[Kolzig]

Originally Posted by imdb

Movie maverick Terry Gilliam is amazed that a planned movie starring Johnny Depp and Robin Williams is still on the shelf - because American investors can't raise $15 million. The former Monty Python member was thrilled when international money men offered him $45 million to make the film Good Omens with Depp as a demon and Williams as an angel. But he was shocked to discover that Americans didn't have the same sort of faith in the project, and they failed to raise the extra cash he needed to start work on the project - an adaptation of fantasy writers Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's book. Gilliam tells US magazine Entertainment Weekly, "I couldn't get 15 with Johnny and Robin... These two guys, who would have been brilliant were not worth $15 million in America. That was the moment where I went, 'I don't understand this game. I don't understand this town (Hollywood). I don't understand any of the rules. All I know is I don't like it.'" Gilliam's last project with Depp, the ill-fated Quixote, became one of the biggest movie-making disasters in history when illness and storm-wrecked sets prompted financiers of the film to pull the plug as costs soared. The film, which was never completed, was turned into hit disaster documentary Lost in La Mancha. Gilliam hopes to complete his Don Quixote epic with Depp next year.

Oh man, Depp as a demon, in a Terry Gilliam movie. Now that would've been an awesome movie.

Also woah, Terry still believes in his Don Quixote project! If that project can ever be finished, it would be unbelievable. That project has been cursed by higher beings a long time ago.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Higher beings my ass. We Americans (myself not included) are too culturally ignorant and shallow minded to understand and appreciate certain stuff.

[Lucien21]

Good Omens is a fantastic book.

--"It wasn't a dark and stormy night. It should have been, but there's the weather for you. For every mad scientist who's had a convenient thunderstorm just on the night his Great Work is complete and lying on the slab, there have been dozens who've sat around aimlessly under the peaceful stars while Igor clocks up the overtime."

[Ninth]

Yep, a great book. And Johnny Depp is a great actor.

Damn.

[squarejawhero]

Unfortunately, I've heard Gilliam's got a difficult rep as he's apparently no so keen at sticking to producers figures. So it's not much of a suprise if he's burnt a few ego's over at Hollywood that people might not want to work with him or offer him money for new projects.

[AFGNCAAP]

Johnny Depp + Robin Williams + Terry Gilliam + Terry Pratchett + Neil Gaiman?

Dang, it would be a dream come true for me... If only I had $ 15 million to spare. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid studio executives!

Those of you who did read Good Omens, though: is it just me or would the leads fit actually better the other way round, ie. Depp as Aziraphale and Williams as Crowley?

[Talas]

Don Quijote de la La Mancha and Good Omens are some of my favorite books, it's nice to see that I share some taste in books with Terry Gilliam

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by AFGNCAAP

Those of you who did read Good Omens, though: is it just me or would the leads fit actually better the other way round, ie. Depp as Aziraphale and Williams as Crowley?

Yes, yes and yes. Too bad it's not likely to be made anymore, this way or other

[After a brisk nap]

Much as I like the idea of a Good Omens flick in theory, I'm not sure it would work well in practice. Just consider HHGTTG, which at least I consider a failure (for the most part) as a film.

Gilliam is an inspired director, but he makes it very difficult for investors to make money on his movies. He's unreliable, has poor discipline (watch "Lost in La Mancha" to witness how chaotic his productions are), and his movies bomb more often than not (most recently The Brothers Grimm). I'm not surprised he has difficulty raising funds.

[Orange Brat]

My Lord The Brothers Grimm was a letdown. Nice looking movie, with some subtle funny parts, but overall a huge misfire. I hope Tideland returns him to form. I think it was mainly a lame script written by someone else and studio interference that did it in. That's why it was delayed for so long(and the Disney/Miramax debacle, too). You know it's going to be bad when the director himself basically comes out and says "yeah, I kind of like it".

Yeah, Gilliam is a real hardass(it helped Brazil didn't it?), and I hope he never loses it. I hear he lost the Grimm battle, though. I also enjoy his audio commentaries more than just about anyone else. He's one of those people you can listen to forever, plus he's just so damn goofy.

[Once A Villain]

Originally Posted by Orange Brat

My Lord The Brothers Grimm was a letdown. Nice looking movie, with some subtle funny parts, but overall a huge misfire.

Well said.

[pinkgothic]

Hmm, 15 mil isn't that much in Hollywood, is it? I'm not going to call anyone "culturally illiterate" until I can prove it - I'm thinking this might have something to do with the general lack of interest in movies from the consumers. The same thing that's making Dreamworks fold. Maybe? I can't imagine it was just overlooked because of the content, anyway. *ponder*

[squarejawhero]

No, Dreamworks are folding because they overestimated DVD demand and then tried to cover it up. Turds like Shark Tale didn't help either as they're not recouping on DVD beyond the cinema takings.

Consumers are taking a wider interest in DVD's which are biting a large chunk out of the theatres anyway. The reason Gilliam's movie is being overlooked is because he's unfortunately pissed off the wrong people during his career (through movies like Baron Munchausen) and not many trust him enough because of it. Whether it's true or not, I've no idea, but the word is he tends to let movies run away artistically - no bad thing, but money's got to come from somewhere to pay for it. Plus the Brothers Grimm isn't impressing anyone.

[omloflump]

I was initially disappointed when his Don Quixote fell through, but, after witnessing a scene in Lost In La Mancha where Johnny Depp attempted to catch a fish, I thought it may not have been such a loss. The script sounded awful.