Will a Butler be born? Scottish star is up for iconic remake role

Nothing confirmed...speculation, so I'm posting it here.

Will a Butler be born? Scottish star is up for iconic remake role

EXCLUSIVE: There have been so many potential births on the "A Star Is Born" remake that it's starting to look like a nursery. Now a new bundle could be coming out of the delivery room: Gerard Butler.

The male lead in Warner Bros.' update of the classic rise-and-fall Hollywood tale was open for years as the project sat in development. There were rumors of Beyonce on the actress side, but no older, fading male singer for her to play against.

This winter, word surfaced that Russell Crowe was being considered for the part. But there's no offer, and it's very possible the "Robin Hood" actor won't do the role after all. So the studio is considering other options, and one of the names on its list is a juicy one -- Butler.

Butler's an interesting choice, not least because he's younger than Crowe and other potentials. In fact, at 40, he's only 12 years older than Beyonce. Though the actor hasn't been a critical favorite -- and there are those who will no doubt question whether he can fill the large shoes filled by Kris Kristofferson and James Mason (who were nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar, respectively) -- he does possess the power to bring women into the theater. Three otherwise middling movies of his -- "The Ugly Truth," "The Bounty Hunter" and "Law Abiding Citizen" -- all earned at least $65 million in the domestic box office, a tidy sum for films at a certain budget.

A Butler casting would also mark a creative reinvention for the actor, since he's known mostly for romantic comedies and action films, not down-on-his-luck dramas. Then again, the movie's theme is reinvention.

-- Steven Zeitchik, reporting from Cannes

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2010/05/gerard-butler-star-is-born-russell-crowe-beyonce.html

Interesting note.

Not a big fan of Bee though.

i'm not a big fan of remakes, altho it would be nice to see him do something serious...not a rom-com or an action flick!

Is there not an original thought left in Hollywood?
This movie has already been made 3 times.
And I'm sorry, but Beyonce and Butler can't compete.

Chances are any remake will be criticized intensely. The critics were bad enough with POTO, but I think they would have a field day with this one.

I don't think Butler should risk it - not with this movie, and not with Beyonce (she was aweful in "Obsessed" IMO).

I hope h doesnt take that one on...has Hollywood no ideas no more ?

Honestly, I always thought this would be a good role for Gerry, with the right actress, not Beyonce. As in the one with Judy Garland, he should play an actor and not a singer like Kris. This one's touchy. Judy and Babs had the acting chops. I'm trying to think of an actress who can sing well enough to pull it off.

Elvis had been approached for the role Kris played and was advised by The Colonel not to take it. Might have been a mistake for him.

I had also heard about a revision of Romancing The Stone with Gerry.

Ger

I would like to see this movie remade with the genders switched. I would love to see the story be about an older failing actress who is a mentor and love interest of a younger upcoming male star. That would make the story interesting to me.

Yeah, I have a bit of cougar in me.

kayanne wrote:

I would like to see this movie remade with the genders switched. I would love to see the story be about an older failing actress who is a mentor and love interest of a younger upcoming male star. That would make the story interesting to me.

Yeah, I have a bit of cougar in me.

K, I love that idea! Let's see who could play the parts? Gerry and Cher?

Ger

LOL! I wasn't thinking about Gerard at all in this one. I think maybe Susan Sarandon mentoring a younger man. I am crazy about another Scottish actor--James McAvoy. Maybe that could work.

Of course, I am a fan of Susan's because she was in Bull Durham--a great baseball movie. If I wasn't otherwise "occupied" I wouldn't mind living out that character with some young players....

Meryl Streep!

Why remake Romancing the Stone? Why not the next chapter?

I'm sick of remakes.

I like the thought of Meryl! What about Ryan Gosling for the guy?

Wasn't "Jewel Of The Nile" the sequel to Romancing?

Ger

Can Ryan Gosling sing? I love Ryan, was a cutie when he was starting out.

I think it's neat to hear everyone chime in about remakes. I've been on that bandwagon for years. I think I'm just tired of repeating myself.

I think that's why I prefer Indie movies.

I was on vacation alone (which is different but I do a lot) when I wandered into a theater and saw The Notebook. Cried buckets at that one, too and was very glad I was alone! I don't know if Ryan can sing but he got to me in that movie. Bonus if he could sing!

I would love to see some of the very old movies I love remade. "Dark Victory" is one that comes to mind but I don't know who could compete with Bette Davis.

I love the old black and whites btw. And indie flicks even though I haven't been watching many since baseball season started.

i saw frank miller on TCM talking with robert osborne one night and he made the comment that it was rather ridiculous to take a great movie and remake. it's ALREADY been done right! if you *have* to remake something....take an old, not-so-good movie and re-do it properly. thought that was great insight and advice!

I always thought a remake or redo of "Some Like It Hot" would be a great one for Gerry. It could be revamped and modernized but seeing Gerry try to pass himself off as a woman in an all girl band would be hilarious.

Ger

But think of the potential crossdressing, transgender, transvestite and transsexual fan base!

http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2010/05/gerard-butler-to-get-russell-crowes.html


Gerard Butler To Get Russell Crowe's Sloppy Seconds Once Again With 'A Star Is Born'

In an alternate reality, Gerard Butler won an Academy Award for "Gladiator" before a long career playing thin, then fat, then somewhere in between for a series of roles either commercially viable or endlessly interesting. This reality blows, since Russell Crowe is pretty much doing that here with us. As much as we've been hating on some of his recent works, Crowe is still one of our pre-eminent leading men, and his association with a film is still a hint of prestige, while Butler is more of a poor (destitute?) man's version of our favorite phone-throwing Aussie.

If the interest is mutual on Butler's part to sample the male lead in "A Star Is Born" that Crowe has since abandoned, it speaks volumes towards what future talent it may attract. Originally, Maximus was to play opposite Beyonce Knowles (which we, frankly, could not envision), but with both major players out, Butler might be the first to get involved in this modern re-working. To us, Butler seems like a limited weapon that can be used in small doses, perhaps in action pictures - his romantic comedies are severely undercut by the significantly violent physical presence, as well as the latent anger buried underneath what has sadly become a little bit of a doughy frame. He has sang before, of course, but do YOU remember anything about Joel Schumacher's "The Phantom Of The Opera"?

Unless, of course, the producers are weighing the pros and cons of hiring Crowe vs. the cheaper, younger Butler. For all the acidic notices Crowe's drawn for somehow no longer being a box office draw, his films still pull in massive audiences, and "Robin Hood" is on pace to outdo "300" worldwide. However, Crowe's films have a reputation for being break-evens or flops because of exorbitant costs, and Butler may be the more attractive option given that, with his track record, his films usually have high profit margins. Of course, his films are usually on the cheap side (in more ways that one), so making a Butler film is a more certain bet for a profit. To some backwards-thinking executive in Hollywood, this fallacy is probably their own deeply retarded gospel.

I've seen only one Crowe film in it's entirety, Virtuosity. I watched it for the story, graphics, Denzel, and Louise Fletcher. Couldn't bring myself to watch anything else with him in it.

Title says "sloppy seconds once again". What was the previous one (or ones)?

Was Crowe first choice for 300? I'm not sure what they mean either by "sloppy seconds". What an arrogant writer!

Ger

Quote :

However, Crowe's films have a reputation for being break-evens or flops because of exorbitant costs, and Butler may be the more attractive option given that, with his track record, his films usually have high profit margins. Of course, his films are usually on the cheap side (in more ways that one), so making a Butler film is a more certain bet for a profit.

I agree that the headline is a bit harsh if you read down to the above quote. Butler is a bigger box office draw and money talks. I am still learning about all this fandom stuff, but I don't think Crowe's is anywhere near Butler's fandom. I don't get the point of the headline and article.

I think what the writer is eluding to is that Gerry not only will take less money but his films are on the cheap side of content, in other words a lot of bad language and raunch and maybe even poor script (TBH). They gross more at the box office because they didn't cost that much to make, perhaps. I think what makes a high profit margin is just that.

Crowes movies usually cost mega bucks, not to mention what he probably demands as a salary, so they may just break even and the profits aren't as high even though they might make more money than Gerry's movies total boxoffice receipts.

I don't know. Ignore me. I'm terrible at math.

Ger

Ger, you got money part right.

I wonder if GB could get the same pay as Crowe if he insists.

I've been thinking about "sloppy seconds" and the animal kingdom. The second (actually the last) male to mate (immediately, thus, sloppy) actually squishes out the first male's deposit and ends up siring his own offspring. As nasty as the writer may intend to be, it also means should GB take the gig, he'll get the money and get the job done.

I'm not too proud to take someone's leftovers if it profits me. It's nothing to be ashamed of.

Besides, Gerry probably won't throw phones at people.