TheAviator Tagged Articles at Cinematical

I may have initially hated Miami Vice, but it might be time to take another look. Especially because it's taking Michael Mann a long time to make a follow-up (though it's normal for him to take a few years between films). Lately he's been concentrating on producing, overseeing such pics as The Kingdom, which is currently in theaters, and the upcoming Hancock, which stars Will Smith. According to Variety, though, Mann has found a project that he's interested in directing next year, and it's to be another vehicle for Smith, who Mann previously directed to an Oscar nom in Ali. The drama, titled Empire, will also reunite Mann with screenwriter John Logan, with whom he worked, as a producer, on The Aviator. The plot involves a "contemporary global media mogul."

Other than that job title for (I'm assuming) Smith's character, little is known. But with such a great team involved, I don't think we need to worry. They're all very talented and respected (even if Logan did write the recent version of The Time Machine), Columbia apparently dished out at least a million bucks for the must-be-amazing pitch and I trust that Mann will not disappoint me again in the future. Something about this project -- perhaps the hint of corporate and media dealings -- makes me think it will be most in line with Mann's The Insider, which I think is his best film, even though it doesn't have a lot of action nor does it have Pacino and DeNiro face to face. Empire also won't feature classic Hollywood icons, like the film noir Mann and Logan were recently said to be making, but with that in mind, I think I'm anticipating this new project on less-kitschy grounds. Meanwhile, I'm also hoping that Smith make this a priority over Seven Pounds, his presumed next film (following Hancock) that returns him to the care of Pursuit of Happyness director Gabriele Muccino. I guess it all could come down to which film Smith thinks offers him a better chance at another Oscar nom for 2009.

One of my favorite directors of all time, Martin Scorsese, has been having a very good run lately. After having a little trouble getting films made during the late nineties, the last few years have propelled the director to not only greater creative accolades with films such as Gangs of New York, The Aviator and the exceptional The Departed, but for the first time in his career, significant financial success, as seen with The Departed -- his most successful film ever having earned over $150 million at the box office to date.

Scorsese has directed more than 40 films during his illustrious career and is one of the most honored filmmakers in Hollywood -- having been nominated for six Academy Awards and six Director's Guild awards so far. Even though it appeared, at least according to the man himself, that Scorsese was perhaps tired of big-budget filmmaking in the Hollywood studio system and was going to take a break, it seems now that he has changed his mind and is ready for more work. According to a release this week from Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures (via Coming Soon) the studio has entered into a four-year, first-look deal with Scorsese which will have him directing and producing projects for the studio across all platforms including feature films, DVD and television.

In his statement about the deal, Grey said: "Marty and I have enjoyed great personal success together of late. Now it is our great privilege to welcome Marty to the Paramount Pictures family – a motion picture dream come true." In true Hollywood fashion, Scorsese was quick to acknowledge Grey's statement. "I have had a great personal relationship with Brad Grey for several years now and am looking forward to working with him at Paramount, a studio rich in cinematic history and responsible for making some of my favorite films-'Sunset Boulevard,' 'Shane' and 'The Heiress,' among others," said Scorsese.

In addition to financing projects directly for Scorsese under this deal, Paramount will also have the opportunity to co-finance and co-distribute any project Scorsese may direct for other studios or independent companies. This deal marks the first of its type for the director in many years but I, for one, am thrilled for him. A man with this much talent and skill deserves a home and it makes sense that that home is going to be Paramount -- especially given his relationship with Grey. No matter what projects are eventually born of this deal, it gives me hope for Hollywood in general when a major studio realizes a director like Scorsese needs to be given the resources to to do what he does best -- make movies.