Though it only started shooting in October and is planned for a late 2010 Oscar-based release, Robert Redford’s ‘it wasn’t there and now it’s finished’ film The Conspirator may compete at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. But then, so may a lot of films so hold on to that grain of salt. [The Playlist]
Redford’s film, written by James D. Solomon (ESPN’s minseries The Bronx Is Burning), concerns Mary Surratt (Robin Wright Penn), who was charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The film also stars Justin Long Alexis Bledel, James McAvoy, Evan Rachel Wood, Danny Huston, Kevin Kline and Tom Wilkinson.
The Cannes rumors appear to be purely speculative, but it’d be interesting to see for sure.
Redford offered a couple other tidbits of info on a few other things during his talk with USA Today:
On the 3-D switch:
“Avatar is very effective and very powerful because you can be absorbed in the imagery. I think (3-D) will work for larger, major films that are more blockbuster in shape and the IMAX films. I’m not so sure about the smaller independent films or television…I think technology is driving things to the point where it is beginning to dictate the spirit of something. … But I think a good story well told will always be the name of the game.”
And on his long-gestating Jackie Robinson/Branch Rickey biopic:
“Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson is one project I have got in development. I would like to play (legendary baseball executive) Branch Rickey.”
Is that really the title of the film? Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson? I guess titles have always been a bit on-the-nose for Redford (he tried to get creative with Lions For Lambs and we all saw what happened there).
What do you think of Redford as a director? Are you interested in The Conspirator?