Spielberg's "Lincoln" May Never Happen

[GreenScar]

Good news?

Spielberg on Lincoln's ticket
Tony Kushner revising DreamWorks script

Steven Spielberg has made it very clear -- he's not giving up on Lincoln.

For several years, Spielberg has been trying to launch his Lincoln opus, but his project was postponed recently by budget and location problems.

Now, Robert Redford has moved into the picture, announcing his own Lincoln project, "The Conspirator," which will start shooting next month with independent financing and a cast headed by James McAvoy and Robin Wright Penn (Daily Variety, Sept. 14).

Spielberg tells me, "We are very happy that Redford will be doing this Lincoln movie. It is completely different from what our DreamWorks Lincoln movie will be, and we believe that it will add to the commercial potential of our film. Lincoln as a subject is inexhaustible."

Spielberg is presently focusing on his "reimagining" of "Harvey," with Robert Downey Jr. possibly playing the man who sees an invisible rabbit.

Meanwhile, Redford's film will mark his first directing gig since the disastrous "Lions for Lambs," which helped sink United Artists' comeback in 2007. The project will mark Redford's return to a political topic -- this one's historical, to be sure.

Redford's movie focuses on a young woman charged with conspiring to kill Lincoln. It's being funded by a company headed by Joe Ricketts, who professes to be a history buff.

Spielberg's Lincoln yarn reportedly was to focus on the president's anguish over the length and toll of the Civil War. The script is being revised by Tony Kushner.

While Spielberg's project will be a DreamWorks production, Redford, long a champion of indie filmmaking, seems bent on remaining outside the studio system. United Artists, which distributed his last film, has gone silent lately.

-------------------------------------------------

Thanks to several interviews with Liam Neeson and playwright Tony Kushner, we know that the Steven Spielberg-directed "Lincoln" is moving forward, with a goal of going into production soon and releasing the film in theaters at the end of this year.

Since Spielberg and DreamWorks have left Paramount and joined Disney, "Lincoln" would end up a Disney project. Jim Hill Media is even reporting that Walt Disney World might revamp its "Hall of Presidents" attraction to feature the voice of Nesson as Lincoln.

But according to The Big Money, "Lincoln" is still at Paramount not Disney. "This past weekend, (Spielberg's) been waiting for executives at Paramount — the studio he ditched last year — to decide whether to make the film and hire him to direct it," the site reports. "DreamWorks intended to write another big check to retain the right to partner on and produce a separate batch of projects that it had to leave behind at Paramount. In that latter batch was Lincoln. But to stay in the game on Lincoln and the other projects, DreamWorks had to buy two completed films that it made during its time at Paramount (The Lovely Bones and A Thousand Words). And DreamWorks didn't have the money. So now Paramount is deciding whether it wants to make Lincoln."

The site claims Spielberg has shaved the budget on "Lincoln" down to $50 million, but Paramount are still unsure whether they want to proceed with the film because they feel the project is too much in the vein of Spielberg's commercially disappointing historical drama "Amistad."

[jadedeath]

In related news Shea Lebouf is sad because another movie went down the tubes in which he would be the one swinging through the trees like Tarzan.

I heard it was in the script.

Logan

[GreenScar]

Originally Posted by jadedeath

In related news Shea Lebouf is sad because another movie went down the tubes in which he would be the one swinging through the trees like Tarzan.

I heard it was in the script.

Logan

[Col. Zombie]

The site claims Spielberg has shaved the budget on "Lincoln" down to $50 million, but Paramount are still unsure whether they want to proceed with the film because they feel the project is too much in the vein of Spielberg's commercially disappointing historical drama "Amistad."

Amistad was a big ol' boring snoozefest. Sadly, that will probably be the next, and only other, Spielberg movie released on BD.

[STARSCREAM]

They probably don't wanna pay for this so they can just do another remake of something that is already perfectly fine and doesn't need a remake. They will remake something from the past 10 years or something.

[browinie]

So Disney will distribute The Lovely Bones now? hmm, didn't see this coming. Just glad it's still coming, I only hope Lincoln sees day of light soon too.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by browinie

So Disney will distribute The Lovely Bones now? hmm, didn't see this coming. Just glad it's still coming, I only hope Lincoln sees day of light soon too.

Same here, I would love to see this movie

[cathexist]

I want a Lincoln movie

[Mr.White]

Wasnt there already a Lincoln movie or miniseries w/ Sam Waterston and Mary Tyler Moore,if I recall? I guess Spielberg's version has a much bigger budget to work with! Does any body think this is Oscar material?

[sfmarine]

It better go through...I'm looking forward to this.

[SPH]

Disney sucks....The pirate movies, eh ok...The rest, garbage

[Blu-Ron]

Originally Posted by SPH

Disney sucks....The pirate movies, eh ok...The rest, garbage

Lame post of the week. Good job there!

[AintNoSin]

Originally Posted by Col.Zombie

Sadly, that will probably be the next, and only other, Spielberg movie released on BD.

Based on what?

[Diablo829]

Originally Posted by cathexist

I want a Lincoln movie

So do I, but this seems like something better suited for an HBO mini series like John Adams and not a feature film.

[SPH]

Originally Posted by Blu-Ron

Lame post of the week. Good job there!

Disney studios sucks the life out of every movie

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by SPH

Disney studios sucks the life out of every movie

And you suck the life out of every thread you post in, so what is the difference?

[naturephoto1]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

And you suck the life out of every thread you post in, so what is the difference?

I sure hope that something can be worked out on this film.

Rich

[SPH]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

And you suck the life out of every thread you post in, so what is the difference?

I am not bound by contract

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by SPH

I am not bound by contract

Even worst, you are doing it on purpose

[SPH]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Even worst, you are doing it on purpose

Kind of like being Canadian