Things Are Looking Up on "Capone Rising"!

Things Are Looking Up on "Capone Rising"!


Hollywood Noir


May 25, 2007


by Roger Alford



This just in from Variety .....

If Brian De Palma moves ahead with prequel "The Untouchables: Capone Rising," it will be sans Nicolas Cage.

Cage had been in negotiations to star in the follow-up, but talks have ended because of scheduling issues, according to his reps.

Relativity Media is financing the pic, while Paramount has domestic distrib rights. Art Linson, who produced De Palma's 1987 pic "The Untouchables," is producing the prequel as well.

In Cannes last week, Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh announced that Gerard Butler has joined the cast.

Butler ("300") is set for the part of Jimmy Malone, played by Sean Connery in the original. Cage would have played the young Al Capone.

Cage is presently shooting "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," which opens in December. He hasn't said what his next movie will be after that.

This is great news indeed! As I've mentioned a couple of times before, Cage is too old and too thin to play a YOUNG Al Capone. Since they've still got Butler, King Leonidas himself, playing Malone, this is a perfect opportunity to find someone young, charismatic, and dynamic (and rotund) for the role. An unknown would be fine, but it certainly doesn't have to be a big star like Cage. This is their chance to get it right.

Now the only part that worries me is that DePalma is directing. "Let's see, where do I use the long tracking shot? And the 360-degree shot? And then the POV shot?"





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