TOM CRUISE WANTS TO EXPLORE AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS

Cruise is a good actor. I'm for it. I just hope he isn't box office poison at this point, and I'd hate to see Mountains turn into a 'Tom Cruise' film instead of a Del Toro film.

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Originally Posted by Gabe Powers 

Cruise is a good actor. I'm for it. I just hope he isn't box office poison at this point, and I'd hate to see Mountains turn into a 'Tom Cruise' film instead of a Del Toro film.

Yeah, but any movie needs financing which usually requires a name attached to it.  Cruise has his problems, but he's still a name (certainly bigger than GDT). 

I can see the casting.  At least, I don't hate it.  It doesn't sound like stunt casting or anything like that.  Like I said, he has his issues, but he's got decent chops., and he can do action.  This could be a good choice.  Put me down as cautiously optimistic.

You know who might be a good choice?  Daniel Radcliffe.  He could do a nice late 19th Century, early 20th Century academic thing.  And he's not a bad actor to boot.

Let's hope Cruise treats GDT better than he reportedly treated John Woo.  Of course, a lot has changed in the decade since MI:2.  Plus, MI:2 was an unmitigated piece of shit. 

Tom Cruise making a big budget horror epic? If the only way to get this movie made is to have James Cameron and Tom Cruise fill out the triangle, then yeah, I'm all for this.

I hope that Cruise doesn't walk all over GdT. Not that he would or could given his tarnished star (Knight and Day, yo) but any allusion to that would make me less excited for the film. Then again, if Cameron and del Toro are on the same page about the creative direction, I'm sure Tom Cruise can go walk his disagreement off.

Terrific. Cruise can be a genuinely incredible actor when he is excited about a project (which he seems to be). The fact that one of the biggest movie stars of our time wants to make a extremely risky R-rated horror epic is very cool. I don't doubt he'll be able to bring his Magnolia A-game to this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe Powers 

Cruise is a good actor. I'm for it. I just hope he isn't box office poison at this point, and I'd hate to see Mountains turn into a 'Tom Cruise' film instead of a Del Toro film.

I think that's what would certainly happen.  On the other hand, pitching Mountains as a 'Tom Cruise' movie would get the movie made and put butts in seats.  I want this to get made and I want it to get seen.  Del Toro deserves as much, and so do his fans, to be honest.

Plus, Cruise comes factory-installed with features that make it easy to depict him as tiny and overwhelmed amidst the alien architecture and shoggoths*.  It looks like a win/win to me.

*That's a short joke.  And a lazy one.

If I was the studio, I'd probably lead the marketing with Cameron's name, along with its star. Everyone's gonna see Tom Cruise's face all over this thing anyways, and GdT's name is for the geeks and cinemaphiles who are going to probably see this regardless.

Ever since Tom Cruise was rumored to be in the movie, I've been wanting him cast in it. I was one of the few champions of Knight And Day when it was released last year. It was a really fun movie, and Cruise still has tons of charisma. The fact that he wants to do this horror movie, and isn't just being courted for it is enough for me to be excited. They need him and Ron Perlman. Then the other roles can get filled out. Why not put in Walton Goggins, since he's getting fan casted into a lot of things, and was the best part of Predators?

You should read At The Mountains Of Madness as soon as possible, Elizabeth. It's a great read.

Ever since Cruise was revealed as del Toro's first choice for the lead, I wanted him in it. As others stated, the only fear is Cruise trying to take over the movie and make it into a Tom Cruise movie. But this might not be the case if del Toro and Cameron lets him know who's boss or Cruise respects del Toro enough to trust his vision.

The Cruise control factor (SEE WHAT I DID THERE?) in his films seems to vary depending on how clear a vision the director has over the project. He stomped all over Woo on M:I-2, but I didn't see any signs of that when he worked with Spielberg or Mann this decade. And if there's one thing Guillermo knows, it's how to present a clear, unwavering vision, especially when it involves Elder Gods. I don't think we'll run a big risk of him getting railroaded, and I'm a big fan of Cruise when he's in acting mode. I say bring it.

Also, big "yes!" to the Daniel Radcliffe suggestion. I genuinely am excited to see what non-Harry Potter performances he's got in store for us; the only non-HP role I've seen him do was My Boy Jack, in which he did a fantastic job. Joining this ensemble would be great.

I just fear that Del Toro is too much of a nice guy to tell Cruise to back the fuck off.  I've been waiting for somebody to do Lovecraft RIGHT nearly all my life, and Del Toro is one of the elite few who I have faith in to do just that.  Cruise could fuck that all up if he's in diva-jackass mode. 

On the other hand, Cruise has experience with wacky space gods.. so maybe he'll fit right in!

I'll third the Radcliffe suggestion. He could be great in the role. Good call!

Tom Cruise, while a pretty good actor and a great leading man, simply needs to start making good movies again if he ever wants to reclaim his dignity. His choices lately don't reflect that he even cares either way, but this would definitely be a step in the right direction for him if he signs on.

I'm all for it. Dyer isn't a character that well defined anyway and so Cruise isn't going to clash with any of his characteristics. Also, I agree that assuming Cruise comes to this with goodwill it will be great for DelToro. Cruise's clout has been diminished but having both him and Cameron in his corner will go a long way to make DelToro unassailable in this.

I think Cruise understands the position he is in with the movie going public. He doesn't have the 'star power' that he once held and I (hopefully) think he would aquiese to GDTs vision (especially with a confirmed control freak in Cameron pubicly stating he would not be the driving force of this) and just bring his A-Game and name-draw power

I hope anyway, I just want this to be as awesome as my experience reading the book was. please?

GDT is way further up the ladder than John Woo circa 2000 was. No way Cruise would shove him around, especially with his career in the state it's in. I'm for this casting - isn't Ron Perlman up for the other lead?

I don't think del Toro is particularly further up the ladder in terms of Hollywood clout than John Woo was in 2000.  Not that it's some exact science, Woo had already had a solid hit with Broken Arrow and hit pretty big with Face/Off.  I would say del Toro's in a similar place, except that Cruise's star isn't what it once was (as people have already mentioned).  Just don't let Cruise/Wagner have a producing hand in this.  This is GDT's baby, not a Tom Cruise franchise like the MI series where each director was basically a hired gun.

GDT's buddies with Jackson, Spielberg and Cameron and has been nominated for Oscars. He just came within in a whisker of directing one of the biggest films of the next five years. If this were on the heels of BLADE II I'd say he would be in danger of a bullyin', but he's cemented himself pretty well by now.

PLUS, he's probably established a good working relationship-by-proxy thanks to the Katie Holmes/DON'T BE AFRAID connection.

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Originally Posted by Andrew Merriweather 

PLUS, he's probably established a good working relationship-by-proxy thanks to the Katie Holmes/DON'T BE AFRAID connection.

Ooooh!  Good point!  I'd completely forgotten about that.

Woo was director-for-hire on MI:2... Mountains is GDT's baby. Firstly, I really don't think Cruise would dare step on his toes on this but even so, after having read the New Yorker interview, it's obvious that Del Toro has an insanely clear idea of what he wants to achieve. I'd say there's 0% chance of Cruise bullying him.

As long as the GDT doesnt get pushed around by Cameron or Cruise happens, I'm all for it...Cruise acting abilities have nothing to do with his public persona, and this project might just be what he needs to get back a lot of the cred he seems to have lost lately.

If this doesnt work out, I have always hoped a GDt "Sandman" series could use Cruise*:

(*Not just a excuse to post the picture again, but dammit if a "Magnolia" level Cruise wouldnt kill the "serial convention" scenes from the book)

Cool with me. He was great in War of the Worlds.

On the one hand, if Cruise's participation helps get it made, I'm on board. On the other...a role like this calls for the ability to be subtle, which ain't Cruise's forte. I'll trust GDT, though, to pull an appropriate performance from him.

To echo many of the sentiments here, as long as Guillermois the creative force behind this film and has final say on all of the most important creative decisions and Cruise has, well, none, then I'm actually all for the casting. I don't hate it and I'd hope it'll help GDT's ultimate passion project get moving. Hopefully Cruise is at a point in his career where he's not only prepared to take a chance with a film and director of this nature, but is also prepared to subsume his monstrous ego and truly place himself completely in the creative hands of one of the most interesting and exciting auteurs working in the mainstream today. Hopefully.

Cruise has ALWAYS been willing to take chances on directors and forgo his ego trips, outside of the M:I franchise, which is his baby more than anyone else's.

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Originally Posted by Devildoubt 

You know who might be a good choice?  Daniel Radcliffe.  He could do a nice late 19th Century, early 20th Century academic thing.  And he's not a bad actor to boot.

You know I came in here to say if you're going to cast Cruise, put him in glasses to make him look scientist-smart (has he ever played a role in specs?).

But then I saw this Radcliffe suggestion and I think it's great, too.  Although with him you might not want him to wear glasses since that would remind everyone of Harry Potter.

I would love to see Tom Cruise do this.

Controversial statement: I am tired of wise-crackin', one-note Ron Perlman and don't care if he ends up in this movie.

It wouldn't be controversial if it were true. Maybe if you'd only seen Perlman in the HELLBOYs and ALIEN: RESURRECTION.

Eh, all things considered... I'd rather not. For all the reasons listed already.

Correction: wise-crackin', one-note Ron Perlman of late.

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Originally Posted by Pop Zeus 

If I was the studio, I'd probably lead the marketing with Cameron's name, along with its star. Everyone's gonna see Tom Cruise's face all over this thing anyways, and GdT's name is for the geeks and cinemaphiles who are going to probably see this regardless.

Don't know why this popped into my head: Academy award nominee Peter O' Toole and Academy Awrd winner, Ben Affleck in horror-maestro, Dead Koontz'.... PHANTOMS!

Maybe it's the obvious similarity to Lovecraft's classic, maybe it's my faith that GDT's final film will be waaaaaay better, maybe I'm just a sick individual.

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Originally Posted by Sebastian OB 

Correction: wise-crackin', one-note Ron Perlman of late.

He died???
 

So does this have a greenlight or not? Don't know if I prefer it, BUT if Cruise's involvement can make it happen ultimately, I'm for it.

I'm picturing Cruise's Minority Report performance here. I think that was a solid mix of subtle and energetic. I also can't imagine him stepping on Del Toro's toes. All the behind the scenes stuff on the Hellboy discs suggests that Del Toro is a sweetheart, but that he's pretty single-minded when it comes to getting the job done. I mean, he's got to be the only director working on his scale that refuses to use a second unit.

Cruise seems to have mellowed considerably. I remember reading or hearing a JJ Abrams interview where he was ridiculously nervous about walking on set and having to direct Tom Cruise the first day of shooting M:I 3 and when he got there, Cruise basically walked over and said, 'I'm here to work. What do you want me to do?' I'm all for the casting, but I love Tom Cruise so maybe I shouldn't be asked my opinion. But if it's what GDT wants, then okay, the man has vision.

You know, Cruise really does look almost like a platonic ideal of a pulp hero (uh, except for the height thing). Too bad Lovecraft isn't standard pulp and doesn't go in for the square-jawed alpha male thing.

I dunno...I'm not actively opposed to this, but I do feel like making this an old-school A-lister movie may not jibe with Del Toro's working style. I've always felt that the more idiosyncratic his projects are, the better--the more he drifts towards the mainstream, the more likely he seems to be to deliver a mess. His two big mainstream movies with a "name" attached were Mimic and Blade II (yes, Mira Sorvino was a "name" at the time) and those are possibly his weakest films, certainly his least interesting.

If this is a case of getting Cruise and Cameron on board to make the movie he wants to make, then awesome, but I have to worry about the army of second-guessers and bean-counters that might come along with a huge-profile project like this. It sure sounds like that kind of thing contributed to Del Toro bailing on The Hobbit.

We're all aware of your Cruise-lust, Doc!  Hahahah

I'm one to think that Cruise has always been pretty professional when it comes to movie-making.

Someone--L. Sprague de Camp, I think--claimed that Lovecraft was indeed pretty horrified by the Nazis and was starting to change his views on race towards the end of his life. But who knows.

I really hope Tom makes this, I think it will be spectacular 

Interesting. I've only recently started reading Lovecraft (due to my new iphone app which has many thousands of books from the 1940s and earlier) and while I haven't picked up on any subtle subtexts regarding Race and his particular views on this subject, I haven't really been keeping an eye out for it either, other then slang and terminology consistent with the times. I will definitely read a bit more closely now though

thanks :)

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Originally Posted by Stormin 

 

Ever since Cruise was first announced as circling the project I thought it was a good fit.  Unlike most of his films where they need him standing on apple boxes to action-hero him up, he's sort of perfect for the standard-issue Lovecraft WASP elite reads-and-writes-in-ancient-Greek intellectual-who-goes-mad protagonist.  A Harrison Ford type would never fit, Lovecraft looked down on anybody who didn't have city's man's hands and hadn't been counting money all their life.  Speaking of Lovecraft, if this movie's successful it would be interesting to see more adaptations made, and for eventually someone to tackle the genuinely darker side of Lovecraft's cypher-protagonists' views.  Like being members of the self-described forefront of contemporary moral, scientific, and social thought and being thus aghast of the *horror* of racial degeneracy and interbreeding with monsters (i.e. miscegenation, which is clearly what Lovecraft is really afraid of).  I've always found it fascinating that Lovecraft and his whole eugenics movement at that period considered themselves the apex of humanity and looked on in horror at groups they considered subhuman, and yet their own intellectual precepts were the real beginning of what would be the real horror of modern man: the Holocaust.  I was always so disappointed that H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard never lived to see the end of World War Two, just so it could have been rubbed in their faces.

 

By the by, anybody know whether this is going to be contemporary or a period film?  I remember hearing there were modern drafts, WW2-set drafts, etc, did they officially set on a year?

So, Universal wouldn't pony up the money to shoot the big budget horror movie At the Mountains of Madness with del Torro. But they will lay the money down for Horizons, a big budget sci-fi movie for Tom Cruise from Tron Legacy director Joseph Kosinski.

Thanks for nothing Universal, and kiss my ass.

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Originally Posted by Barkatthemoon 

So, Universal wouldn't pony up the money to shoot the big budget horror movie At the Mountains of Madness with del Torro. But they will lay the money down for Horizons, a big budget sci-fi movie for Tom Cruise from Tron Legacy director Joseph Kosinski.

 

Thanks for nothing Universal, and kiss my ass.

There's a pretty big difference between committing to what would essentially end up needing to be the most commercially successful R-Rated movie of all time to turn a decent profit, and what will likely be a PG-13 rated sci-fi popcorn flick.  As others have noted (at least one in a column on this very website, I believe)...Universal took more risks than many other studios over the past few years, and few (if any) of them paid off.  Yes, it sucks that they shot down ATMOM, but I'm not of the mind they should have risked the financial health of their studio just to give Guillermo Del Toro a shot at his dream project, particularly when said dream project is an R-Rated "epic horror" based on the works of a "cult/geek favorite" writer that the average person on the street probably doesn't know from Adam.

Yeah, I wanted to see GDT's ATMOM too.  I still hold out some small hope that maybe someday we will, but I can't bring myself to hate Universal for doing business like, well...a business.