There are some new rumors that George Clooney might be taking over the Jack Ryan role. That character has been played by Alec Baldwin, then Harrison Ford, then Ben Affleck… so I tend to think George might be pretty good. Ryan is the thinking man’s action hero, and it would be an interesting franchise for George to take on. But first, the background: when it was revealed that the Brad Pitt/Steven Soderbergh film Moneyball wasn’t getting made because the Sony chief/Brangaloonie Amy Pascal wasn’t interested in financing such an artsy-fartsy project, several people pointed out that Pascal spends money on artsy-fartsy things all the time. At the same time Pascal was pulling financing on Moneyball, she was also signing George Clooney to an exclusive production deal. Now, I love George, but he’s not really box office gold. So why is he getting a sweetheart production deal unless he’s going to take over one of Sony/Paramount’s biggest properties? The rumor started at The Daily Beast:
As for Clooney, he seems to be a pragmatic guy. He’s doing Up in the Air for a reduced fee, pairing him with hip Juno director Jason Reitman in a movie, to be released by Paramount next January, that costs only $25 million. Clooney also appears to be looking for his next commercial opportunity now that the Ocean’s franchise seems to be played out. A source says he expressed interest in playing Jack Ryan when and if Paramount attempts to revive the Tom Clancy series. Clooney seems to recognize that at this time in the world and this time in his life (he’s pushing 50), it’s time for some commercial maintenance.
So maybe Sony has something commercial in mind for him. Still, it seems hard to understand why he’d have to be lured with an overall deal. Like so many big talents in Hollywood these days, he’s facing a buyer’s market.
[From The Daily Beast]
I’m a big fan of Clooney’s artsy-fartsy work – I love Solaris, The Good German, and Good Night and Good Luck. It’s totally possible that Clooney, a brilliant businessman, is working some kind of deal where he takes the Ryan franchise in exchange for production deals on his artsy projects. If any of this is true, we’re going to be seeing a lot more Clooney soon!
In other George Clooney news, he is spending his summer in Lake Como, as he usually does. There were some photos of him out on some kind of yacht/boat/party vessel. What’s interesting is that one of Clooney’s “boys” is now Bill Murray. What the hell? I didn’t know they were friends. I guess when you have a gorgeous Lake Como estate and access to party vessels, you have lots of friends. There were a bunch of women around too – perhaps one of them is a wayward waitress?
On the other hand, there’s “Batman and Robin.”
hey now. Everyone is entitled to a few mistakes. I mean look at Leatherheads (that was the name of that awful movie right?)
Something tells me George prefers his boys.
frankly, i would not mind to watch a new version of Jack Ryan
I think he’d be good in a Jack Ryan role. Much better than Affleck.
George,
you looked so out of place in L’Aquila. What was that for? What was that about in fact? If Weltroni was any good, he and his party would have done something when they were given the opportunity. You need a better advisor, or to be better informed on the center left party in Italy. They are just as bad as the right, just not as smart in their startegy. Plus of course they don’t own the media…But they keep repeating the same c… from 50 years ago, and do not deliver when they are given a chance.
Anyway, really not your place to be there. Also, since when is Bill Murray interested in international politics? You are doing well enough with Nespresso, aren’t you?