Meanwhile: nothing much has been said about further casting for this project recently.

I suppose if Kurt Russell comes on board, we will have the answer.

[–] rootvegetables (1668) 7 years ago

Tarantino may have been cruel to his female stars, but he treated their feet with nothing but love, tenderness, adoration and reverence. All we be forgiven and put to rights.

[none]

[–] Washingtonnative (2613) 7 years ago

It's over, forget it!

[–] ecarle (14979) 7 years ago

Cool.

Big stars will return.....

[–] ecarle (14979) 7 years ago

Gee, QT fan giddiness of a month ago was somewhat dampened by intervening events: Weinstein fallout growth, Uma's article in the NYT, and revelations of QT personally spitting in Uma's face for a Kill Bill scene and somewhat strangling Diane Kruger for her Inglorious Basterds death (with their support.)

I feared perhaps the big stars would back out or not join the new QT enterprise.

Not so:

Announced this week:

Leo is still in.
Brad Pitt has joined up.

The movie has a title -- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood(hey there, Sergio!) and some more plot has been divulged:

Leo's a kinda washed up TV star trying to make it in movies. Brad's his pal and stunt double. And Brad's next door neighbor is...Sharon Tate. Uh oh, that's pretty damn close to the "Manson action." But I wonder when Sharon gets killed. Early in the movie? Mid-way? Near the end?

With Leo and Brad in, will Margot Robbie take the Sharon Tate role as hoped? Will Big Al Pacino sign on?

I expect that Leo and Brad -- with previous experience on earlier QT pictures(Django and Basterds respectively)-- have their own feelings as to whether or not QT is a "good guy or a bad guy." And they are "in." Hell, that's enough star power right there(I assume Tom Cruise is now out; I think there was always only the two main youngish male roles.)

The film still has an August 9, 2019 release date(the 50th Anniversary of Sharon's murder.)

I suppose there is time for the promotion to go quiet from time to time, but the bottom line is:

QT has not backed down and run away. Neither have two major male stars.

[–] ecarle (14979) 6 years ago

And now...Margot Robbie is in. As Sharon Tate.

And Kurt Russell and Michael Madsen and Tim Roth.

And Burt Reynolds...as George Spahnn, the geezer who ran the old movie ranch where the Manson family hung out.

---

I'd say my OP has been answered. QT can still get big stars.

I'm guessing that Tom Cruise was up for the Pitt or Leo role; and that Al Pacino was up for the role taken by Reynolds. We don't hear about them anymore on this project.

Still, Leo, Brad, Margot are three major stars...Kurt is pretty big still...Madsen and Roth are QT classics, and Burt Reynolds is a faded legend.

[–] Martoto (5033) 6 years ago

This thread seems weird now (if it didn't already). A basketload of insinuation and trying to be ahead of the curve on the next scandal.

[–] ecarle (14979) 6 years ago

Yes, I suppose so.

What's educational to the thread for me (as the OP) is that all suppositions that "Me Too" and the Uma Thurman reveals would somehow hurt QT's career or ability to attract stars proved...nothing. It doesn't take much time for the news cycle to move on, and QT knows this.

However, when this film comes out next summer, I expect QT will at least be questioned again about Weinstein and Uma, et al. I expect he'll forcefully rebut...and perhaps some of his major stars will back him up.

There is this: on the basis of QT comments on police killing African-Americans, various police unions urged a boycott of The Hateful Eight. It ended up being one of QT's least high grossers(though still a small hit.) No one could prove that the boycott(rather than the subject matter and non-Leo/Brad cast) was the reason the film didn't do so well. But the Police Unions took credit for the box office downturn, anyway. Will "Once Upon a Time in America" be subject to boycott?

There...another potential scandal....

[–] RogueDemonHunter (2684) 6 years ago

Margot Robbie
Leonardo DiCaprio
Brad Pitt
Kurt Russell
Dakota Fanning
Al Pacino
Timothy Olyphant
James Marsden
Tim Roth
Damian Lewis
Emile Hirsch

I don't think Quentin has to worry about drawing talent...