Director And Star Trying To Push Albert Brooks To Write
Though his Cannes Best Director winning film “Drive” doesn’t hit theaters until the fall, director Nicolas Winding Refn is already lining up a future project with his star Ryan Gosling. In addition to their remake of “Logan’s Run,” the two have announced plans to make yet another film together, this time a romantic comedy. Refn has already announced the plot of his next film, “Only God Forgives,” but recently told the L.A. Times that he and Gosling are hoping to work again on a comedy project in the near future. As if that news wasn’t earth-shattering enough for you, Refn and Gosling are trying to persuade “Drive” co-star Albert Brooks to write the screenplay.
Refn told the Times, “It’s a romantic comedy set in New York, which seems like a great place to start.” He didn’t give any other details, but this might be a terrific idea considering the positive buzz Gosling is getting for his first real comedic performance in this summer’s “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” However, it may all just be a kernel of idea right now. “We’re doing a comedy, and Albert Brooks promised he’d write the screenplay,” Refn he also said. “Well, that’s not exactly true. But print it and we’ll make it true.”
“We’re definitely going to do a comedy, and we’re trying desperately to get [Brooks] to write it,” Gosling clarified. Brooks hasn’t yet commented on the project, but considering his performance in “Drive” is already getting talk of an Oscar nomination, hopefully he’ll be just as eager to get back to work with Refn.
Refn’s previous films, like “Valhalla Rising” and “Bronson,” have been rather dark, but have given him plenty of respect among critics and significant attention within the industry. A romantic comedy is not the type of genre you would expect the director to go after, but the same could be said for Gosling who will hopefully impress us as a Lothario-turned-tutor opposite Steve Carell in “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” With any luck, this could be the start of a wonderful, regular artistic collaboration between an auteur like Refn and one of today’s most talented actors.
“Drive” hits theaters on September 16th and with “Only God Forgives” set to shoot later this summer.