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Keanu Reeves in McTiernan's ROLLERBALL'
From far off Bavaria we have a suave scooper named Rico and he has a tidbit to give us... Possibly a major scoop if negotiations go through on this. Keanu Reeves as Jonathon in ROLLERBALL. Well... At least I have the original. Keanu is fun, but for me... he's a bit young for the role. Well... at least in terms of the story as it's written in the original film. Given I haven't seen their script... it might be completely different. We'll have to wait and see.
Morning Harry,
Rico here.
This is just a tiny tidbit for those interested in the ROLLERBALL remake
John McTiernan has in the works. McTiernan (with his arm broken from a
horseback riding accident) called me up about a week ago from Wyoming.
We talked about THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, his head banging with Michael
Crichton ("Crichton and I don't like each other!") on THE 13TH WARRIOR
(with the version currently running in the theatres reflecing basically
Crichton's suggestions) and his upcoming ROLLERBALL remake. Turns out
that, according to McTiernan, Nic Cage won't play the lead. Instead, he
told me, "it will probably be Keanu Reeves". You can read a transcript
of the the entire conversation here, in German though:
CLICK HERE!!
Take care and best regards from Bavaria.
Rico
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I, like everyone else finds keannu a lousy actor, but the film itself should kick-ass! Cage would have been better. What is it with all these normon jewison remakes coming out?
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I ran that German interview through the ol' Altavista Translator.. I found it interesting -- and a bit disheartning -- that because of the touchy relationship between McTiernan and Crichton, the movie version of Crichton's excellent (in my opinion, one of his best) "Airframe", is most likely going to be shelved indefinitly, since McTiernan was supposed to direct. Hopefully the studio can find another capable director (Maybe Crichton himself?), since an Airframe movie would be really great if done properly.
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What's with Keanu and all these sports movies? Shouldn't he be in a dojo somewhere preparing for Matrix 2 & 3? Or maybe they're going to combine the two, where Neo has to take part in the brutal sport Rollerball to win control of the Matrix away from the machines.
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John McT have had his share of
fine and well...less fine moments. My opinion is that the man hasn't done anything really assbreaking since Die Hard in 1987 so why bother about this one? Keanu Reeves is just SOOO boring btw. -
Why do they HAVE to take old good movies and remake them? I don't know which I find more saddening, a new Rollerball (directed by someone I don't think has the intelligence to REALLY do it justice) with the Little Wooden Boy, or the eternally-in-preprod Planet of the Apes with Arnold the Barbarian. (sigh)
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You know what's even more boring that Keanu? People the world over bashing him. I find it rather ludicrous since every time he's in a well written movie it makes lots of cash. People constantly point to his flops, but if you really consider the bad movies, it really didn't matter who starred in them. I liken Keanu bashing to the old saying "those who can't do, teach" only now it's those who can't do, bash.
I don't think the man's Marlon Brando or anything, I just think it's really stupid for people to just keep saying how much he sucks. Ok, we know. Everybody hates Keanu, now can we shut up about it and just wait patiently for his next $250 million movie?
end of rant -
there is no way keanu could play this role.
1)one of the major plot points of this film is that the main character is a veteran looking for a way out of the game,a star nearing the end of his career.keanu's baby-face pegs him as only a veteran of paula abdul videos.
2)we're supposed to believe that lithe,almost womanly-bodied keanu could play this bloodthirsty,intensely physical game?
please please please somebody talk reeves into going on the road with dogstar again or something..i thought he was tied up with the matrix sequels anyway... -
Without rehasing the myriad of reasons why Keanu would be COMPLETELY miscast for ROLLERBALL, here are some quick casting thoughts for a remake:
JONATHON E.-Wesley Snipes
MOONPIE(Lose this loser name, Mr. McTiernan)-"Stone Cold" Steve Austin
MR. BARTHOLAMEW(sp?)-Alan Rickman
LEAD TOKYO PLAYER-Jet Li.
Discuss amongst yourselves... -
1) One of those films you have to think already has been done as good as it can be, so why remake it. 2) Agree as to Crichton's direction being impressive. Wonder why he stopped persuing it after Westworld. 3) Nic Cage, IMHO, would put a nice spin on Jonathan, though I have yet to see a script that might help to confirm that. 4) Keanu. Don't necessarily agree with the bashing. Remember with Caan's wonderful role, that one of the things that Jonathan E. does not GET is that his skill at the game is screwing up international politics. Certainly, and I'm not being sarcastic, Keanu could play up the critical dumb bunny element to Jonathan E.'s characer to the hilt (i.e., "I just wanna play the game"). Always thought Caan came off as a touch too smart for that element of the character. 5) Regardless of the merits, or lack thereof, of a remake, I think that the shoot would be a total hoot to be involved in. Am very interested in all developments. www.get.to/sterlingwolfe/
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... has anybody seen the original ROLLERBALL recently? Sure, it was a cool idea for a movie. To an eleven year old. And even then, they couldn't stretch it out into a feature film. From the opening scene, we got that humans are bad for wanting to watch violence as entertainment. What did the movie do after that? Glorify violence. Was this film trying to say something, or just make an excuse for pandering to its audience's deplorable thirst for ultra-violence? I'm sorry ROLLERBALL was no CLOCKWORK ORANGE. It wasn't even a RUNNING MAN. And no matter how radically different they choose remake it, watching a bunch of linebackers on rollerskates now is going to wear mighty thin mighty quick. If McTeirnan loves the image of futuristic skating maybe a big-screen version of STARLIGHT EXPRESS is in order.
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Arrrrr, shiver me timbers, Mr. McT, you lilly livered land dog. Saints preserve us from this abomination of a plan. May your mainsail be torn asunder afore ye set sail. Tis the worse news in this unholy land since Scooby Doo the Movie. Leave well alone, you pillaging ol' barnacle. Arrrrr.
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To me, this is like making 1984 in 1984 (which they did, I know). The original Rollerball was supposed to be prophetic, and the prophesies (sp?) didn't come true. You can talk all you want about how all sports are bloodsports but motorcycles and a large metal ball? No . . . If they wanted to do something, why not make a sort-of sequel to Rollerball that wouldn't require a viewing of the original. Caan could even show up and play Jonathan as the Mentor role that the black guy (is it Moses Gunn?) played in the original. But a remake of the original . . . that's like remaking a movie about how man will one day make it to that damn moon up there.
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do it right! i used to hate keanu with a passion, but i've realised that he can cut it as an action hero (point break, speed and the matrix - i rest my case) and even as a half-decent actor at times. but as jonathan e? NO NO NO!!! if you're gonna go 'young', you need nicolas cage - he's the only one who can carry it off. personally, i'd like to see bruce willis try it on. otherwise, this is one film that's crying out for a big-budget kick-ass remake and mctiernan's just the director to do it (if he doesn't do it, kathryn bigelow should get the job). five-tone out to pay homage at his little statue of james caan.
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...just plain stinks.
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Three words Yes Yes Yes
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Personally, I'm to the point I will see anything with Keanu Reeves. I find him damn entertaining, even when he isn't at the pinnacle of his acting. All I have to say is "Why can't I ever say what I feel?" If you don't find that entertaining, your just mean man, just mean.
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Come on guys - this is Rollerball we are talking about. This is exactly the kind of movie that should be remade (if you have to sink to remaking any at all). It's a halfway decent idea that could've been done better and now we can see if they can take that potential are really get something out of it. It's not like they are remaking Casablanca or The Godfather. Leave the great movies alone and let them remake this stuff - how many people are really gonna be offended if they screw up a remake of Rollerball? Not as many as there were for Psycho or King Kong.
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For years, I had wished to make a SEQUEL to Rollerball. Not that I'm a director or anyone in the entertainment industry, I just like to dream of making movies. Naturally, the movie would star me as the ace rollerball king who is being hunted down by the bad guys for whatever reason. Action set pieces would include one of my team mates getting assasinated by a hit and run during a solo rollerblade exercise session, me being chased through the city streets of the opposing team (while on rollerblades) by the baddies...until the citizns recognize that I am from the rival team and join in on the chase (yes, I thought of this years before Keenan Ivory Wayans read my mind and put my idea into his movie "Most Wanted"}. I would then be saved by my trusty bodyguard, Lance Henrikson, who ploughs through the angry mob at 50 mph in a futuristic souped up muscle car! Then ofcourse the bloodbath final match, with at least 2 or 3 of my teammates surviving the victorious win... Oops, I got carried away..
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Anyhow, I think Keanu is fine for the role though I do like the Wesley Snipes idea. Coincdently, Wesley Snipes ALREADY did a sequal to Rollerball...sort of... did anyone see Snipes in Future Sport? It starred starred Dean Cain, Vanesa Williams, and Wesley (who also produced it if I remember correctly), and was directed by Spike Lee's old cinematograher Ernest Dickerson (directed titles include Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, Juice, Surviving The Game). The movie looked every bit of the made for tv (must have been for Showtime or Canadian paytv) flick that it was. It was not worth the rent... Hey, and remember folks, an aging athlete in a very full contact sport would be in their early to mid 30's. I just hope to God they don't pick Will Smith...
Peace out!
Elcabo -
Keanu Reeves as Jonathan E... You have got to be shittin' me. No way could that cardboard cut-out faggot play the futuristic gladitor and general all round hero that is Jonathan E . How could the soporific Reeves possibly believe that that he could get away with it. It can't be true... He has the screen presence of a wet sheep after all.
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Alright there, Cap'n, you just leave Tom the cabin boy alone, or I'll report you to the authorities. And Melmoth - done much wandering lately? :)
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The original ROLLERBALL left a big impression on me when I was fairly young -- it cemented for me the feeling that sports in general were becoming a thinly disguised bloodbath. I can't look at so-called pro wrestling without thinking of this movie. But that's all there is to the movie: the one-dimensional message that bloodsport is bad, or at the very least inevitable. No real examination of WHY people find solace in bloodsport. A good remake would intelligently address these questions. (In fact, for me, the most disturbing scenes are not the ones in the rink, but the one where the partygoers burn down the trees.) As for what Keanu would be doing in this... it's open to speculation. All too open.
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Sep 07, 1999 3:38:44 PM CDT
let's not even start comparing rollerball with wrestling...
by tommy five-tone
because wrestling sucks the monkey. if stone cold, goldberg, mankind, the undertaker or any other fuck-knuckle pituitary cases end up in mctiernan's new version, i'm boycotting the motherfucker. the only wrestlers who ever contributed anything good to the movies were the following: rowdy roddy piper as nada in 'they live', andre the giant as fezzik in 'the princess bride' and jesse 'the body' ventura getting his head slammed into the toilet by john lithgow (!) in 'ricochet'. enduring 'universal soldier - the return' was bad enough, but gorilla-boy goldberg's ineptitude made it like SOME UNGODLY FORM OF MEDIEVAL TORTURE!!! NO MORE WRESTLING, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NO MORE!!!
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hey i like keanu reeves. matrix was one of the best films this year( no im not a pimply faced student who who aspires to movie geekdom) but is right for rollerball???
hasnt anyone ever heard of russell crowe?? he is the one of the best actors of the decade and except for a few roles ( l.a. confidential) no one utilizes him. wolverine is a role he was born to play.(maybe the height thing could've been worked out, i mean if tom cruise can become an action star in the mission improbable franchise, anythings possible)
does anyone read this things??
out
filmthreat 45 -
I was watching the A&E bio on him last night and I started thinking, If they do remake this movie (which they shouldn't), Russell is the guy to play Jonathan. He's no Caan, but I think he'd portray a veteran weariness a lot better than Reeves.
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The only way a continuation of the rollerball theme could work is on television as a weekly show starring Van Damme. He would become bigger than Hasselhoff. An international hit. They should also make a tv show for Predator.
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on further thought it would be best as a two-part miniseries.
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Whether a Rollerball remake needs to be made is a tough call. Today's violence and social edginess would only be glorified - but it's gotta be cast! This film would not work with K.R. as Jonathon E. This film could work with Brad Johnson! In fact, his co-star on SOF, Tim Abell, would make a good Moonpie(lose that name). Sure, I like Spec Ops, but mostly to see Melinda Clarke...hmm...Rogue(X-Men)? Oh, Johnson could play Cyclops too.
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Phillip K. Dick did not write Rollerball Murders, William Harrison did. Harrison also wrote the screenplay. I think he published it in Esquire or something . . . I don't know.
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