Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
What am I even supposed to say about something like this? The phrase, “Leave well enough alone” springs to mind. Michael Blake, apparently having taken leave of his wits, has written a sequel to DANCES WITH WOLVES.
Remember when that film came out? Remember how cool the whole backstory to the film’s development was? How Blake was this guy who was living on the couches of his friends while he was writing this story of Lt. John Dunbar? There was something great about Blake as this underdog who managed to write the year’s Best Picture winner.
Well, when you read this story from the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, it certainly isn’t an underdog talking. This smells like Winston Groom writing GUMP & CO. after Zemeckis ruined his book. This sounds like a business announcement, a stock trade, something plastic:
”THE HOLY ROAD continues the saga of Lt. John Dunbar, who 10 years after the original WOLVES story has become a renowned tribal warrior. As white invaders close in on his tribe, Dunbar's wife and youngest child are abducted, and Dunbar, known as Dances With Wolves, embarks on an extraordinary mission to rescue them.”
Noticeably absent from the story is any mention of Kevin Costner’s involvement in any way, shape, form, or fashion. I would think that would be priority one. Without Kevin Costner, there is no DANCES WITH WOLVES sequel. Period. Don’t even think about it. He may have had a rough decade since then, but that doesn’t take away from his genuine accomplishment with that first film.
Please, I beg of you. If you’re going to do this... if you absolutely feel you must make a sequel to a film that needs no sequel... then have some respect. Do it right. I know the story started with Michael Blake, but when you look at his track record since (hint: there isn’t one), you have to wonder if this isn’t just a last-ditch effort to cash in. I’m just going to hope for the best, wish Blake nothing but true inspiration and success, then cower in the corner in fear.
"Moriarty" out.
