"The real budget blues"
I'm glad to hear that what I assume is Peter Craig's script was so well-received, and only mildly disappointed that Hollywood can't shell out $500 million to make anime fans happy. (Why NOT? Haven't we been waiting? C'mon, you're already like, a quarter of the way there with Speed Racer's $120 million budget...) It makes me especially glad since it was Craig's vehemence about staying true to the story that made me more comfortable with the whole project.
Seriously though, I have to wonder...okay, $500 million would be a LOT even for a movie. But it'd be really cool if it wound up being up there in the highest-budget films ever (adjusted for inflation, that would be Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, which was crap, and Cleopatra, which was not, both in the $315 million range). And then there's the four-part War and Peace flick of '68, which, adjusted for inflation, is estimated at $700 million.
I mean, the film would get extra attention in the press for being so expensive, and if Hollywood devoted that much budget, it would really feel like this film was being made as an epic for the whole world to really get into-- and since Bebop is arguably the best possible series to do this with (approachable but intelligent, dramatic but fun, etc), why not run with it?
Of course, that's easy for ME to say. I don't have to figure out how many millions to put into how many films. Besides, it's not like a huge budget guarantees a good flick (need I point at Pirates of the Caribbean 3 again?).
What do you think?
Yeah, but keep in mind Speed Racer barely made back a third of that money in US box office sales, and worldwide they didn't come close to breaking even. You know what that means? When the Wachowskis try to pitch another script of their own, they'll have to work extra, extra hard to pitch the idea or work with a much, much lower budget. Probably also has a freezing affect on anyone else who wants to make an Americanized live-action anime flick.
Whatever your thoughts on Keanu, do keep in mind that without his name pushing it this idea wouldn't see the light of day. Whether or not that's a good thing is a different story.
i hope they do a good job on ED! she's cool!
This doesn't need a re-writing. It needs an un-writing.