At this point there’s little that Angelina Jolie can say about Atlas Shrugged that will change my mind about the book or the movie; it’s a ridiculous novel with the potential to become one of the most epic disasters to hit the screen. Which means, of course, that I can’t wait to see it. So when Jolie tells MTV that it’s a ‘once in a lifetime film’ I agree whole-heartedly.
And for a while I really couldn’t wait, because Vadim Perelman was supposedly set to direct. It was in the trades and everything! Those guys are always on the ball. But in the same MTV piece featuring the quote above, there’s also this:
Jolie told MTV News that Vadim Pearlman [sic], who was thought to be lined up
to direct, was never and is not now officially attached to the project.
I have no idea why MTV buried that lead, though I’m sure it has to do with the number of people who click on an article with Jolie’s name in the header as opposed to Perelman’s. It’s a wild statement, though, since Perelman has said a lot about working with Lionsgate on the picture. April interviews available on Box Office Mojo and Coming Soon feature the director talking about the film. Who’s telling the truth? I just called the previously announced production company (Baldwin Entertainment Group) but their number is disconnected.
UPDATE: Cinematical says they’ve spoken with Perelman and he is indeed off the project. Kim Voynar at the site says “I can say with as much certainty as one can possibly have about a
situation like this that the decision to step down was on Perelman’s
side.“