EXCLUSIVE: MGM has made an inventive deal with AGBO Films partners Joe & Anthony Russo that will see the Avengers: Endgame helmers essentially become the spiritual creative architects of some of the iconic properties in the MGM library. They’ve made a multi-film non-exclusive creative partnership to co-develop, co-produce and co-finance a slate of projects.
The first film projects to be produced through the partnership includes a re-imagining of The Thomas Crown Affair, which long has had Michael B. Jordan attached to star and produce through his Outlier Society banner. That one could end up directed by the brothers, who love the Steve McQueen-Faye Dunaway original. The next crack at the script will be taken by Matthew Michael Carnahan, the writer whose credits include Deepwater Horizon, World War Z and The Kingdom. He just wrote and directed Mosul for AGBO aboard to take the next crack at the screenplay.
AGBO will also develop James Madigan’s hybrid live action/animation version of The Rats Of Nimh, based on the Newbery Medal-winning series by author Robert C. O’Brien; and the original film Hacienda from writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns (1917, Last Night In Soho).
As part of the deal, MGM and AGBO have created a joint development fund for new film projects.
I had heard this arrangement was coming, and that it was fueled by the allure of potential remakes of MGM titles that range from The Pink Panther to Poltergeist and It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, the Stanley Kramer-directed madcap road trip comedy that starred Spencer Tracy and just about major comedy star of its era. Some of these have rights entanglements, but with the right creative vision, there is branded IP ripe for the picking.
AndyDursin wrote: ↑Tue Apr 09, 2019 8:51 pm
AGBO will also develop James Madigan’s hybrid live action/animation version of The Rats Of Nimh, based on the Newbery Medal-winning series by author Robert C. O’Brien
Remember when Tom Cruise and his producing partner had a similar arrangement with MGM? I think it lasted about 2-3 years and produced about 2-3 movies.
I also remember when Coppola was running (or advising) United Artists back in the '90s, and didn't do much of anything outside of re-cut movies that were sitting on the shelf (The Fantasticks, Supernova, etc.). Still, we are living in a different time where remakes/existing IP's rule, and I would expect these "visionary filmmakers" to make good on this deal for cash strapped MGM.
This story in particular highlights the whole problem with modern day Hollywood. These guys are yes-men who guided preordained projects like the Avengers sequels -- there's no filmmaking finesse involved there, and now they're suddenly in charge of an entire studio's most significant production output...all of movies we've seen before.
Lack of vision mixed with creative stagnation is a bad mix, and it's just what we're seeing, rammed home again and again.
This makes me laugh. Really nothing new here. Way back in the UA days & then under the MGM/UA banner this kind of talk was booted about. Actually all it really highlighted was that so many of their "titles" are tied up in many ways with estates & producers who either want a lot or in some case not interested.
Maybe it would been different if Mr Turner had not kept majority of the MGM titles when he re-sold the studio, but so much of the UA catalog is tied up in legal nightmares. Not too sure about Orion & AIP & really what else do they have left? Hitch hiking on Warner projects & others who want some money to help a production along?
Do we really need more re-hash Pink Panther or Magnificent 7 (although I did enjoy Denzel Washington's outing)?
Really this is old news with the latest kids on the block added to grab a headline.
Oh well time will tell, here's one for them, contact Geoffrey Edwards & ask him to re-construct his dads old Pink Panther films, heck they have the footage look at the awful Trail, which I did sadly try to sell to a UK market that was really a con & died in a matter of a week! but at least it would be an old "new release"? if that makes any sense?
Thankfully Eon have an iron grip on Bond or no doubt we would be having James Bond Re-dux Dr No who is now politically correct as Dr Yes as No would all be too negative. WOW where did this industry really go? to the dogs ??
But for MJ still have the original NIMH so all is not lost.
regards
Andy b
Last edited by andy b on Wed Apr 10, 2019 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There was an interview with the Russo brothers a while back in which they said something like "the 2-hour movie is dead." I'm not sure what they meant by that unless it was a Freudian slip in which they admit they have no idea how to make a 2-hour movie. Even if you want to play devil's advocate and claim they are instead good at telling longer stories, I don't buy that either. There is no need to take six hours to tell whatever story they're telling in Infinity War and Endgame. They might be able to put together individual scenes which can be effective, but narrative structure and clarity is not their strong suit.
