The Fountain: Who's to blame....Pitt or Aronofsky?

[JoBlo]

Hey all, not sure how many of you have been following the whole FOUNTAIN/Brad Pitt/Darren Aronofsky debacle over at the WB, but the latest can be read on our NEWS page here: http://www.joblo.com/movienews/913.htm

I was just wondering if you all had any opinions on this? Word on the street is that Pitt walked out on the movie and left everyone holding their dicks, and that Aronofsky is pissed at the man, but I'm thinking he must've had a good enough reason, no?? (apparently the script was changed to the point that he didn't like it anymore)

Opinions??

[Tuukka]

The script was re-written and apparently it wasn't anymore the film that Pitt had promised to make. I can understand and accept his reaction. I don't think that Aranofsky himself has said that he is pissed of at Pitt, it's just a rumour so far. I think he is more pissed off at Warner Brothers.

[JoBlo]

According to the note received at AICN (http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=13229) by one of the crewmembers of the film (one pissed off dude, incidentally), Aronofsky specifically encouraged them to "voice our anger at Pitt's decision."

Not sure how reliable the letter or that statement are, but if true, there doesn't seem to be much love lost between Aronofsky and Pittsky...

[Tuukka]

I read the letter, but I wouldn't trust on it's credibility. Besides the logic of the writer doesn't really work if you look it at on grand scale of things.

Fountain was supposed to be a 70 million arthouse film from the director of Pi and RFAD. I really dig those movies, but 70 million??? Did anyone really except it to make a profit? A 70 million flick has to make at least 200 million on the worlwide market to turn a profit.

WB was scared to greenlight the film right from the start. And I understand them since they are making business, not art. If studios would start greenlighting 70 million projects like Fountain, soon there would be no studios left, and no more work for people like the guy who wrote the letter to AICN.

WB is simply protecting itself, and the way how the dealt with the issue is the way how film industry in general tries to protect itself from destroying itself. With marketing costs included Fountain would have costed north of 100 million and it might have not made any money at all. There was potential for WB to lose 80-90 million with the film.

Let's remember Heaven's Gate and what happened to United Artists.

I would LOVE to see Fountain some day, but I really do think that the whole thing was seriously over-budgeted. Hopefully Aranofsky will find a reasonable way to cut the budget down to 30 million, so it won't be such a gamble to WB anymore.

[JoBlo]

But the beard...what about his friggin' kewl beard...??? http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif

Yeah, I hear what you're saying but I'd like to believe that studios aren't as idiotic as to greenlight something in the first place, if they really didn't believe that it would make them some dough on the other side. Then again, am I the only one who noticed that all this happened right after a pretty "weak" summer for WB movies, many of which were some of the biggest "money losers" around, like BLOOD WORK, EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS and THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH??

Hmmmmm...coincidence? I think not.

[NobodySpecial]

Given how unbelievably supportive and enthusiastic about this project that Brad Pitt has been there must have been serious problems with the script for him to just pull out like he did.

All this time Pitt's been growing that muskrat on his face he could have been earning $15+ million on something else.

[Scarface98.9]

I'm not sure there's anyone specifically to blame. Aronofsky was doing a rewrite and Pitt didn't like it, so he pulled out. I can understand WB wanting big talent to star in it so it won't be a failure. What I really wanna know what The Fountain was about to justify a 70M picture

[Invincible]

What was The Fountain originally about?

[notchreturns]

I don't think anyone is too blame. Pitt was un-happy that the film he signed to make wasn't going to be mad, so he quit. It's that simply. Also, I've heard Aronofsky has been having problems with the studio and ya da ya da. I'm sure Pitt was also getting annoyed having that gigantic hair ball on his face for the past year? That has to be lousy and he still needed to grow it for another month or two! I'm sure they will find another actor and in the year 2004, after he grows his beard, the film will be released http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Optimus Prime]

damn the both of 'em....
i was really looking forward to this film.
with Pitt and Aronofsky.


wonder whats next for Pitt?