Some films we actively dread. Some films we count the days before release for, reporting on every tiny tidbit of news that pops up. And some films, for whatever reason, we can’t summon up the energy to feel anything about, and one of those is Peter Berg’s “Battleship.” We don’t have anything against it particularly, but we don’t really have any desire to see a handsomely-shot B-list cast shooting at alien boats either.
That bizarre B-list cast, so which so far numbers Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgard as naval brothers, pop star Rihanna as the female lead, and Tom Arnold (seriously, has Berg been using Richard Kelly’s casting director?), has grown by one more, as The Wrap are reporting that Hamish Linklater has joined the project, as a scientist named Cal.
Linklater’s not exactly a household name, but he might be vaguely familiar from small roles in the likes of “Fantastic Four,” and for his part in the Julia-Louis Dreyfus sitcom “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” although he may be more prominent in the future, with an important role in Miranda July’s recently-wrapped follow-up to “Me, You and Everyone We Know,” “The Future.”
Filming on the $200 million budgeted film kicks off at the end of August in Hawaii, and if you’re thinking that is a lot of money for Universal — a studio that has struggled of late with expensive vehicles that have underperformed — to be spending, you’re not the only one. Apparently back in June, the studio was close to canceling the project altogether. Universal have never hesitated to pull the plug on productions they’re nervous about having canned the drug drama “Cartel” with Josh Brolin earlier this year. The studio also scrapped an earlier version of “American Gangster” with Denzel Washington and Benicio Del Toro, and Antoine Fuqua directing when the budget for that film ended up being too large. The difference here of course is that those films had actual stars, with “American Gangster” eventually getting made on a smaller budget and becoming a strong success for the studio. But Taylor Kitsch, Tom Arnold and Rihanna? We can’t wait to see the movie poster for this and we eagerly anticipate the addition of Lady Gaga, Bernie Madoff and that guy with one arm who mutters to himself on the bus to the cast in the near future.
It’s unclear why “Battleship” was spared the axe — studio chairman Adam Fogelson denies it was ever in jeopardy to begin with — but clearly both Hasbro and Universal are hoping the brand recognition and razzle dazzle effects will be enough to plant a lot of asses in seats.
“Battleship” will sink or swim on May 18, 2012. — additional reporting by Kevin Jagernauth