Descendants This Year?

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An official Fox Searchlight release says that principal photography on Alexander Payne's The Descendants begins today in Oahu and Kauai. George Clooney, Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, Matthew Lillard, Robert Forster (hooray, Bob!). Payne is directing a screenplay adapted by himself, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings.

But will it come out in late 2010? No word, no hint. I called Fox Searchlight's Manhattan publicity office -- zip. Joel and Ethan Coen's True Grit starts shooting this week (or imminently) also, and it's locked to open on 12.25.10. If The Descendants shoots for 12 or 14 weeks it'll be done in June, which gives Payne three or four months to cut it together. That's doable. Clooney's The American, the Italy-based assassin movie from director Control's Anton Corbijn, will open sometime in the early to mid fall.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 15, 2010 at 10:14 AM

comment #1

BurmaShave says ...

If it's not doable, it's laughable. What is he gonna do, cut it like a '90s Oliver Stone movie?

Posted by BurmaShave at March 15, 2010 10:47 AM

comment #2

actionman says ...

Really looking forward to seeing the first trailer for The American...

Posted by actionman at March 15, 2010 10:48 AM

comment #3

Rich S. says ...

Someone should do a film of HST's Curse of Lono. The bit where Hunter's holed up on the ancestral lands is priceless.

Posted by Rich S. at March 15, 2010 10:59 AM

comment #4

Ponderer says ...

Interesting that Jim Taylor isn't Payne's co-writer this time out (though he is producing).

Posted by Ponderer at March 15, 2010 11:44 AM

comment #5

JD says ...

Ponderer, my guess is that Payne re-wrote another writing team's script.

Posted by JD at March 15, 2010 11:49 AM

comment #6

Holy Spokes says ...

Haven't read the source material but if this, like all of Payne's stuff, is generally dismissive of and cruel towards normal/middle class people, you can count me out.

Posted by Holy Spokes at March 15, 2010 11:52 AM

comment #7

BurmaShave says ...

Holy Spokes, since you apparently continue to miss the point of Payne movies, probably for the best.

Posted by BurmaShave at March 15, 2010 11:57 AM

comment #8

Colin says ...

I was about to say dismissive of the middle class?

Posted by Colin at March 15, 2010 11:58 AM

comment #9

Holy Spokes says ...

What is the point?

Posted by Holy Spokes at March 15, 2010 12:06 PM

comment #10

Michael says ...

I'm sorry, but I could swear that says 'Matthew Lillard' up there. That can't be right, can it?

Posted by Michael at March 15, 2010 12:37 PM

comment #11

JD says ...

Payne has a God's-eye-view approach. He's not mocking the characters, simply pointing out the cruel ironies of their lives when viewed from a detached, objective perspective.

Posted by JD at March 15, 2010 12:49 PM

comment #12

DeeZee says ...

Kick-Ass, Predators, Toy Story 3 posters here.
Also via Dark Horizons:

Alternate ending to Brooklyn's Finest?
In Joaquin's case, sometimes a cigar girl is just a cigar girl.
Barry Pepper back from the dead in True Grit remake.
Cloverfield writer tackles Robopocalypse.
Kick-Ass 2">http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/16626/-kick-ass-sequel-already-planned-">2?
Ron Perlman in Conan.
Teen Wolf re-do goes emo?
Fincher checks in to Fischer bio-pic and might remake 'Tattoo.
Why not just call it Children of Men 2?
The indie answer to the Karate Kid?
Marty stalled on Sinatra biopic.

Posted by DeeZee at March 15, 2010 1:03 PM

comment #13

DeeZee says ...

Kick-Ass 2 thing fixed.

Posted by DeeZee at March 15, 2010 1:04 PM

comment #14

JohnCope says ...

Is the cruel irony of our lives DeeZee's life?

Posted by JohnCope at March 15, 2010 1:21 PM

comment #15

Colin says ...

Instead of hearing about more fucking links I would like to know why Spokes thinks Payne is dismissive of the middle class.

Posted by Colin at March 15, 2010 1:32 PM

comment #16

The Hoyk says ...

Sad to say, when I saw the headline, I initially thought someone had finally made a documentary about the seminal punk band the Descendants.

"Welcome to Der Weinerschnitzel
May I take your order please?"
Yeah, I want:
Two large Cokes, Two large fries
Chili-cheese dog, large Dr. Pepper
Super deluxe, with cheese and tomato!
"You want whale sperm with that?"
NO!

Posted by The Hoyk at March 15, 2010 2:35 PM

comment #17

The Hoyk says ...

Sorry, I screwed up, it's Bill's sperm. Screw you Christian Slater!

Posted by The Hoyk at March 15, 2010 2:48 PM

comment #18

Ms. M says ...

Except for Clooney and maybe Greer, that's a somewhat low-level cast. Still, it is kind of nice to see Beau Bridges with a high profile project. His career is nothing to be ashamed of, but it must be a little humbling to see your sibling's career be so much more high-profile than yours.

Posted by Ms. M at March 15, 2010 2:52 PM

comment #19

dinovelvet says ...

Pump up the volume references ahoy!

Posted by dinovelvet at March 15, 2010 3:08 PM

comment #20

frankbooth says ...

I WANT to be stereotyped. I WANT to be classified.

I wanna...be a clone! I want a...suburban home! Suburban home! Suburban home! Suburban home!

Posted by frankbooth at March 15, 2010 4:33 PM

comment #21

nemo says ...

That box is registered to a Mr. Charles U. Farley.

Posted by nemo at March 15, 2010 9:58 PM

comment #22

dinovelvet says ...

Talk hard!

(These threads take strange turns sometimes)

Posted by dinovelvet at March 15, 2010 10:50 PM

comment #23

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