That’s basically what the Hollywood Reporter is saying and frankly, they have a point. Terry Gilliam’s films have fucking been raped at the box-office in recent years and in fact, the “release” of his films are kind of like a requisite excuse and mostly a head’s up to notifying the tiny audiences that care that the film will be on DVD shortly.
Heath Ledger’s final film appearance will be in the upcoming Gilliam movie, “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.” Of course he died before filming was completed, so Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell all stepped in to fill the void as the character was changed to one that apparently constantly morphs appearance (and ‘Imaginarium’ had a tiny budget, so you can bet all these actors came on working for scale and as personal favors to Gilliam and the memory of Ledger).
The Reporter says Film distribs/buyers who would be normally willing to shell out a sizable amount of dough for Heath Ledger’s final film appearance are holding back because of Gilliam’s’ s “stubbornly noncommercial-ness,” all his recent box-office flops (“Tideland”) and the fact that he hasn’t had a box-office hit since 1995 (“Twelve Monkeys”). You can understand their unease, “The Brothers Grimm” cost $88 million million to make according to Box-Office Mojo and only recouped $33 million stateside (if it weren’t for the international markets, the film would have been a major loss). “Tideland” probably didn’t cost much to make, but it made a pittance: $365 thousand, worldwide!
“In this market, unless I have a reason to think a movie like this is going to be a slam dunk I’m not going to take a flyer on it, even with Heath Ledger,” one anonymous executive said. One specialty exec added that only a few execs at his company had been tracking it.
“The Dark Knight” buzz isn’t even helping out? Time will tell about ‘Parnassus,’ but with a similar film like “Synecdoche, New York” – that had to manage its own expectations and get bought for a much lower asking price – the Terry Gilliam-helmed film might have a harder time getting sold than one might think considering the Ledger factor.
PS, Farrell, Depp and Law have asked that what little salary they make from the film go straight to Ledger’s daughter Matilda. This doesn’t seem outrageous considering they surely waived their normal fees to appear in the film and agreeing to take his place likely meant as simply a tribute and gesture to his work. And regardless the director confirmed it was true.
“They didn’t take money – it goes to Heath’s daughter,” Gilliam said. “That’s extraordinary. And wonderful and when you’re part of that, you think, ‘Ah, this is maybe why I went into the movies in the beginning’.”
It’s seriously a shame that Michelle Williams gets followed around Brooklyn by the papparazi. It happened again this weekend, but we’re not going to provide these fuckers links.