Remember Steven Soderbergh’s Liberace biopic? The long-gestating project concerning the famous American entertainer (huge through the 1950s-1970s) who fought with his alleged homosexuality his entire life, starring Michael Douglas? Matt Damon told the Las Vegas Sun (appropriate, considering that’s where Liberace revived/sustained his career more than once) [via The Playlist] there’s still a future for the controversial film:
“Yeah, it’s going to happen. We’re going to do it next summer…[Steven Soderbergh] is directing it. Michael Douglas is going to play Lee [Liberace].”
And on the script:
“It’s a terrific script…Richard LaGravenese has written a really great script and, you know, hopefully it will be a really great movie. I don’t see why it wouldn’t be.”
Jerry Weintraub (Ocean’s Eleven, The Karate Kid) is producing the film, which will shot next year after Contagion, also co-starring Damon (and Soderbergh’s first foray into 3D), is finished with. As for LaGravenese, he’s great when he’s writing for other people (The Ref, The Fisher King, A Little Princess) and not so great when he’s writing projects he also directs (Freedom Writers, P.S. I Love You). This falls in the former list, gladly.
Douglas would be perfect for Liberace, and a juicy role like that is just what the old lothario needs. Solitary Man was a step in right direction, but now the star needs to make a leap. As for Damon, he seems to making all the right decisions. Save one, as recorded by Las Vegas Weekly:
“Absolutely yes [I’ll return to the Bourne franchise]…I love the character. I love the stories. But only if Paul Greengrass says he will direct again. So far, though, he’s decided not to. I’d definitely say yes if he went for it. I know he would have a great story, and it would protect the legacy of what we created.”
Sleeping spies will not lie (or die), apparently. The Bourne trilogy is one of those few franchises that works as a whole unit, not needing any rebuffs or rationalizations (i.e. “The Godfather III is a good gangster movie, just not a good Godfather movie). Would it not be best to leave well enough alone and let the movie star kiss Michael Douglas on the mouth for two hours?
Would you rather see Damon play Liberace’s lover or Jason Bourne?