Cool News
Is Thomas Jane leaving Walter Hill's HEADSHOT?
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a little tidbit for you folks.
A very well-placed source says the word in the agency world is that the Walter Hill-directed HEADSHOT, a hitman flick starring Sylvester Stallone, might be losing its co-lead, Thomas Jane.
What I hear is that while Stallone and Hill like Jane for the part (they must since he’s cast already), the film is now with Warner Bros’ Dark Castle and the studio wants Jane replaced with someone more “ethnic” in order to meet an in-house formula-for-success. The word is that Jane's still the favorite for Hill and Stallone, but the studio is insistent on getting a minority in the role.
I’m all for diversity in films, but it’d be a shame if Jane was booted against the wishes of the creative team all in order for the executive branch to meet some pre-determined criteria for success.
I haven’t read the script, but I do know I like the idea of Stallone and Jane on screen together. Stallone would be an older hitman and Jane a New York Cop that have to team up over the course of the film. That feels like an ‘80s gritty buddy movie with those two, especially with the great Walter Hill directing.
My source on this is solid, but I have Jane’s contact information from my time on the set of The Mist and have an email out to him. If I get a confirmation or denial I’ll update the story.
So there you have it. The studio process alive and well. Thoughts?
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
Follow Me On Twitter
Readers Talkback
comments powered by Disqus-
+ Expand All
-
Just when I hoping some to hear some news on this movie. If they do recast his role, maybe they can give him another role in the movie.
-
... screw around with a good thing and botch it up. How many horror stories have we heard now from the men in suits? If they had their way, Chewbacca would be wearing pants!
-
Just turn it into STOP OR MADEA WILL SHOOT. Box office gold!
-
Thomas Jane made this mundane sounding stale movie sound mildly interesting. Now they're ditching him and going the typical studio route, where the sidekick's always - ALWAYS - either a minority, woman, rapper, or total square. <br><p> I'm not against minorities or women or rappers or squares, I'm just against forcing them into something because you think you'll get more gays or women or whatever. Fuck it. How about - holy shit - just make a good movie!!! People MIGHT show up for that!
-
Walter Hill's also pretty badass. <br><p> And after Rocky Balboa and Rambo, Sly was in my good graces again. Then he made The Expendables... So yeah, I'm more excited for Hill and Jane. Not Hill and fucking Ludacris.
-
So this is why Jamie Foxx is supposed to be Lynch then huh?
-
We all know the "minority" role in a Stallone flick is the angry police captain who tells him he's a loose cannon who doesn't play by the rules and is now off the case.
-
so I vote for M Night Shyamalan
-
No wonder the big studios can only turn out lifeless retreads, if everything has to follow a preset list of content points. What's next, an all-black Wizard of Oz remake? Oh, wait...
-
Thomas Jane rules.
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li0OuQ37MDA
-
Thomas Jane, needs to stay with this project I really want to see this happen.
-
May 27, 2011, 1:20 a.m. CST
The only thing against Jane is he's a very straight-to-video choice.
by JuanSanchez
I like the idea of him and Stallone together, but maybe now we'll get an exciting up and comer rather than a has been.
-
May 27, 2011, 1:20 a.m. CST
And I'm not trying to be mean to Jane. I'm not saying his status is deserved.
by JuanSanchez
-
Super bullshit. I love Thomas Jane and it would be a shame if he became victimized again from the Hollywood big machine.
-
Howsabout Stallone and Chow Yun-Fat together? And instead of a Killer remake how about a Hard Boiled sequel? Imagine Stallone + Inspector Tequila vs a horde of bad guys...
-
I was really looking forward to seeing Jane work with Sly, he is a great actor.
-
Sly should stand up for Jane!!
-
I never knew that. I wouldn't exactly call that a classic, although I did go see it. (I was born in 1970). Ah, the short-lived career of Michael Pare. The candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long.
-
Ever seen Kill Shot? No. Well it's good he's leaving Head Shot. It's one Shot too many for Jane. Janey got a gun. Little Janey Jane....
-
....Janey Got a Gun in high school when it got a lot of radio and video play, and I was like 'whoa'. The story playing in the lyrics is really messed up. What did her daddy do? He jacked the little bitty baby. And the video to that song? Him coming in his daughter's bedroom and feeling her up. Wow. That's some pretty shocking stuff. <p> It made me wonder which girls in my school had experienced that exact thing. That song made me sad.
-
Sly, Jane and Walter should give the studio the finger. I'm also for diversity in films, but not every fucking movie that involves a cop HAS to follow a certain formula like that to be successful. This doesnt have to be 48 hours, Rush Hour, Miami Vice or Cop Out! "Headshot"does sound like a gritty, 80's flick and a great project for all three to work together. Studios are stupid these days. I'd say, if Jane can't be in Headshot, put him in "Expendables 2". This is bullshit. The studio shouldnt be thinking about diversity being a factor for a successful movie. Success should be about just making a fucking good movie, no matter who is in it! I'm wondering if the studio just doesn't think Jane is popular enough and they're just using this "minority" formula thing as an excuse.
-
Machete and Cobra!
-
Way to expose yourself as a bigoted moron.
-
Thanks man, guess you're right...ill remember that the next time my White American friends keep quoting Goodfellas, Heat, Hard Boiled, The Big Hit, Casino, Godfather, Once Upon a Time in America, Alphabet City, Sleepers, The Town, and more...... Yup...cause just us Black Americans like those flicks...
-
Dark Castle films are generally terrible.
-
Shit Sandwich
-
A more "ethnic character"? *sigh* Jane is a very good actor (despite being a terrible Punisher.) who would be ideal for this project but the decision to cast someone else as a "token" is perplexing. Anyways, someone get Jet Li on the phone since he actually made a Hitmanesque film. Or..there's always Michael Jai White waiting for work.
-
I liked you better when all you did was plug that stupid Stagate series and even that was fucking boring. Yeah, I guess us White guys are only into films like The King's speech and Black swan, right? Idiot.
-
...oh yeah, and he still is.
-
Beverly Hills Cop meets Cobra aka the original Beverly Hills Cop! And Eddie and Hill have done 2 films together so it's not completely impossible.
-
you should probably just stick to your pathetic ZOMGStargate posts instead of the insulting attempts at racial profiling.
-
But pure cash grab. White people rarely go to all-black films, and it's reasonable for a studio that realizes close to 20% of the boxoffice is now controlled by non-whites that they might stay away from all-white films. ## Now...that said, I think it a totally artistically corrupt decision, and I hate it. Thomas Jane would have been terrific. Their "let's sandwich in some color" attitude will lead to casting a rapper (who cannot act, but has skin tone and name recognition) in a supporting role. If Jane had a love interest in the original script, they'll write that out. The black (or whatever guy) will be a hip, ethnic cypher who demonstrates that Stallone is cool because he's "down with the brothers" (or whatever) the same way Steven Seagal endlessly casts rappers in his movies (also to make it look like he can act, in comparison). It's pretty bad,and I may stay away just because of the naked racism here--toward Jane, toward whoever will be cast. It totally sucks.
-
DO IT!!!
-
They will probably stick Samuel Jackson in there. I mean he is in every movie anyway. DAMN IT!!!
-
May 27, 2011, 9:02 a.m. CST
If I wanted to watch a good 80's crime movie, I would watch one.
by Bartleby T. Scrivener
Oh you know, just off the top of my head: To Live and Die in LA, Leathal Weapon, Scarface, Die Hard, Manhunter, Thief, The Killer.
-
"Homeless Dad"
-
The only way this change works is if Denzel is the replacement. Otherwise KEEP JANE IN
-
It's sad to see the studios again fucking up a movie because of some stupid formula shit they believe makes a sucessful movie. Most studio executives couldn't understand what is a good movie even if it kicked them in the balls.
-
May 27, 2011, 10:56 a.m. CST
If they really had to go black, why not hire the guy who played Heimdel in THOR?
by AsimovLives
The dude looks badass.
-
What'cha really want? What'cha really want? No, not really. That is what sucks. They wont replace Jane with an actor, they'll replace him with a rapper who cannot act. If they are going to hand the role over to a Derek Luke or a Terry Crews---cool, those guys are getting the job based [somewhat] on talent. But this will go to an awful actor like T.I., strictly based on the numbers he'll bring in opening weekend. My advice: Stallone/Hill, stand strong. Jane is great. He doesn't deserve to lose the job based on some bullshit like this.
-
Get Jane to black up like RDJ in Tropic Thunder. No one would be offended by that, right?
-
He's cool and he's always fun to watch. In fact, I might have a serious man crush on Tom Jane. Shit. Anyhow, if this whole Tom Jane thing doesn't work, it does seem like Wesley Snipes is the obvious choice...being as Stallone and he were both in "Demolition Man" and Mr. Dark Castle (Joel Silver) produced that one, too. Does Cuban count as "ethnic?" And would Andy Garcia qualify...or is he too white looking? I like Garcia, he'd make a good NY cop, and he's really not in enough shit. Can we buy Chow Yun-Fat as a NY cop? I'm not so sure about that. But he's certainly bad ass. Jet Li and Jackie Chan and the lot might all be too tough to swallow as a NY cop. Oh well...good luck, Walter Hill.
-
Way to enable bigotry, Dark Castle! Your racist formula certainly worked to make RocknRolla a success... <P> Looks like this will be one for downloading. Illegally of course.
-
May 27, 2011, 12:59 p.m. CST
Thomas Jane is a C list actor and a poor man's Aaron Eckhart
by Bobo_Vision
It doesn't matter how many TB'ers claim to love The Punisher and The Mist, the fact that remains is the general public has no interest in Thomas Jane, and he would likely guarantee this to be a straight-to-DVD venture. <p> I'm not agreeing with the whole "cast a minority" angle, but getting rid of Jane was a good move. Who here has seen Kill Shot and thinks Jane was good in that movie? Anyone? Anyone? The Punisher is like 7 years old. That's 50 in Hollywood years.
-
oh, yeah, scratch that
-
May 27, 2011, 3:13 p.m. CST
we could get a last boy scout, or lethal weapon or die hard, or shanghia noon or red heat, or rush hour...wait. i didn't say rush hour
by korkie70
shit
-
Because most film aimed at black audiences suck ass. Tyler Perry is one of the worst writer directors ever to make a living. When I see a trailer for a Martin Laurence film I vomit in my mouth. If the black community rallied around better movies like Fresh and George Washington more white people would be inclined to see black films. I do believe race does play into it but it’s more a question of taste. Most black films play broad like going for a cheap laughs or showing bad melodrama. Want to get a wider audience, make a better movie.
-
Eddie needs another hardcore action movie to get his mojo working again. Fuck all these family-friendly comedies.
-
If not, MICHAEL JAI WHITE please!
-
May 27, 2011, 6:39 p.m. CST
Ru-Paul maybe? Seriously, Stallone and Hill should quit over this racism Leftist Hollywood would scream if an "ethnic" character were replaced by a "whiter" actor.
by planetran_fan
-
May 27, 2011, 7:43 p.m. CST
It's not going to be an up and coming talented young black actor
by DougMcKenzie
It's going to be a rapper that can't act.
-
Who is too young, and far too successful. Stallone's average film gross is 51 million. Jaden Smith's is 139 million+. Oops.
-
I was so excited to hear Stallone and Jane would be in this film together. Now....not so much. I will still go see it for Stallone, but this kills it for me. Jane needs a tent pole project, and this was it!
-
Excuse me for being blunt, but for the sake of keeping it real I have to say there are few "minority" actors I can think of recently who have quality acting chops. Most of them seem to be former/current rappers who THINK they can act, but can't. Can you imagine teaming Stallone up with a god-awful actor like Ice Cube? Accuse me of whatever you want, but this isn't racial. I'm all for minority actors getting good roles, but ONLY if they can ACT. I feel the same way about every other actor, regardless of their ethnicity. A movie's quality shouldn't be risked for the sake of some kind of Hollywood affirmative action.
-
May 27, 2011, 8:55 p.m. CST
Is there are a quality "minority" actor out there other than Denzel or Jamie Foxx?
by IronEagle74
Just asking. For those of you who think Tyrese Gibson can act, you're smoking something. Same goes for D-M-X and almost anyone else you can think of.
-
May 27, 2011, 8:59 p.m. CST
Is this now going to be called "Cop Out 2." After all, that first movie was so awesome!!
by IronEagle74
Fuck you, Hollywood.
-
Who said anything about affirmitive action...have you read the script? Do you know the role.. Jane is fantastic, would love to see him in a film with Sly...but using this as another excuse to pretend 'left wing' values are WRONG is fucking moronic tea party wacko BULLSHIT
-
Are generally cast by white producers/directors, far more often than black ones. Say what you want, but Tyler Perry Spike Lee don't cast a lot of rappers. They cast actors. Why? Perhaps Because those white producers don't see black people as human beings with full inwardness. So they cast symbols and images and demographics, not people who can project real humanity. Now, there is the odd fact that more rappers have gone into acting than any "musicians" from any other type of music, ever, which is mighty odd. I suspect that that is because all rappers are is kinda "actors" in the first place. I mean, they can't sing, play instruments, or even dance most of the time. They're playing roles, and it transfers over--to a degree. That said, Will Smith, Queen Latifah, Mos Def and others have actually made the transition quite successfully. Other minority actors are about on a par with typical white actors, most of whom are nothing to write home about. That mean far more than Denzel, Will, Sam, or Idris, but there are a limited number of roles America deems it appropriate for them to play.
-
If Stallone and Hill feel that Jane is perfect for the role, and the character would correctly affect other characters in the movie, he should stay!! Damn it, even if Hill has faded of recent, he's always managed to wring the best out of actors in his movies - watch the fucking amazing Extreme Prejudice for proof of that!! Nick Nolte, Clancy Brown, Michael Ironside, Powers Boothe, Rip Torn, William Forsythe - Do I need to say more!! Actually, Quint, do you know if Extreme Prejudice is ever going to be on Blu-Ray, or even DVD?
-
Stallone is rich enough to fund a movie himself, if he wanted to. But he's too smart for that, so he gets a studio to put up the money. If it was your money, you'd want control, too. It ALWAYS happens like that--no matter who puts up the money, they want some control. In this case, they're making a bad decision, we can all agree. Jane excited me, now I feel 'meh'. I like it when black actors are hired, but it pisses me off a bit when they're specifically hired because they are black. Of course, it also pisses me off when actors are specifically hired because they're white, and that happens a hell of a lot more often.
Top Talkbacks
- JAMES GANDOLFINI 1961-2013 -- 182 total posts 29 posts
- Ages And Genders!! Casting Breakdown For Seven Characters Headed For J.J. Abrams’ STAR WARS: EPISODE VII?? -- 284 total posts 23 posts
- A New KICK-ASS 2 International Poster!! -- 64 total posts 12 posts
- A Few Nice "Making Of' Pics From THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2!! -- 141 total posts 11 posts
- Mary Jane Watson is NOT going to be a part of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2! -- 273 total posts 11 posts
- Sweet knights of Colombus!! A new trailer for ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES has been unleashed!! -- 144 total posts 8 posts
- AICN COMICS REVIEWS: WOLVERINE! THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS! SPACE 1999! LIBERATOR! & MORE! -- 59 total posts 7 posts
- ‘It’s The Least Of Your Problems!!’ Hercules Has Seen Tonight’s Big HANNIBAL Finale!! -- 7 total posts 7 posts
- Father Geek says MAN OF STEEL is pretty much the best Superhero Movie ever made and I'm not gonna argue! -- 1915 total posts 4 posts
- NOWHERE BOY director Sam Taylor-Johnson signs on to 50 SHADES OF GREY!! -- 49 total posts 3 posts