[03.10.00]

Josh Hartnett will star along with Ben Affelck in "Pearl Harbor." Read On...

 

Disney stations Hartnett at 'Pearl Harbor'
By Zorianna Kit

Josh Hartnett is set to star alongside Ben Affleck in Disney's megabudgeted World War II drama "Pearl Harbor" for filmmakers Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay. The six-month project is expected to go before cameras in the spring.

Hartnett's star is fast rising, as the young actor has roles in five films that are due out this year: Fox 2000's "Here on Earth," New Line Cinema's "Town and Country," Paramount Classics release "The Virgin Suicides" and Miramax's "O" and "Never Better."

The signing of Hartnett and Affleck ends months of searching for the two Army Air Corps pilots and best friends who fall in love with the same Navy nurse. The deal for Affleck pays him no money upfront to star in the $135 million project.

Bruckheimer and Bay reduced their own fees to make the film and have only a small budget to cast even the lead roles because of the project's production costs .

Though the female lead has not yet been cast, roles of the supporting nurses are beginning to fill, with newcomer and model James King being the first selected.

King, a former Cosmopolitan cover girl, recently wrapped a role in her first feature, New Line's "Happy Campers," and is now shooting the studio's "Blow," in which she portrays one of the daughters of a couple played by Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz.

The Randall Wallace-penned "Harbor," to be produced by Bruckheimer and Bay, the latter of whom will direct, is moving full steam ahead. Cuba Gooding Jr. was the first actor to sign last month as a 3rd Class mess attendant who served on the U.S.S. West Virginia when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

Hartnett has been seen on the big screen in the horror films "The Faculty" and "Halloween H20: 20 Years Later" and starred in the short-lived television series "Cracker." He is repped by the Iris Burton Agency and manager Nancy Kremer.

King, repped by ICM and manager Robert Flutie, made her acting debut in the short "Four Faces of God." She is slated to appear on the cover of Details magazine's May issue.

 

[03.06.00]

It's official now, as previously reported, Ben Affleck will join Michael again for "Pearl Harbor."

 

Affleck serves 'Harbor' duty for no upfront
By Anita M. Busch

Ben Affleck is the second high-profile actor to jump aboard Disney's "Pearl Harbor" for filmmakers Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay, despite the project's budgetary restrictions on casting. Negotiations were completed late Friday night on a deal by which Affleck will take no money upfront for the lead role.

"Harbor" is emerging as a case of talent rallying around talent. Cuba Gooding Jr. was first to come aboard for Bruckheimer and Bay. The involvement of Affleck and Gooding Jr. comes after the filmmakers' very public, very bumpy negotiations with the studio to get the project greenlit. Adding to the interest from A-listers is Randall Wallace's gritty, engaging script, several sources said.

Both actors are friends of the filmmakers. Affleck was cast in the Bruckheimer-produced, Bay-directed "Armageddon" before winning a best original screenplay Oscar for "Good Will Hunting"; Gooding Jr. plays in Bruckheimer's hockey league.

Gene Hackman, who has worked with Bruckheimer on "Enemy of the State" and "Crimson Tide," might also come aboard, but no decision has yet been made.

Bruckheimer and Bay experienced a rough review at the studio for "Harbor" after the departure of former chairman Joe Roth, who championed the project and gave it its first greenlight. After Roth left, Eisner re-evaluated Roth's decision to make the film at a price tag of $145 million and had the filmmakers make further cuts to bring it down another $10 million.

Bruckheimer and Bay reduced their own fees and then, because the bulk of the project cost is being applied toward its massive production, were left with only a small budget to cast even the lead roles. The filmmakers plan to re-create fully the Dec. 7, 1941, early-morning bombing by the Japanese of the Hawaiian naval base, a pivotal moment that pulled the United States into World War II. Any budgetary overages must be shouldered by the filmmakers.

Affleck began talking seriously last week about joining the project (HR 3/2). He will play the lead fighter pilot in the story that follows two brothers who fall in love with the same woman. A lead actress has yet to be cast.

"Harbor" is expected to go before cameras in April or May and shoot for six months.

Affleck's agreement to join "Harbor" delays two other projects: "Cinderella Man," a Universal Pictures/Miramax Films co-production in which he was expected to star, and Warner Bros.' "The Ugly Truth," in which he was negotiating to star with Gwyneth Paltrow. The latter project is seeking a director after Barry Sonnenfeld exited last month to direct "Big Trouble" at Disney.

 

[03.03.00]

Thank you to all those who sent a birthday email to Michael. He actually was very pleased and got a kick out of it.

Well, there might be a possibility that that Michael could be reunited with one of the stars of "Armageddon" for the up and coming "Pear Harbor." Hollywoodreporter mentions the follwing:

"In the latest rounds of casting surrounding Disney's megabudgeted "Pearl Harbor," Ben Affleck is in talks to come aboard. "Pearl" would reteam the actor with director-producer Michael Bay and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who cast Affleck in their asteroid pic "Armageddon" two years ago, before Affleck became Hollywood's golden boy after winning an Oscar for "Good Will Hunting." Affleck is repped by CAA."

 

[02.17.00]

Happy Birthday Michael! Enjoy it where ever you are!!

 

[02.11.00]

My suspicions have been confirmed...Charlize Theron won't play nurse. EW has reported she decided to pass on this project. Why? My opinion? She either didn't like the money or her character in the plot. Then again, this is the same woman who came out in "Mighty Joe Young," and "The Astronaut's Wife" Am I missing something here??? Anyway, got this from EW online:

Bombs Away

Charlize Theron says no to ''Pearl Harbor'' -- The actress explains why she's passing up a star-making role in Disney's high-priced epic 'SWEET' TALK Theron will star in the smaller ''November'' instead of the big-budget ''Harbor''

by Craig Seymour

Industry buzz had it that Charlize Theron would likely become a female lead in ''Pearl Harbor,'' Disney's WWII epic whose $135 million preshooting budget makes it the most expensive film ever greenlit. But the increasingly hot Theron, who next stars opposite Ben Affleck in John Frankheimer's ''Reindeer Games'' (opening Feb. 25), tells EW Online that she's passing on the project. Instead she'll join Keanu Reeves in a remake of the '68 romantic drama ''Sweet November,'' which starts shooting at the same time as ''Harbor.'' ''Whomever is in it [''Harbor''] will probably become a huge star and the movie will do extremely well,'' says Theron. ''But I know I'm here [in my career] because I've always made decisions based on what felt right to me and what felt challenging to me.''

Theron denies that her choice was influenced by the negative hype surrounding ''Harbor'''s initial price tag, which dwarfs the greenlighted budgets of both ''Titanic'' (less than $100 million) and ''Waterworld ($65 million). ''I made my decision based on the character in 'Sweet November,''' she says. (We can see why: In the original version, Sandy Dennis plays a woman who takes a new lover every month.) So while ''Pearl Harbor'' still has ''Armageddon'' director Michael Bay at the helm, and lots of stunt people, pyrotechnics, and ''Titanic'''s water tank to re-create the infamous Dec. 7, 1941, attack, it's now short one soon-to-be A-list actress. But, then again, with a $135 million budget the producers can surely afford a new one. Ren�e Zellweger, perhaps?

 

[02.09.00]

The HollywoodReporter says the following regarding Brad Pitt:

"...He's also eying "Pearl Harbor...'The Mexican' is likely to be Pitt's first project of the millennium. However, that all could change if Pitt goes aboard "Pearl Harbor" for Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay.

 

[02.07.00]

There's an article in this week's Entertainment Weekly regarding a general overview of the negotiations and casting notes. Click here to read it.

 

 

[02.05.00]

Gooding is all decked out for 'Pearl Harbor' (Hollywood Reporter)

Cuba Gooding Jr. just can't escape the Navy.

In the first casting for Disney's "Pearl Harbor," Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. -- who next stars in Fox 2000's "Navy Diver" -- is in final negotiations to come aboard the Jerry Bruckheimer/Michael Bay megabudgeted project.

The project has also garnered the interest of Kevin Costner, who is due to begin shooting the indie pic "3,000 Miles to Graceland" next month. The actor was expected to segue into Mandalay Pictures' "Beyond Borders" for director Oliver Stone. However, "Borders" co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones fell out of the project last month, and the producers have not yet secured a female lead, thus pushing back the planned start date.

The Bruckheimer-produced "Pearl Harbor" will be directed by Bay from a script by Randall Wallace ("Braveheart"). The project will go before the cameras in April or May and shoot for about six months.

With "Harbor" proceeding full steam ahead, Gooding will take the smaller but pivotal role of the ship's Dorie Miller, a mess attendant third class who was serving on the U.S.S. West Virginia when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Like many sailors in the segregated U.S. Navy of World War II, Miller was assigned to kitchen duty. Navy archives say the powerfully built Texan was collecting laundry when the Sunday morning attack began.

Historical accounts show that two bombs hit the West Virginia deck, and the battleship suffered below-deck flooding as her crew endured five torpedo hits to the port side. During this, Miller carried wounded sailors to safety, helped the ship's fatally wounded captain and then fired an anti-aircraft machine gun at Japanese planes for some 15 minutes until the gun's ammunition was spent and abandon ship orders were given.

Surviving the attack, Miller's unbridled courage earned him the Navy Cross in 1942. The war hero died in 1943 when the escort carrier he was serving on was torpedoed during the U.S. invasion of the Gilbert Islands. In 1973, a Navy frigate was named the U.S.S. Miller.

Gooding Jr., repped by CAA, won a best supporting actor Oscar for his role in "Jerry Maguire."

 

[02.04.00]

AICN has reported that Cuba Gooding Jr will have a small part on "Pearl Harbor." And to those of you asking if there are any composers attached to "Pearl Harbor," I will let you know as soon as I get some info. Personally, I think Treveor Rabin did a wonderful job with "Armageddon," and Hans Zimmer did a cool job with "The Rock." Maybe they should have both!

 

[01.31.00]

Got this from vfxpro.com

Industrial Light & Magic confirms that it has secured the visual effects duties for Michael Bay's upcoming Pearl Harbor epic whose possible title is "Tennessee". Walt Disney Studios gave the project the green light after extensive previsualization by Disney's The Secret Lab. An ILM spokesperson said that the company is thrilled to be involved in a film of such scale.

 

 

[01.27.00]

Mega-budgeted WWII epic finally gets its greenlight

By CHARLES LYONS, January 27, 2000

After months and months of budget scrutiny and talent talks culminating in the tension of the last two weeks, Disney has greenlit � at a budget of $130 million-$135 million � the WWII epic �Pearl Harbor,� with Michael Bay directing and Jerry Bruckheimer producing from a script by Randall Wallace (�Braveheart�).

A few legal issues were still being ironed out Wednesday evening, but the film is on track to begin production in April or May for release around Memorial Day, 2001. Disney will finance the film�s entire budget, making �Pearl Harbor� one of the most expensive films ever at the greenlight stage. The studio will control worldwide distribution, though it is a distinct possibility that Disney could later lay off a large percentage of the budget on Spyglass, its foreign partner on such films as �The Sixth Sense.�

Estimates are that Disney could recoup as much as 40% of that budget in exchange for Spyglass stronghold territories Germany, Spain, Italy and France. Spyglass, run by Roger Birnbaum and Gary Barber, has offered to finance the entire film, a scenario that Walt Disney chairman-CEO Michael Eisner and Walt Disney Studios chairman Peter Schneider have resisted while making the decision. The greenlight ends the high-profile jockeying between the studio and Bay and Bruckheimer. That duo gave up their upfront fees and delaying gross participation until the studio reached breakeven � and thought they had gotten a greenlight on a $145 million budget from studio chief Joe Roth and Eisner. That changed when Roth exited the studio this month when his contract expired. Suddenly, Eisner and his new lieutenant Schneider had second thoughts, and spent the last two weeks in a tense negotiation with Bruckheimer and Bay to shave an extra $10 million off the film�s negative cost.

One source said Bruckheimer and Bay�s waiving of upfront and gross could make a difference of $40 million to $50 million for the studio. That�s a significant chunk of change, and a significant move for the duo. Casting will begin in earnest, with the early favorites being that �American Beauty� star Wes Bentley, �Thin Red Line� star Jim Caviezel and Charlize Theron will be offered the lead roles (Daily Variety, Jan. 25) in a storyline about two fighter pilot pals from Tennessee who fall in love with the same nurse.

 

 

[01.26.00]

Got two tidbits today. The first is from Harry at AICN, and the other one is from the Hollywood Reporter.

Warning: there are a couple spoilers below.

 

Harry looks at the first real draft of Randall Wallace's screenplay for Michael Bay's PEARL HARBOR

 

Hey there folks at large, though I am writing this I guess there may be some doubt as to whether or not you�ll actually be able to read it. Sigh.... Today I do have something rather interesting for ya. You see... You�ve perhaps seen a couple of looks at Michael Bay�s PEARL HARBOR script. I can remember at least one look over at Dark Horizons. BUT... that was actually a review of a draft in progress. What does that mean?

Well, you see a screenwriter often times will write and get through with a draft... but not be satisfied with it, so he�ll go back, rework it, and when he or she is finished and happy.. then they�ll send it out to their director, producer, studio... whatever the case may be.

The draft of PEARL HARBOR (aka TENNESSEE) that had been hitting the script circles of the world, was actually an unfinished, incomplete draft of Randall Wallace�s that was never turned in to either Bay, Bruckheimer or the Mouse House. Wallace�s assistant was fired and that was that.

But as a result... We�ve never had a review of an accepted draft of this gigantic project... that is... till now.

Through trickery and tomfoolery, I have managed to obtain a 1/13/2000 draft by Randall Wallace of his original screenplay, which is now titled... PEARL HARBOR. Now, in yesterday�s Hollywood Reporter They mentioned that there are casting discussions and possibilities of having Charlize Theron, Wes Bentley, Ed Burns, Keri Russell, Scott Speedman, James Caviezel and Gene Hackman talking about roles in this film.

Also, Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer have been in discussions with the Department of Defense, The Pentagon and the Navy to secure complete cooperation in bringing this film about. You see... This isn�t a very cheap movie. Believe me. This script is a huge film.

The film is not just about PEARL HARBOR. It�s far larger and ambitious than that. It isn�t a remake of TORA! TORA! TORA! or FROM HERE TO ETERNITY. The film also covers what it was like to be a part of the Americans that volunteered to be a part of the British formed Eagle Squadron... which was formed of mainly American volunteers that went early to fight the Germans during the early days of the BATTLE OF BRITAIN. It includes behind the scenes details from both the American side and the Japanese side... From FDR to Hirohito... It deals with what happened that fateful day on Pearl Harbor... and then How we Americans reacted. And... if you�ve ever seen the excellent movie, THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO... you�ll know.

This is by far... the most textured and real script that Michael Bay has had in his hands thus far. Having said that... there are still a couple of small tidbits here and there that need tweaking. Mainly having to do with the one night meeting of Evelyn and Rafe.

Well... perhaps I need to set this all up better than I have thus far...

The film starts off with the following paragraph...

�As in every dramatic reconstruction, actual characters and events have been combined and shaped for clarity; but the events are factual, and we have made every effort to capture the truth of what happened, drawing not only from the best historical works, but from the personal accounts of many who saw these events through their own eyes, and shaped them with their courage.�

It then opens in Tennessee in 1926, with two plays playing like they are in a biplane fighting off an unseen imaginary enemy. Their plane nothing more than an old shell of a bi-plane propped up on crates. The boys are Rafe and Danny.

A pair of wide eyed kids. Innocent. War was this strange heroic venture that all �Men� took part in. Basically the film is really about this loss of innocence. This sense of invincibility that comes with youth. They are the best of friends. They type that when one can�t read so well... the other helps with the homework, while the other teaches the other how to fly.

Rafe is the hungrier of the two. Itching to do his duty. He volunteers for the Eagle Squadron to fight the Germans, thus splitting the two friends up. On his night before shipping out to England, Rafe meets Evelyn... a nurse... My only problem in this entire 116 page script is in her character.

They have one night to fall in love, before their romance takes the form of war torn love letters. As their �night� currently consists... it�s mainly an adventurous romp. With their dialogue mainly consisting idle chatter. For me, the best single night dialogue driven love affair came from Kim Krizan and Richard Linklater�s BEFORE SUNRISE... and the film desperately needs a realistic soulmate meeting here at the beginning. It isn�t terrible... it just isn�t.... IT yet.

However, as soon as Rafe ships out... MAN... this movie flies. Randall Wallace�s script is filled with all the right moments. You can feel the kindling catching fire �round the world. You begin to see why the Japanese had to do, what it is they did. You see why the Americans didn�t believe that the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor.

What I love about this script is the fact that these are not the, �EVIL NIPPONESE� or the �YELLOW PERIL� as they have so often been portrayed in film. In fact... perhaps the best line in the entire film belongs to Yamamoto himself...

Yamamoto has outlined the plan to fill the radio airwaves with false movements and attack plans to confuse the Americans, and the resulting clutter would be indecipherable.

Genda comments to him, �Brilliant, Admiral.�

To which Yamamoto retorts, �A brilliant man would find a way not to fight a war.�

And I love that this is coming from the �insidious enemy�.

Later still, when Danny shoots down a Jap Zero that was going to kill men floating in the water after a ship had been destroyed, he says exasperated to another pilot through the radio, �They�re even shootin� guys floating in the water� To which the other pilot says, �It�s a war, Danny. Wake up.� This sense of things is wonderful to me. I love the sense of innocence and fairplay that gets crushed by war. First in Rafe in the Battle of Britain... then in Danny at Pearl Harbor.

War is not a beautiful thing.

Another thing I really love about this script is this. You know how Michael Bay likes to show, what many of his... ummm... critics like to call... Kodak Moments? You know... like the kid running with the Space Shuttle, with a dilapidated mural of Kennedy is on a building in the background in ARMAGEDDON?

Well here... On the morning of December 7th... His little montage sequences are again applied. But here.. instead of it being just random �Hallmark Highlights� they�re based upon insights from survivors of PEARL HARBOR... Sort of... their little highlighted memories... their Polaroids of a terrible moment. And when we revisit these flashes throughout the ordeal... we see whether or not these people live or die. Whether they lose some one or an arm or two. As a result... these moments are real.

What I like about Evelyn is that she has a sense of purpose in the script. She isn�t just some dumb broad. She has to perform a billion decisions as the victims of Pearl Harbor come in like a flood of torn flesh and broken bones. She�s forced to choose who will receive treatment... and who will have to die.

She isn�t just helpless staring at the men who are getting the job done. And when I called up Bay Pictures about a problem with her character near the end of the script where she is turned into that type of character... It seems that they are at work on this next draft to strengthen her even more.

Yeah... she�s a woman in love... surrounded by tragedy. But she�s also a nurse. And she has work to do. A place to bury her sorrows by comforting and saving others from their own.

As the script read, it�s already a very large epic film. If they end up fixing a couple of character things and that opening romance... then the film will really really be the homerun that everyone at Disney, Bruckheimer and Bay pictures want from this. It�s funny. Robogeek was a tremendous fan of ARMAGEDDON, but even he was a bit scared of the �popcorning� of history that Michael Bay could have brought to the film. Well... at least here in this draft of the screenplay by Randall Wallace... that is not the case.

They don�t play up the Japanese or the Germans as ultimate evil bastards. Even the heroes in the film... they are just regular joes that did their jobs in a very irregular time. I can see why SPYGLASS is chomping at the bit to get this film from DISNEY if Eisner were to chicken out on it. I�ll continue to follow this film all the way through production, as it is the largest WWII movie that I�ve been around to see being made. And I just hope they nail it. The events that they are bringing to life are times so a part of historic memory that they need to be treated with the sense of fairness that Randall Wallace has given them.

 

 

Fox Baja to serve spell as port of 'Pearl Harbor'

(Wed., Jan. 26, 2000) By John Watling

MEXICO CITY -- "Pearl Harbor," Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay's mega-budgeted production, has found its shooting ports. More than a year after shooting wrapped on the most recent full-length feature filmed at the Fox Baja facility, the studio is gearing up to host Disney's megabudgeted "Pearl Harbor."

Sources said a few weeks of shooting will take place at the Baja facility, while most of the film will be shot in Los Angeles, as well as in Hawaii and Texas. An April 10 date is being eyed for the start of principal photography in Hawaii.

Bruckheimer is producing and Michael Bay is directing "Pearl Harbor," which is now in preproduction in Los Angeles. Fox Baja manager Charlie Aronsen is expecting the production to arrive at his facility in March to begin preparing for shooting there.

"We are extremely happy to have 'Pearl Harbor' here," Aronsen said.

The Fox Baja facility first hit headlines with news that "Titanic" was to film there in 1996. Recently, the northern Mexico facility has attracted some television production, namely "The Expendables" for USA Network. But the facility has had trouble attracting feature productions since 'Big Blue' finished shooting in December 1998.

Aronsen said the difficulties have nothing to do with the quality of the facility. "We can shoot anything here," he said. "It is all about the lack of incentives for filming in Mexico."

The number of foreign productions shooting in Mexico has declined sharply in recent years as other countries including Canada, Australia and Ireland have increased the incentives for foreign productions to film there, while Mexico has done nothing to attract foreign productions.

 

 

[01.25.00]

Got this The Insider at Cinescape:

�Pearl Harbor� Moving Forward?

The last the Insider heard there were negative rumblings about the fate of Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer�s Pearl Harbor project. Things appear to have changed for the better, though there may have been some compromising as well.

First, according to Variety columnist Michael Fleming, in order for Disney to give a final okay for the project, Bruckheimer and Bay had to cut the budget of their blockbuster down from the previously announced $145M. The figure is said to now be sitting in the $130M range. Still, even though this tightens things for everyone, it has allowed the team to move forward with potential casting of the film pending the greenlight from Disney.

The columnist repeats recent rumors suggesting that the most prominent actors Michael Bay is eying to take on the film�s two male lead roles are currently Wes Bentley (American Beauty) and Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line). In addition, Charlize Theron (Cider House Rules), as opposed to Gwyneth Paltrow, is now the name being tossed around for the female lead. Other names currently floating through the rumor mill for the film�s leads include Ed Burns, Keri Russell and Scott Speedman. No matter who takes the parts, early word from Bay and Bruckheimer suggested that those actors might have to work for scale to keep the budget down, though one would imagine that there would also be a back end deal as well.

Beyond the casting, Bruckheimer is said to have sought out government assistance for the impending film. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the producer met with Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen and Secretary of the Navy Richard J. Danzig to gain the aid of the government in the making of the film. Word has it that both have pledged their support to the project.