Variety currently has an article up discussing the state of war films in the industry right now. Casually placed within is the statement that Michael Mann is still attached to direct For Whom the Bell Tolls.
The movie is about an American who travels to Spain during the Spanish Civil War to fight fascist leaders. As it sounds, it seems to be another all-American Mann film. It’s based on a novel by Earnest Hemingway and it was created once before in 1943 by Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman. Its placement in the article is quite interesting.
It discusses the state of war films and how its popularity has plummeted by office wise. Although The Hurt Locker won best picture it had poor box office returns. This along with Greengrass’ Green Zone having lower than expected returns it seems getting high scale war films are getting too risky to produce. Not to mention Mann’s last two movies, Miami Vice and Public Enemies didn’t do nearly as good as the studios wanted it to, it doesn’t seem like this movie will be going into production anytime soon.
Do you want to see another Pro-America Mann film?