Fuck you, James Cameron’s “Avatar.”
That’s what they might as well have announced. Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” will reportedly have a teaser trailer for Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” debut in front of it starting on August 21st.
The “booyah!” move seemingly comes in response to Cameron’s planned “Avatar Day” — a global cost-free 15 minute screening of his 3D epic that threatened to eat into ‘Basterds” opening box office and will probably do so — though it remains to be seen just how big a chunk it will bite, especially now.
But it does seem slightly odd. ‘Basterds’ is a Weinstein Company film and Nolan’s “Inception” is under the Warner Bros. banner, what would they have to gain by goosing ‘Basterds’ opening? Did someone reach into the kitty and grease palms? Will TWC films — what’s left of them — come replete with trailers for upcoming WB films this fall?
Filming on “Inception” began a mere two months ago having only shot in Tokyo and London, so we wouldn’t be expecting much from the teaser. Maybe something akin to the first “The Dark Knight” trailer which was one-minute long with an animated logo featuring voices intertwined with a score and no actual footage (which was one hell of a cock-tease). We’d also imagine the “contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind” logline would mean just as much then as it does now. But in terms of ‘Basterds’ vs. “Avatar,” Tarantino vs. Cameron — it’s definitely on. Cameron and Fox threw down and TWC has responded and brought their A-game. Or at least if this report turns out to be true.
With a stellar cast featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine, Tom Hardy and Ken Watanabe, “Inception” is set to begin filming in Los Angeles next month and is due out on in theaters July 16th, 2010. [NolanFans]