You’re going to be hearing a lot from Chris Terrio, whose blacklisted script made it through the machine and into Ben Affleck’s hands, resulting in this year’s outstanding Argo. With Oscar heat already turned up and plenty of buzz mounting, Terrio’s chances for gold have risen even as the film proper is handing over its front-runner status to other movies.

In any event, who gives fucks about slobbering all over the good movie they’ve already made when they’re ready to make more!  Terrio is said to be reteaming with the producers of Argo and joining with a different charismatic leading man-turned director: George Clooney. The star is interested in bringing to the screen a new script from Terrio focused on crime among the New York synidcates, and though he’s looking to star as well as produce, it will actually be Paul Greengrass set for the director’s chair!

With Clooney still coasting off his lauded acting and directing work last year, Terrio on his heat-wave now, and Greengrass always bringing some hard-edged credibility to a project, this is one of those perfect storms of talent that likely won’t have to look hard for backing. Details beyond the players and the genre are scant, but as everyone involved gets pelted with questions during their campaign rounds, some nuggest are sure to shake loose. Keep an ear out.

Oh, and before we completely turn away from this whole Oscar thing, I do want to say one thing about the nose-upturning and condescension from many parties that are exasperated with the Academy’s nonsense. While I completely understand any resistance to contributing to or engaging with the bukkake film that is the next three months in Hollywood, let us not forget that it is the storm of back-patting and producers-in-heat that do allow for a lot of great projects like this to come together in the frenzy. The real heroes are out there using all this to accelerate good projects through the system, so let us give thanks for that at least.

 

Source | Variety