I hadn’t thought about this, but…
Doesn’t Robert Downey, Jr. getting Iron Man suggest that now, after what seems to me might be 5 full years of sobriety, that he is insurable?
I can’t imagine that Parmaount or anyone else would greenlight a movie of this size without a completion bond tat includes its central star. So, a landmark for Downey, no?
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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” ā some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it ā I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury ā he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” ā and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging ā I was with her at that moment ā she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy namedā” “Yeah, sure ā you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that Iām on the phone with you now, after all thatās been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didnāt seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. Thereās not a case of that. He wasnāt using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had ā if that were what the accusation involved ā the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. Iām not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, āYou know, itās not this, itās thatā? Because ā let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. TimesĀ piece, thatās what it lacked. Thatās what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
wow.
he’ll be great.
hope he doesn;t get too into the part, he might be uninsurable again (or his liver might give out).
Great point. I hope he continues this great run regardless. Kiss Kiss was great. His perf in Fur is getting solid notice and he’s apparently great in Zodiac.
And can I just say how fucking awesome Favreau’s casting of this thing has been so far? Makes me want to go back and read the Iron Man stuff, which I gave up on as soon as I started reading it back in the early 90s. A trip to the comic store and Essential Iron Man it is…
The best Iron Mans are the old ones late 70s to eighties then Iron man was sold down the Swannee River. Find a geek to loan em to you.
The only problem with this project is that it’s freakin’ Iron Man. I mean, who can get stoked about this particular 3rd tier comic?
A clean and sober Downey is a great thing. I think he’s proven that he’s one of the most quirky and interesting actors around. Hell, even his work in Shaggy Dog was worth watching.
Come on, Iron Man is at least second tier. Ghost Rider, now we’re talking third tier.
Iron Man was pretty warped politics at its inception and is dullsville now, but still there was a fair bit of intrigue in the 70s-80s. Can’t be as third tier as Jughead & jarhead type comix š
Downey will be great…and here Tom Cruise could have been Iron man (its SO wrong, but somehow TC is likely closer to the Truth of Iron man’s existence than Downey is!).
Downey has been insurable for awhile now. Doing a Paramount movie doesn’t mean anyting – those films don’t need bonds. It’s the indie films that really mean something, because they can’t be made without a bond.
considering fav’s also landed howard to play rhodes and this is the only marvel franchise besides Spidey that I give a shit about, I think its the perfect vehicle to bring downey full circle.
Lonelydave49
Let’s be clear shall we- Paramount is not spending fifty cents on this sure to be crapfest (did anyone SEE Zathura?)
Marvel is paying for it- all of it including p and a.
Better yet, their deal with Merrill Lynch calls for them to LOSE THE RIGHTS TO THE CHARACTER if the film flops- which it will.
Not sure what you mean by insurable? He did GOTHIKA and KISS KISS for Warners. He’s hirable, only this time by a new studio which is really dumb.
I am Spam Dooley and I’d go to the moon for a Lorna Doone!
Favreau really hit the mark with Zathura — a movie that was a thousand times the film that its predecessor was despite the exact same budget ten years after the fact. What’s disappointing is that the star vehicle that was Jumanji vaulted that film to a $100 million domestic while the vastly superior Zathura couldn’t even top $30 mil. Sad. Elf is the film that really got him this job, though, and it’s another good one. But it’s Zathura and its surehanded special effects and performances that really excite me about Favreau being behind Iron Man. That one of my favorite actors in all the land (Downey) is also involved excites me to no end. They better nail this first movie, though, because I doubt this one is going to break the bank. Sequels are unlikely to happen, in my opinion.
Poland should really start thinking about having an Ebert & Roeper thread every week. I bring this up because this weekend’s episode was a facinating installment. They finally had an honest-to-God critic as the guest. A.O. Scott’s little reviews on the NYTimes Discovery Channel was good prep work for handling Roeper. He actually came across as calm and relazing, He was in sharp contrast to Roeper’s usual hipster smugness.
A good exmple of this came early on when they were discussing the differences in their opinions on Man of the Year. Roeper made some smart ass remark that he thought MofY had some bite when the Williams character decided to be honest about his flaws. Roeper said, “I think that’s refreshing since so many Democrats and Republicans sound alike these days.” Scott’s responded, “Actually you can tell the differences. I think the thing right now is people arguing over their different views.” Roeper was silent.
Scott is a good substitute. I look forward to next week’s episode.
I’m no expert on this, but it seems obvious that there’s a greater financial risk/liability in having Downey as the star of a $100m franchise movie than there is in having him play the third lead in Gothika.
Why on earth are they spending $100mil on Iron Man?
Sorry, IMDB says the budget is only $75m.
Iron Man as a comic book character is A-List. He’s more popular than Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Elektra, the Fantastic Four, etc who all got movies. The only characters that are more popular than him in Marvel Comics are Spider-Man, Hulk and Wolverine.
Spam you sure you ain’t Murphy? Your anti Favreau rant is virtually identical as his posts on AICN. If so we’ve met under weird circumstances, want me to set up a lunch for you and Dave to meet?
I am glad you brought this up. I think it is great news that he got a part this big. Of course it means he can be insured now. He has been working his ass off the last few years with great work in Good Night and Good Luck and the very fun movie Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. He was fantastic in Scanner Darkly and I hear good things about him in Fur and Zodiac. So yeah for gods sake give the man a break. He deserves it for being one of our more interesting actors and dare I say.. a true character actor of our time. I know people may argue with me about that but who else could portray the wide variety of parts he has played.
Iron Man’s secret identity is Tony Stark, who in the comics has been an alcoholic for years, starting with a notable storyline in the early 80s. There’s no doubt every review will bring up the connection.
Jeffty is Five
I’ve never been on Aint it Cool, sorry.
And you believe IMDB and cite it as an authority?
You are PATHETIC man.
I am Spam Dooley and I pray for the Children!
I’m five? Years old? Whatever, chief.
I’m sure IMDB’s number was just pulled off of a press release or something; regardless, it’s an indication of where they want the budget to be, as opposed to the $125m or $150m range.
“Jeffty is Five” is a scifi short story written by Harlan Ellison from the 70s. I believe it was voted as the best SF short story of all time at some point…?
I am glad this has been brought up. I think Downey deserves a big break like this. He has been working like crazy the last few years turning out one good performance after another. He was excellent in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, totally stole the show in Scanner Darkly and I hear he is great in Fur and Zodiac. I think he has become an interesting characater actor and I am happy to see him finally get a big movie like this. Of course it proves he can be insured! I say bring it on! I would never have gone to see a movie like Iron Man but with Downey in it I will give it a chance. He is always good even if the movies he stars in are not that great.
I see, I missed his incredibly sophisticated and completely-not-obscure Joycean reference there.
Love the trolls
Kambei notes it as one of if not the best SF stories ever and Jeffty calls it Obscure
It is only obscure to the unread and uneducated who follow Harry Knowles
I am Spam Dooley and I fart in your general direction!
Yeah, I’m really sorry I don’t read Locus magazine or follow the Nebula awards.
Spam, _you_ are the troll.
In other news, congrats to DP for getting this thread linked on Defamer.
Ghostface Killah…aka Iron Man…aka Tony Stark…Wu Tang Forever…
…waaaah…I got flamed for pointing out one of my favourite short stories? what has this interweb come to?
Well, remember that Downey had a major role in U.S. Marshals, an expensive studio action franchise picture, as far back as 1998, when, if you believe everything you hear, he was at the height of his ‘problems’. So i don’t think 5 years of sobriety or his ‘insurability’ has played into this casting. Although wasn’t the Bad Boys sequel delayed for like nearly a decade because Martin Lawrence’s off-screen travails made Sony nervous about committing to a $100 million-plus action extrvaganza?
I don’t want to flame you, Kambei, and I don’t think I did.
heh. No, I was referring to being called a troll (by Spam)for no apparent reason, when i thought i was just trying to clarify his comment. Back on topic, an Iron Man actually has potential to be one of the better superhero movies–alcoholism, secret identities and guilt all rolled into one.